Aries

Much better version of what I said the other day on this. It isn’t just a small handful of 8/9 point riders that would be missing, it’s a hell of a lot more than that. It’s completely unworkable!

TBF he’s been known to do what Steve is suggesting previously. He’s also offered them all big bonuses for netting the big fish. He hasn’t had to pay out on that, YET.

You see I don’t get this argument and I never have. When doubling up, you’re not riding for two teams that are in direct competition with each other are you? They’re in completely different leagues. Going by this reasoning, riders shouldn’t be riding for another club in Poland, Sweden or Denmark either? What is the difference? Chris Harris for example rides for Kings Lynn and Glasgow. Kings Lynn and Glasgow are not rivals/competitors because they ride in completely different Leagues. What’s the issue? Guests are far worse because you’re borrowing riders from a direct rival you’re competing against.

It isn’t just those teams that will be disadvantaged is it. Any club that has a big hitter that visits these tracks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, will also be either running rider replacement for their top rider, or an insufficient guest. I say insufficient, because all the other top riders will be missing and riding in Poland also so a guest will be one of a lesser quality therefore weakling their side. It just won’t work unless weekend clubs change their race night which I’m not sure any of them would willingly do. One of the biggest bugbear of fans seems to be guests but if you run one league and let clubs keep their weekend race night, then it would become even worse! It isn’t just the top boys that ride in Poland either is it. It’s unworkable.

Glasgow look a Premiership team all ends up. Finances are there, support is there, and the club is extremely well run. It’s a top flight club. If they made the move up I’d expect them to be immediately challenging at the top end unlike others who have made the step up in the past.

I think that’s very likely, but if it’s the case let’s hope he leaves with a winners medal for his efforts over here the last three years! He’s been an absolute privilege to watch and although he’s struggled this year by his high standards, he’s still flown in and out on a regular basis and been committed to the cause. He missed the tail end of last year after his horrible injury at Sheffield and although he returned for the last couple of meetings in Poland but not here, he wasn’t fit and his absence was understandable. He’s missing Thursday also, but people are forgetting it’s a rearranged fixture that wasn’t in his calendar, and being close to his meeting for Torun and with nothing riding on the rearranged fixture on Thursday, you can somewhat understand his absence there too. In three seasons, that’s literally all he’s missed. Considering how clubs here have been messed around by foreign riders especially the top ones over the years, Emil has been fully committed here so although it’ll be sad not to see him return, he should leave with our thanks and best wishes. (and hopefully a winners medal). Bewley will be a fine replacement. 😉

https://ipswichwitches.co/tigers-academy-open-at-foxhall/ Well done Chris Louis. Sadly I can’t make it, but I hope plenty get out there and support the youngsters. It would be great for them to race in front of a decent crowd.

Extremely handy especially at Leicester. Ellis rides really well with his mate Doyle, so wonder if they’ll keep Doyle at 3 and Brennan at 5 so Doyle and Ellis can resume their partnership.

Uses the same word as Woffy, (fun). Woffinden was very complimentary about Foxhall last year and said he had a blast and was great fun to ride. Bewley hasn’t got to grips with it yet. He seems to have one or two rides a meeting where you think “he’s cracked it now”, but then follows it up looking completely lost at the back. There was heat last year where he made a stinker of a gate, but stretched the throttle cable and hunted down and passed both Emil and Ellis Loram style! Unbelievable racing. But then he went completely downhill after that and ended the meeting poorly. Leicester is a similar sized track albeit narrower, but he seems to get around there far better than Ipswich for some reason. Probably both! 😩

Strange with Zach Cook. A couple of match winning meetings here a few years ago and he looked like a Foxhall track specialist! But the last couple of seasons it seems as though he’s completely forgotten how to ride the place and looked awful.

Was interesting to hear Bewley on TNT publicly say how much he enjoys riding Foxhall despite not doing particularly well here. He’s said the same over the tannoy at Foxhall in the past, but I just put that down to the fact he was being interviewed in front of a big Ipswich crowd and saying all the right things. He’ll soon be hitting the big scores here when he rides it most weeks next year. 😁

‘mon the Pirates

Thank you everyone for the well wishes you’re all very kind.

Thank you Mike.

Planned on attending this one and alas can’t now make it, or the return next Thursday! Holed up in hospital with a shattered leg and broken hip after an accident Thursday evening 🙄

This. They’re clearly concerned the engine room could be vulnerable with Dan there, so have put our strongest rider available in there with him to counter that a bit. Not sure it’ll matter too much here though, Doyle hasn’t been good at the NSS for quite a while now.

Definitely has that feel of “we’re going to get battered here” doesn’t it. Only area of the team we SHOULD have the upper hand is reserve and that simply MUST happen because we’ll be second best everywhere else. Ellis needs to step up here big time and needs to do better down there than he did on Thursday. Hope I’m wrong but I’m with you on the score, 16-20. That performance Thursday was an absolute stinker and all the confidence I had has drained away because of that one result. Dan concerns me in the engine room of the side also.

Don’t agree with that. It was just a very flat and poor performance, and Sheffield were very good and thoroughly deserved their win. Pickering was excellent

There you go. Anyone want the weekends lottery numbers?

Which I why I agree the play offs are necessary. We’re not like other sports really because we’re solely reliant on fans attending to survive. If it were top team is champions and that’s that, a fair few teams would have their season ended early doors and gates would suffer even more. I still like the idea though that top team is champions no ifs or buts, top four contest the KOC.

Result of this! LOL. let’s have it right you’d never be winning this one.

https://ipswichwitches.co/raceday-guide-sheffield-h-2/ Hopefully get the win tomorrow to have made the away fixture postponement’s irrelevant anyway. Ellis back, and at reserve.

That definitely needs to be looked at. Yes it’s unfortunate to have rain offs right at the death, but it is now September and there’s always the chance the weather takes a turn for the worst. They need to leave a two week gap in future, between the final set of fixtures, and the start of the playoffs offs to allow clubs time to rearrange postponed fixtures.