Arch Stanton

You’re wrong on this one I’m afraid. Louis wanted to give Heeps more time but couldn’t because the League meetings were starting a few days later so had to be quick to stay within the rules and the change was made. My work company sponsors some of the meetings at Foxhall and Louis will always come and chat with us in the bar after those meetings. A colleague brought this up and he was adamant. None of this off the record nudge nudge wink wink stuff, he went through the rule clearly and concisely. They really need to do a far better job of writing these rules down to avoid all the uncertainty.

So there we have it, seven team league and an increased points limit. Louis isn’t speculating or guessing here as he clearly knows. I’d heard it was Leicester and one of Oxford or Glasgow coming up to make it an 8 team league. So either someone is dropping down or it’s Leicester only making the move up.

I’ve never brought one for the reason you state, poor value. But I actually did this year as the Ipswich one was a lot better value than normal. It allowed you to miss two (May have even been three?) meetings and still be in profit for theoretically another half meeting. Used to be miss one and just about break even like you say. As it happens and just my luck, I haven’t been able to attend since the summer through ill health so the one year I buy a season ticket because it was decent value, and it all went belly up!

This is completely different.

Nicholls will never be back at Foxhall as a home rider under the current set up.

Only three of this years team should stay, Doyle, Riss and Hume. Then freshen up with four newbies. Try and get over a couple of the talented young foreigners that haven’t got the big gigs in Poland yet. There’s a fair few out there.

Right, Doyle and 6 others please

Think we’ll probably win tonight but it’ll be close. Away it’ll be a walkover. With the greatest respect to them, when you have the likes of Etheridge and the German lad flying past established heatleaders and number 1’s like they’re stuck in a traffic jam then that tells you how difficult it is there.

With all due respect we’re not talking about the GP’s are we? Before the season started on the predictions thread, plenty said Doyle would be eclipsed this year by Fricke and Holder and would be demoted to third best Aussie. That went well.. He hasn’t missed a meeting all season, the effort he’s put in to every meeting and every ride has been clearly visible, dominant and entertaining. Been a privilege to watch him this year and if finance allows and he wants to return, should be the first name on the team sheet regardless of his high average.

100%. Saw this tweet today, unbelievable stats really

Possibly, although Louis said last winter that the idea was to loan him out for a couple of years not the one. Has to be some concern with the lack of progress as well. The thought was he needed a move from Ipswich as riding his home town track was putting too much pressure on him. If anything, he’s moved away and gotten worse!

The opinion seems to be that it’s not now needed, with far more options apparently being available to clubs this time around, married together with an increased points limit. Could see some pretty strong looking line ups next season, compared to what we’ve seen in recent years anyway.

Some want it scrapped, some don’t. No decision made yet.

I was of the mindset that I didn’t want Starke to return as he’s far too unreliable, but on that average you’d seriously have to consider him again at reserve. IF we retain Doyle, we’re gonna need a fair few on low looking averages. Tungate and Riss also look appealing to me on those figures. If our final meeting at Sheffield does get run, we need all 7 having an absolute stinker to help further. Mind you, Sheffield will be thinking the same so it could in theory be a keystone cops meeting and a bit of a farce!

https://ipswichwitches.co/raceday-preview-belle-vue-premiership-play-off-semi-final-1st-leg-h/ Number 1 for Aces still TBC.

Normally get a meeting preview on the Ipswich website Tuesday morning at the latest for a Thursday meeting and still nothing as yet. Must be waiting on news from Belle Vue.

Maybe for Morris?

He certainly does. Basso an option?

Not so sure myself. A fit Starke then absolutely no chance, but as it stands don’t think there’ll be much in it. That’s if Starke is even riding.

I think we’ll take a lead to Manchester. Not one that’ll ultimately be enough, but a lead nonetheless. Our reserve situation is a worry I agree, especially with Starke’s ongoing fitness issues, but other than Wolves who also have poor reserves, I think we’ll get away with it here as Blowhorn and Etheridge are not great travellers normally. Agree with both of you. Fricke is normally very ropey at Foxhall to say the least. Superb last time out though so who knows what Fricke would/would have turned up.

Heard a few rumblings that there won’t be a “rising star” next year. Time will tell.

We don’t know what that the final league table is yet though.. but I know what you mean.

We’ve 6 teams in the league for Christ sake, how we’ve got to the stage where there are outstanding fixtures to squeeze in when we’ve had between April and mid September is ridiculous but here we are. To ride play off meetings with pairings that could up being the wrong pairings is embarrassing.

Fair enough, and no need to apologise

Call me cynical, but I’m not convinced the Sheffield Ipswich fixture will be done. That meeting could well change the finishing order of the table, meaning the play off pairings would have ended up being wrong. Does it make a big difference? Possibly not, but it wouldn’t be ideal. I just think the finishing order at the cut off point (Thursday) will remain the finishing order. Could be wrong of course!