Arch Stanton

I’m genuinely a bit baffled by today’s events and I’m struggling to understand what’s what and who calls the shots. Does Chapman now call all the shots as to who we can and can’t sign? Or Does Louis still do what he’s done in previous years and “control” the running of the club just not “own” it? cant help but feel a little uneasy at the minute. One thing I’ve always felt with the Louis’ in full control, was safe. Anyway, I hope we don’t go down the same route as Rye when they moved up and sign a “dads army” team of yesteryear and riders who have clearly seen better days such as Nicholls and Harris. We cant get excited and sign a bunch of names thinking they’re still top riders, Andersen another one. Things have changed since we were last in the division and we have to be smarter than that. We should also avoid taking the easy option of signing up riders that regularly rode for us in the Championship and thinking they could do a job for us. Heeps for example, being a 3rd heatleader (or thereabouts) in the Championship, you’d think would do well in a top flight reserve berth, but he was disastrous for Wolves at reserve. Very interesting weeks and months ahead.

Right, where were we

Why so salty? Geographically The Championship has NEVER suited Ipswich. It has, in the main, been an enjoyable time though IMO but the time is definitely right for the move back up. Dont particularly like the idea of a 38 point championship limit and the aim to reduce the strength/quality of the division either. The timing is spot on.

We get that tripe EVERY single year. It wasn’t funny when the first biscuits “gag” surfaced years ago, now it’s just downright cringeworthy.

So the Premiership wins on this particular poll. If they reduce the strength of the Championship by as much as rumoured, then I’ll be bitterly disappointed if we decide to remain in it. With Peterborough also seemingly moving up, its time for a change IMO. We need some local derbies and I’ve personally missed the Lynn clashes terribly for too many years now. A home and away Good Friday double header would be just what the doctor ordered.

98. A season I’ll never forget as an Ipswich fan

It’s the 12-14th November so not a weekend strangely enough.

Or glass half full, someone comes in and takes Panthers back in to the top division. Wouldn’t rule anything in or out at this stage.

Reading that, King is far too big a risk for me for next season unfortunately. Your number 1 is so so important, and for that reason I wouldn’t even consider him. We’ve seen what happened to our season as soon as he was out, it completely collapsed. We struggled to replace him with riders of sufficient quality, and it cost us. When Schlein joined him and we also failed to adequately replace him too, it killed us off completely. If we gamble on King, the man you NEED to be leading from the front and scoring double points everywhere, and he struggles badly, then that could literally be a season wasted right from the get go. We found it impossible to replace him this year, so you’d think that would also be the case next year. We surely can’t be making that kind of gamble?

You forgot Harvey Wallbanger. Another plus point..

3 points for King’s R/R rides tells you everything you need to know. I appreciate it can at times be difficult to get suitable guests, but that can’t be used as an excuse by the promotion for the lack of quality replacements for so long. You can’t be without 2 of the best riders in the league in King and Schlein, and replace them with average (cheap) riders and expect to win meetings. We’ve even gone in to numerous meetings with R/R for said riders when it’s abundantly clear that won’t anywhere near cover their loss. That’s extremely disappointing.

Can you give any more details Tsunami? Is the rumour of 2 leagues, the top being akin to this years Championship, accurate?

Despite reservations when we signed him, Coty Garcia has been a fantastic signing for us. I’d be looking to him if it’s possible.

So if the jungle drums are to be believed, we could be in the “top” flight next year almost by default. Rumours of two leagues instead of 3 are gathering momentum. Top league similar to our current Championship standard, and then a league below that. Can’t see us opting for the lower league if that’s the case. Would be quite excited by that tbh. We could finally resume old rivalries with our Norfolk friends!

Not from this meeting, but the Speedway GB twitter feed has just linked this one from Monday. Another stinker of a gate, but another cracking ride. This lad is going to entertain up and down the country for years if he stays fit and healthy. These two clips make him look a poor gater but he actually isn’t. He’s inconsistent from the gate, but I’ve seen him make plenty of blinders this season too.

Great ride from young Drew!

Absolutely nothing wrong with what Louis said in that tweet whatsoever

We do indeed so let’s hope Nico is more on the pace than he seemed to be yesterday at Sheffield!

Just another one of those seasons Badge unfortunately. Kind of expect it now tbh! it’s yet another blow as Barker is usually very good around Glasgow.

No Barker tomorrow. R/R now for Schlein.

It’s almost as if you’ve been keeping a close eye on the Witches, watching us go in to meetings understrength and rubbing your hands at the prospect of a comfortable evening dispatching a weakened side, and now you’re royally cheesed off that we’ve got the brass neck to turn up with a full septet! The side that will turn up will STILL be weaker than our own 7 without Danny King and Rory Schlein btw