cowboy cookie returns?

This is a guy who has been involved professionally at Foxhall for near on 40 years. I don’t buy the throwing his toys out of the pram. Anyone who has had dealings with him will tell you he is the ultra professional. It’s got to the point where he can’t see any future & can’t drag others in the direction to make it more professional. Believe you mean he has being trying for years. Probably got to the same point the late great John Berry did at the end of 83. As a Ipswich supporter I have to say I agree with & respect his decision. Yes it’s a tough one as it could see speedway at Foxhall finish but if the alternatives are as bad as rumoured the final call is coming anyway. Louis had the decency to actually personally let all the sponsors know before the announcement was made.

That will never happen though. Years of cost cutting have never really resulted in reduced costs but ever increasing admission fees.

The issue is a real drop in standard but not being able to drop admission costs to match. coupled with less sponsorship money coming in & the likelihood that gates would drop. That lower standard turns what was a decent business model at Ipswich in speedway terms to one that loses money.

If Nicholls buys it he won’t do it unless he gets a say at the top table. The BSPA are not really in a position to refuse if Nicholls puts a offer in.

He has said he isn’t running in 2026 & the club is for sale 100% clear as day. If someone buys the club it runs if no one does then no speedway at Ipswich. Simples

It had already imploded with no Birmingham or Oxford.

If someone could persuade Halo group who sponsor town to get involved with speedway at a national level, the money they would invest would be a drop in the ocean compared to what they spend sponsoring town & F1. A young very rich company. The MD was a Foxhall at the end of last season. Halo, Tru plant banking rolling uk speedway with Louis as ceo. Driving change needed & rebuilding. Then I woke up!

I can’t see Guy Nicholls buying the club. If Louis can’t work with the BSPA then Nicholls hasn’t got a chance. In any case Nicholls would want things his way & wouldn’t put up with the way speedway is ran. I think when. Guy pulled the plug on Sheffield he was certainly looking to concentrate on Ipswich as a sponsor with Louis as owner. Whatever has happen it’s happened in the last few days.

Reading the statement towards the end Louis did say that he would clarify things in a few weeks so who knows.

Did Richie & Danny have much to say last night?

But it is. Look at the reported crowd numbers. Most tracks 500 to 800 with a few exceptions. No one interested in a tv deal. No sponsors coming forward. Decreasing number of riders year on year. Louis proved you can make a club work & at least break even, in Louis case turn a profit. However you have to be ultra professional & there aren’t many that come across that way.

The major issue is that clubs like Ipswich have fixed costs like stadium rent. You can run an NDL/champ hybrid in terms of strength but then are People going to fork out 25 quid for that I doubt it. Louis is getting out on a high & at the right time. As for me & the rest of the Ipswich fans if no one steps in then we’ll miss our speedway but let’s be honest it’s only happening a couple of years earlier at Ipswich than the likely outcome for the uk.

For Louis to want out something is seriously wrong around the table. The guy has been at Ipswich since 1989 either as a rider or promoter the club is his life. The louis family have been involved in some capacity since 1969. He obviously can’t see any future given events over the past few weeks. Something has gone very wrong since the last meeting at Foxhall in October. At that point he was talking about next year & even after that was speaking to sponsors about next year. Louis wanting out tells you all you need to know about the state of the sport in the uk. A sad day for Ipswich & uk speedway in general. Louis walking away is a hole that can’t be filled & possibly spells the end of the best run & supported club. But I can’t say I blame him.

Totally disagree with that. It obviously got to the stage where Louis can’t work with the others in the BSPA. Everything he does is ultra professional & runs a well supported & stable club. He proves it can be done. For years he has been trying to drag the show up to the levels he feels it should be at. You get to the point where you can’t carry on otherwise you’ll go insane. As for playing the Sandu card, remember Louis is someone who has been involved at Ipswich in a professional capacity since 1989. The Louis family have been at Foxhall in some capacity since 1969.

For Louis to want out something is seriously wrong around the table. The guy has been at Ipswich since 1989 either as a rider or promoter the club is his life. The louis family have been involved in some capacity since 1969. He obviously can’t see any future given events over the past few weeks. Something has gone very wrong since the last meeting at Foxhall in October. At that point he was talking about next year & even after that was speaking to sponsors about next year. Louis wanting out tells you all you need to know about the state of the sport in the uk. A sad day for Ipswich & uk speedway in general. Louis walking away is a hole that can’t be filled & possibly spells the end of the best run & supported club. But I can’t say I blame him.

I think it’s going to be a long & frustrating winter. The last couple of years the side has been buttoned up by now. I think the delayed AGM & Emil not returning are probably signs that the sport at least top flight is in all sorts of problems.

What I meant was the uncertainty. After the 1990 season it was all set to be the same again a 9 track BL & 17 track NL in 1991. Then whispers of something changing started to happen. Just before Christmas the two leagues merged giving use BL division 1 & 2. A winter that was all over the place that’s the feeling I get this winter. The big difference between now & then is the amount of clubs & there was no lack of riders who wanted to ride in the uk.

Again spot on I would say. This winter does have a feel of 90/91

Again spot on I would say. This winter does have a feel of 90/91

Spot on I would say

Looks like who ever comes in to run the club will need to secure a new sponsorship deal.

Really where did you pull that from? Did make me chuckle

If Thompson does go it’s possibly the right time to be honest. He has been a real Trump card for us but could possibly struggle a little in the main body of the team with little chance of dropping back down. It’s true he had issues at home after his injury but up until that point had been on fire. Like Rew I’m sure the parting of the ways will be amicable to allow a return in the future.

And they say Ipswich buys the league 😂 Fair play to Thompson if that’s the case he has been awesome for us these last 3 years. Equally Louis stands his ground & won’t bust the budget so fair play to him too.

I am aware of someone who came on board in the last 12 months as a sponsor & he has been blown away by Louis attitude & professionalism.