Ipswich Witches 2026

[TTT]

8 minutes ago, PhilTheAce said:

Sad news. Toys out the pram spring to mind. 
 

fully expect a similar statement from belle Vue in the not to distant future 

Same here.

I hinted at it earlier on this thread.

[PersonalResponsibility]

22 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

If the premiership falls it will be a domino effect for the championship thus NDL so be warned. That’s all I’m trying to get at, many people on here seem blind to that fact and don’t understand how riders manage to ride in the championship because they get paid from prem clubs too, championship clubs will need to increase the riders salaries and that’s where the real problems will start to come. All of a sudden you have one league that will be in the same mess as the Premiership. But people are obvious to that fact, and just think the championship is run better… it’s not the case.

I don't think anyone's oblivious to anything. The Premier League existed quite healthily before doubling up and down started. Clubs don't "need" to increase rider's wages to make up for them losing a Premiership club. They pay what they can afford and the riders take it or leave it.

Sadly, the reality will probably play out as we all expect, and they will overspend, but that'll be the fault of the promoters paying excessive wages and nothing else.

[ShanoXtra]

4 minutes ago, PersonalResponsibility said:

I don't think anyone's oblivious to anything. The Premier League existed quite healthily before doubling up and down started. Clubs don't "need" to increase rider's wages to make up for them losing a Premiership club. They pay what they can afford and the riders take it or leave it.

Sadly, the reality will probably play out as we all expect, and they will overspend, but that'll be the fault of the promoters paying excessive wages and nothing else.

You completely contradict yourself, one moment “They pay what they can afford and the riders take it or leave it” then one second later “promoters paying excessive wages”.

Work that one out then explain it back to me.

[PersonalResponsibility]

1 minute ago, ShanoXtra said:

You completely contradict yourself, one moment “They pay what they can afford and the riders take it or leave it” then one second later “promoters paying excessive wages”.

Work that one out then explain it back to me.

If you can't understand the post then I think an explanation would be wasted, but I'll try.

Promoters should tell riders: take it or leave it. History tells us that it's very unlikely promoters will do that. When things inevitably blow up, it'll be because they didn't do that.

[ShanoXtra]

4 minutes ago, PersonalResponsibility said:

If you can't understand the post then I think an explanation would be wasted, but I'll try.

Promoters should tell riders: take it or leave it. History tells us that it's very unlikely promoters will do that. When things inevitably blow up, it'll be because they didn't do that.

Instead of being a smart ass write better explanations then… you didn’t write “should” you wrote it as a statement that they pay what they want and it’s take it or leave it, it’s not my problem I can’t understand your poor English.

[PersonalResponsibility]

12 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

Instead of being a smart ass write better explanations then… you didn’t write “should” you wrote it as a statement that they pay what they want and it’s take it or leave it, it’s not my problem I can’t understand your poor English.

Good for you. It's pointless discussing it any further when there are bigger issues, like the future of your own club, to talk about on here. I'm not "obvious to that fact" on that one.

Edited yesterday at 07:36 PM by PersonalResponsibility

[YeOldPitGate]

As Mike has said the promoters have poured in millions over the years but they could never get a real long term collective game plan together, those that tried to make radical changes didn't last very long, (John Berry, Jonathan Chapman the two who most come to mind).

When a club got into trouble there always seemed to be someone pop up with 100k-500k to burn through over 2-3 seasons before they threw in the towel but these people seem gone now also.

The only positive is that Louis stepping down is going to force them to try something different whether it works better than the last decade or this is the beginning of the end we will have a better idea of when April rolls round.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

I take it Louis will be resigning from speedway futures Ltd too as he clearly doesn’t believe in the lower league product 

[ShanoXtra]

15 minutes ago, PersonalResponsibility said:

Good for you. It's pointless discussing it any further when there are bigger issues, like the future of your own club, to talk about on here. I'm not "obvious to that fact" on that one.

Speedway needs to prosper, I’m not on here to have any arguments… I want speedway to have a bright future. The main thing I’m frustrated about is the lack of communication from BSPA on any matter, they are sitting silent and us fans left in the dark. That’s very poor from them.

