TigerIain

I was assuming the Stewart Dickson's statement meant that there was a going to be a Premiership. And I was only considering recent Championship riders. Looking at the Premiership averages though, only 5 riders from there couldn't drop down (6 if you count Woffinden. Emil isn't coming back so I've not counted him). Plenty of other options for Scunthorpe to explore there. Even Jason Doyle could drop down

I kinda hope that Scunthorpe ditch him first and don't let him back into the Championship. Not much chance though given the lack of options

Nah they showed the BSN Ride of the Year by the guy winning the award. Aside from any bias, the Super Heat was one team gating, the other both going for a gap that wasn't there on the first bend and getting left behind asthe opposition rode off onto the distance. In terms of showing off the sport and the spectacle of it, there must have been over 100 better heats at Ashfield last season.

All the Ipswich fans on here will be having wet dreams at the possibility of that scenario.

Leicester have just put out a statement on their website where Stewart Dickson says Leicester are fully committed to the Premiership, and talks are ongoing. Gold star to Stewart for telling fans something! (Although I fear a black mark from fellow promoters!!)

At the time that was announced, there was still 1 NDL match to be raced, but the Tigers season was finished. I think that Steelers match is why it refers to last top flight meeting had been run, rather than hinting at Tigers going CL. In my interpretation of the 'for sale' announcement it is assumed that a buyer would be found and no mention of what happens if not. Although (at the risk of annoying Ipswich fans again) it would devalue the club if the current promotion publicly stated that they would not run in 2026 if not sold. Anyway, let's hope that whilst there is nothing public, that something good is coming together both for Sheffield and the Premiership

Not an awards ceremony I'd heard of to be honest. Looking at the winners, none were Rangers or Celtic related and the only football winner was for walking football, so it gets almost no mention in the press up here. I first seen it on Bomber's Facebook page. Congratulations to Chris Harris on winning though

Presumably to cover the possible loss of income if the Premiership does not run. Danes run a squad system, and Poole previously said they would make it work so that Ben Basso could still ride all their fixtures (he left anyway). Presumably Poole were aware before he signed. I expect Lawson to be riding all the scheduled Poole meetings (rearranged fixtures in either league might cause clashes though).

I meant strengthen Oxfords top end, where they were lacking this year, and strengthen themcompared to other. Yes they have to lose points from where they finished last year but I think a proper number 5 will help Cheetahs do better this year. (contrast their 2024 Masters & Nicholls team v 2025's Masters and second strings). As for weakening Poole, it takes away their number 5, and if Zach Cook is not back it leaves a problem for Poole to replace him. Per the Pirates page Matt Ford was having an issue with the 7th rider in their line up which was rumoured to be the now departed Rowe, which could mean that Kerr has to take on the number 5 role. Even allowing for stronger second strings I think that would weaken Poole relative to the league. In my opinion, a strong number 5 is needed for success in 2026 (could be a King & Nicholls or a Harris & Howarth or a Lewi Kerr or Jake Allen really stepping up)

Only if they actually pay it! Although without their Premiership team they should hopefully be on a more stable financial footing

Don't think anyone seen that coming. Good move though, strengthens the Cheetahs and potentially weakens one of their rivals (unless Poole tempt Zach Cook back, in which case it also strengthens Poole)

I was meaning for speedway, rugby and ice hockey. Partly because it avoids clashes with football which seems to be on every other night of the week and all day Saturday and Sunday (although normally lunch time on a Sunday for Scottish teams). It also allows a lot more parents to attend, and to bring kids (no school tomorrow and no clashes with weekends kids sports fixtures). Plus for people like me, you finish your working week, relax whilst watching live sport on the Friday night and still have the full weekend. I find that Saturday night or Sunday afternoon/ evening and to take up a lot more time as you can waste the day waiting for start time to come around. Monday and Thursday nights would just not be anywhere near as well supported in Glasgow.

I sincerely hope that you're source is the wrongest source that there has been! Tigers fought hard to get Friday night racing. Which is the preferred sports watching night in Glasgow. The promotion has done a lot of good, and hard, work to get lots of kids along which would be affected by going midweek. Plus they'd lose the fixtures that you look for in the calendar...Edinburgh, Berwick and Poole, and replace them with a lot of teams that aren't anything special (no offence intended) I know that the Facennas have plans for top level speedway in Glasgow but I don't think that the time is right. IF Glasgow were going to go Premiership, only Redcar and Oxford haven't announced their 8+ rider and Harris, Wright & Masters haven't been announced. Almost certain that Redcar have signed Wright & Masters is at Oxford. So would Bomber really be the rider to miss out at Championship level? And, where would Glasgow get a number 1 to rival Bewley, Fricke, Doyle, Kurtz & Holder? It's not like GP starts are queuing up to ride in the failing Premiership

He'd love Ashfield

Unlikely to bring masses of entertainment on a gate and go track like you have at Poole. In last seasons playoff final Bomber got nowhere near passing anyone, and he is currently the best rider in Britain at overtaking. If Bailey is as good as the hype (I've never seen him race) then his talents would be better displayed elsewhere. Hopefully he does get a Championship spot somewhere next year though as I'd like a chance to watch him round Ashfield.

