Arch Stanton

For some reason I had it in my mind that Klindt was replaced late on by Crump but he was replaced by Jake Allen so that emphasises my point even more! Klindt was the number 1 in that team in terms of stature and point scoring potential regardless what number he’d have started with. Klindt is like sh!t off a shovel at Foxhall that’s why a lot of us wanted him in the side. Those narrow home defeats would have been home victories with him in the side no doubt in my mind.

Yes, but that was last year, not this. Edit: It was actually the 2019 season, not the season that never was last year.

To be fair, the team building included Klindt (an Ipswich track specialist) at 1 until he dropped out on the eve of the season. We lost numerous meetings by only a handful of points, especially at home, when Crump or a guest scored only a few points. That makes all the difference in the world. Of course we’ll never fully know 100%, but if we’d had Klindt at 1 as originally planned, we’d almost certainly have far more points on the board than we currently have. I also accept the point about Panthers doing brilliantly without a recognised number 1. But it’s pretty much a rare occurrence that this happens. Look at all the league winners over the years, and 99% of them have had good solid number 1’s.

Yeah, working wonders that..

Just incase anyone is bothered at the moment King and 6 others.

I badly miss the old system which led up to the world final where any one of the field could be world champion on the night. They were great occasion’s.

Pretty shocking by the majority of Ipswich riders this year, bar Danny King. He’s been absolutely fantastic in amongst a pile of pure sh!t. The likes of Jake Allen (the biggest culprit and at the bottom of the pile of dung) will come up smelling of roses though. Now on a very handy average of 4.Something or other, he will no doubt be a trump card for somebody. I hope that somebody isn’t Ipswich though. Let someone else benefit from his low average. If he lines up as a Witch next year, count me out. His efforts this year have been pathetic.

Well done Danny King. Fantastic season in both leagues.

New average 5.56 according to the Witches preview for Thursdays meeting against Peterborough. I was against him returning as a Witch next year, but if he wishes to do another season I’d include him on that average. He was absolutely dreadful for a while when he returned clearly not fit after breaking 8 ribs at Wolves, but he was pretty decent before that injury, and also been ok in the last few meetings after regaining fitness. That middle part of the season has had an obvious effect on his average, and 5.56 is tempting for next year..

Been fantastic all season and the only one of the current crop who deserves to return next year.

Know what you’re saying but Same for every other rider though Baldy and there’s plenty not hitting the heights this year. He’s had an impressive year for me and I’m not a massive fan normally

King the only positive. He’s having a fine season actually.

I agree with you Baldy, I hate being critical of speedway riders as they’re all far braver than I’ll ever be! But he doesn’t seems to have that courage and ruthlessness and determination that you need to get to the very top. There’s so many times Where he looks to have the speed to get by someone if he kept the throttle open, but as a gap starts to diminish he seems to immediately shut off and loses his chance. I find it frustrating watching him to be honest.

You were right BB…

So the Witches are the ones gambling on Crump’s fitness and not Plymouth this time? It was the other way around a week or two ago! Richard Lawson guests for the “injured” Crump this evening for Plymouth. Why don’t Ipswich just knock this Crump stuff on the head, admit the gamble has failed and sign someone else?

Maybe it’s both? Could have hit the kerb which caused his chain to snap

That’s a pretty bizarre thing to say and makes zero sense in all honesty. The bloke’s last meeting for Ipswich was a flawless 15 point maximum where he looked head and shoulders above everyone else on the night. If Cook should give the top league up and “just concentrate on the CL”, then 90% of the others in the top flight should do also! Not your smartest contribution Steve.

He’s never been this bad though Baldy, even in his poorer seasons! He’s never been particularly great away from Foxhall, but as Hawkins rightly pointed out, Heeps has been a superb home rider and so entertaining as well. Something just isn’t right with him. For one of the golfing “clique” to get the bullet, the Ipswich promotion must know it too. He’s a good lad is Cam, so I hope it’s just a crisis of confidence? Maybe the enforced break due to the pandemic has affected him more than most

What on earth has happened to Cam? Dreadful again tonight for Kent. Sad to see

Agree Badge for all the doom and gloom on here, I thoroughly enjoyed it too. Was some terrific racing. Cookie was top class. On the Covid thing, I hope you’re right. But I’ve a nagging feeling that on Monday when the easing of restrictions are set to be rubber stamped, that he might do a u turn and keep some of them in place due to the rising infections. Mask wearing might be one of them. We’ll see.

Another good meeting. Absolute cracker of a heat involving Allen Bewley and King. I’ve no idea what happened to Allen off the final bend as I was watching King’s theatrics after grinding to a halt but I’d assumed Allen had it sewn up until I looked back to see Bewely cross the line first!?

But that’s not his decision, and shouldn’t be his decision. He declared himself “fit” to ride against Wolves, and after the first bend, put his bike in reverse before pulling on to the centre green wincing in pain. So if Ipswich put him in tonight because “he was going to ride for Plymouth” and he does exactly the same, other than the Belle Vue fans on the back straight pi$$ing themselves laughing, what have Ipswich achieved by doing that? Another likely home defeat which in turn hurts their business. If they want to be cautious and make sure he’s 100% before they include him, good for them. If their intention is to pull a fast one by getting a guest in as was alluded to be Rob in his original post, then they’ll be doing that for the rest of the season and he’ll never return. There’s been no inclination that that is going to happen to my knowledge. We won’t agree here, so we’ll agree to disagree and I’ll bow out on this particular subject. On the meeting itself, I can see it being another close one, could go either way. I’ll go for a draw.

Sorry disagree. Plymouth and Ipswich are not one entity. One club is prepared to let an unfit rider ride, another isn’t. So you’re saying because Plymouth are prepared to let him ride through the pain barrier and ride whilst not 100% fit, then for the “integrity” Ipswich should do likewise? Nah not having that sorry. Ipswich are entitled to make their own private decision regardless of what Plymouth decide. They will have spoken to Crump at length no doubt about it. They’ll know more than any of us if he was going to do himself justice. They’ve decided against it. Their prerogative to do so. Bugger all to do with anyone else. Hardly cheating is it? Oh and disagree about Belle Vue fans not being bothered either. They’ll want to top the table, no doubt about it.

By Plymouth, not Ipswich. Look, we know how it is, you Belle Vue fans would much rather see a half fit Crump struggle to a few points to give your team a much better chance to grab 3 or even 4 points (you might still get them anyway!), we get it. As I’ve already said, if Plymouth were prepared to take the hit and still include him without him being 100% fit, then that’s their prerogative. What’s that got to do with Ipswich? Their stance, is they’re going to wait until he’s 100% and will do the team justice, which surely they’re more than entitled to do? I’ve even seen Ipswich fans question Ipswich here which to be honest, has totally baffled me. Why should Ipswich give their opponents an advantage before the tapes rise in the first heat by fielding a 45 year old bloke who only a few weeks ago broke 8 ribs and isn’t yet totally fit? Are you THAT desperate for success??? Ipswich have a business to run, have little to no chance of making the play offs, and up until Monday had lost 7 matches on the spin. They need supporters through the gate as much as everyone else so they’re quite right not to gamble on the fitness of their number 1 until he’s back to full fitness. To me it’s very simple!