cowboy cookie returns?

Clearly as we all know something went badly wrong & Louis decided he could no longer run a profitable business within whatever the BSPL were wanting to do. We know that because both he & Richie had been talking about putting together a team to retain the title. Then came the bombshell that he was selling Doyle came out on twitter & said that the had their backs. No one can really blame Louis for getting out if the future direction meant it wasn’t viable for him. No one on here would have done anything differently. Louis ran a very professional outfit not something that happens very often in speedway. Just look at the shambles of the championship cup draw. Yes if the sale doesn’t happen & Louis doesn't have a change of heart I’ll lose my local track. However I still back his decision looking at the bigger picture the direction of the sport I am happy to take the memories. I’ve followed Ipswich since the 80s, however if it’s the end I have the memories of the great sides & the last 3 years have been a blast. I wonder how many of the people who are saying Louis should carry on regardless would be willing to risk their own financial security to keep a business going in an environment that is only heading one way.

Of you have seen the British Speedway Facebook page this morning with the championship cup draw you’ll know the sport has sunk to new levels of embarrassing

I not sure about Woffy to be honest that’s my main concern with that side. Lots of question marks around fitness etc plus doesn’t seem to have the manner of Doyle & Emil. Unfortunately those two are irreplaceable on many levels. Regardless of who is in the side Foxhall is going to have a very different feel.

I’m not sure our stridghtaways are good enough for sam

I’m not sure our stridghtaways are good enough for sam

I love the debate that comes around guests necessary evil etc etc & what the alternative is. Its not a necessary evil, Poland & Sweden run with out guests they use a squad system. Back in the day the old National League under the management of Stekesbury & co banned the use of guests. At the time the NL was a fair better & more professional outfit than the BL. Guests & doubling up come about because of the absolutely ridiculous operating model that the uk have gone with. If you go back to the 80s & early 90s every team had a junior team which meant most clubs had their regular 1-7 with them a back up of anywhere between 4-7 good junior/second half riders. If you were running in the NL basically you had a squad of 11-13 guys the juniors would be called in to the team to cover injuries. The promotors decided to bin that off reducing the number of available riders though lack of opportunities to race remember those juniors rode in their own league match’s each week. While every other ‘professional’ sport have invested in increasing their squad systems & opportunities to compete & train British speedway has done the opposite. There is a route out however that will take time vision & creative thinking. The out of control guest & doubling up system is a condition unique to British speedway brought about by the way the governing body has chosen to operate the sport. It wasn’t ever necessary!

The BSPL / Speedway futures have issued a new line of promotor inspired t shirts

The BSPL / Speedway futures have issued a new line of promotor inspired t shirts

I don’t think even speedway futures know what they are doing

I remember the old National league having an outright ban on guests. You used your own junior's or RR to cover injuries but if RR you had to name a number 8. However there was a certain amount of doubling up certainly in the mid 80s Carl Blackbird rode for Mildenhall in the NL & Ipswich in the BL Richard Knight rose for Mildenhall & Wimbledon & Nigel Flatman spent many years riding for both Ipswich & Peterborough. Granted none of the above was a full on as today.

Ray Morton also rode for Wimbledon in the NL

I wonder if the Norwegian kid will be arriving?

Only throttle jockeys with little skill refer to Ipswich as that.

Are they the new owners?

If it’s true about the new owners at Ipswich then hopefully it might work out. British speedway is in even more of a mess than when BSI got involved at Reading. British speedway needs this to work.

If the new owner has deep pockets & can share a vision maybe they can temp Emil back with the reduced fixture list. He is only riding in Poland & Denmark 😂

As Ipswich have been confirmed in the premiership it must mean that the BSPL are happy with whoever it is & if needs be an experienced promoter is lined up to over see the new owner.

But a Foxhall track specialist. Who knows

Hopefully not Woffy or Lawson

Janowski really?? He was shocking everywhere last season & worse than shocking at Foxhall

No to Woffy, to many injuries now & they need to be looking to a younger generation. Same with Barker as well. The second line up looks ok but with someone else at number 1. Having said that can you really see Danny King not being involved.

The mystery new owner

Hawkins is working with those two (Doyle & Ellis) on an individual basis in 2026 nothing to do with Ipswich. His post on x states on to the next chapter.

Earlier in the winter there was a thought that radical change could be coming. Its certainly been a radical winter a u turn on ownership at Sheffield, Louis leaving Ipswich, Ipswich confirmed as running but no idea who is running it. As far as radical change in how the sport is run which is needed well that’s zero change. I find it staggering that it’s more of the same.

If the club is sold then he wouldn’t be risking his money & if that gets a deal done then maybe he would.