Only Oxford, Glasgow and Redcar still to announce their number 1 (8+ rider), and it would be a major shock if the 3 didn't retain Masters, Harris & Wright respectively. Outside of Masters, I expect Kileen, & McDiarmid will have interest from elsewhere but will stay. I think it will be one of those 3 that are announced. Outside bet would be former Spire Victor Palovaara who might not be back at Edinburgh

Kerr, Rowe, Beau Bailey and Cooper Rushen were rumoured to be the other 4. Last 2 seem more doubtful now, and if they don't sign Rowe (who now seems to want more than Poole are willing to pay) there isn't an obvious straight replacement, so line up might need to be changed if it was Bailey and Rushen as they would start way under the points limit if you replace Rowe with a 5 point newcomer.

There hasn't been any info/leak/story about what actually happens in that scenario. Presumably that will be discussed as part of the overall talks. Can't imagine it would be straightforward as the 1 rider over 8.00 was to even out all the Championship teams. Whilst no one had been announced at Premiership level, I expect contracts have been agreed/signed subject to the league going ahead. Big crossover in riders though so would not be easy to solve! For example, allegedly Dan Thompson has been offered a large sponsorship deal to move from Ipswich to Leicester in the Premiership (before Chris Louis & Ipswich quit). Rumoured that he has also signed for Edinburgh in the Championship. Presumably then if its one big league he will want to ride for Leicester to get the sponsorship (which is based on him riding at Leicester). Edinburgh will possibly already have signed 6 other riders to fit just under 40 with Dan Thompson at number 1. If they lose him, then they would likely want to change other riders. Partly for that reason I hope it stays as 2 leagues. If Redcar are going to announce all 7, then they must be reasonably confident of being able to track that 7 next year. Hopefully it's a good sign if they go ahead with the announcement.

If that's the team, it looks solid. Hard to judge without seeing the other line ups, but it should go OK. My only thought is that it would really need someone to step up at number 5 as back up to Wright. Although if one of Allen, Jenkins or Edwards is on top form every match and the other 2 ride to average then i don't think that they'd be far away from any silverware.

I hope it's not Glasgow. I'm sure it's just coincidence, but his scoring and riding dropped off noticeably just before the end of 2024. It also happened that Rowe mentioned on a podcast that he signed a 2025 contract with Poole before the end of the 2024 season. With Harris, Howarth, and Flint in the team, Rowe would not leave a lot of points for the bottom 3. And if the rumours/speculation about Luke Harrison are true then Rowe does not fit in under 40 points as that top 5 would be over 36. Rowe also got his average on a gaters track that suits him better than Ashfield does. He didn't show anything last year that made us think that Glasgow should bring him back. Of the 5 I've mentioned, Rowe would be the one I would leave out. Maybe he fancies a season at Armadale? (11+1 from 5 there last season)

Is it just Bowes that they've signed? Or have they signed his attitude problem as well?

He's not 16 for a few months yet, so not is enough to sign for a Championship or Premiership team yet. Likely to be a NDL/NDT team, so probably Chargers, unless the pen is deliberately misleading

Pretty sure their only requirement is that next season is financially viable. So let's hope it meets that. For ALL clubs

Really??? Its basic business economics! If you are buying an ongoing business you would pay market value for it. If the buyer knows that the seller is not going to continue the business beyond a certain date then the closer it gets to that date the less a buyer would offer for the club because they no that there is no value to the seller after that date. In this case there will be a date by which Ipswich speedway (whoever owns it) will have to declare whether or not they are running in 2026. If Louis hasn't sold and follows through and says I'm not running in 2026 the club begins almost worthless as any buyer could not operate the business until at least 2027.

The uncertainty over Ipswich running may have left all the other clubs in limbo though. Fans don't know yet if it will be 1 division or 2, and if it's 1 surely that was relying on Ipswich running. Just because Chris Louis says he will work hard to find a buyer doesn't mean that he will find one, or find one quickly. Where does that leave the new Ipswich owner in terms of team building for next season? Would a rider take a chance on signing for a club that might not run or might not want them on their old promoters contract? Does the new owner just get left with the riders that didn't fit elsewhere? It's too early to know the answers to these questions, and it's Chris' money and business to do what he likes with but it has created more uncertainty in a winter that's not been lacking in that at all. Has he just undone all the work that was done to get to the slightly cryptic potentially good news from Rob Godfrey last week? Again time will tell, but at the moment it looks like Chris Louis has thrown a spanner in the works hence the negative reaction to his announcement