[gjcone44]

10 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

I take it Louis will be resigning from speedway futures Ltd too as he clearly doesn’t believe in the lower league product 

 I hope, perhaps, through the Tiger’s Academy I can continue in the sport in the future. I want to thank every rider that has represented the Witches in my time

[YeOldPitGate]

12 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

Speedway needs to prosper, I’m not on here to have any arguments… I want speedway to have a bright future. The main thing I’m frustrated about is the lack of communication from BSPA on any matter, they are sitting silent and us fans left in the dark. That’s very poor from them.

I think the issue is they don't know where things are going themselves literally every week we have been having huge bombs go off, no tv deal, no sixth club, Louis looking to get out, no firm buyer for Sheffield yet.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

25 minutes ago, gjcone44 said:

 I hope, perhaps, through the Tiger’s Academy I can continue in the sport in the future. I want to thank every rider that has represented the Witches in my time

Yea just not the league, he is acting like a spoilt brat who can’t get his way 

[Hawk127]

So sad given that the supporters and many others fought to save the club back in the 90’s. Whoever takes over, if it happens, will have lost that true Suffolk/Ipswich bond of Louis family at its heart with a club that has, on many occasions plied its trade with the local riders over the years and as such a speedway tradition may well be lost forever.

Heartfelt thanks to Chris and his family for what they have done for speedway in Suffolk and beyond and hopefully his experience is not lost entirely to the sport.

Now all that is needed is to find sufficient local folk with the wherewithal to take over the club to keep the sport alive at whatever level in Ipswich so that the proud tradition of speedway at Foxhall continues.

[Hawk127]

2 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Yea just not the league, he is acting like a spoilt brat who can’t get his way 

Just maybe he has had enough of the way the sport is run by amateurs and if you knew anything about the sport in Suffolk and was a local you might well have a different view but you are entitled to your opinion.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

7 minutes ago, Hawk127 said:

Just maybe he has had enough of the way the sport is run by amateurs and if you knew anything about the sport in Suffolk and was a local you might well have a different view but you are entitled to your opinion.

Maybe he has had enough of the way it’s run but the sport is pretending it’s still a major player and until we realise we ain’t we will never find the bottom and  rebuild to some success, I understand Ipswich perfectly well and I admire Louis and his team and they are possibly the most successful professional outfit in speedway but he still acting like a spoilt brat 

Edited 23 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[Ajr]

3 hours ago, spin king junior said:

For a club like Ipswich to be put up for sale who hold a regular decent crowd and just won the league just shows no one is safe.

 

If a club like Ipswich can't succeed then no one can and quite simply the days of top flight racing in Britain is done. 

 

You'd think/hope someone like Guy Nicholl will be in, I cant see him letting the club go under.

Is he any relation to Scott?

[Hawk127]

10 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Maybe he has had enough of the way it’s run but the sport is pretending it’s still a major player and until we realise we ain’t we will never find the bottom and  rebuild to some success, I understand Ipswich perfectly well and I admire Louis and his team and they are possibly the most successful professional outfit in speedway but he still acting like a spoilt brat 

Is that because he simply does not share your view about the sport and the wider view of those gullible fools who run other clubs and the sport. It is his money and investment and if he feels that the investment is a waste of time and to have put a lot of effort into building a sound business proposition and having tried to draw in news sponsors to the sport simply to be shafted by events beyond his control who is anyone on here to criticise when it’s not their money on the line. I really don’t get the view that if you don’t do what someone else wants then they are being selfish. As I have said, everyone is entitled to to opinion but the investment in the club is not yours or mine and if it is time to call it a day than who on here has the right to criticise that business decision and say it is wrong. 

[Fortythirtyeight]

26 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Maybe he has had enough of the way it’s run but the sport is pretending it’s still a major player and until we realise we ain’t we will never find the bottom and  rebuild to some success, I understand Ipswich perfectly well and I admire Louis and his team and they are possibly the most successful professional outfit in speedway but he still acting like a spoilt brat 

Why is he ‘ acting like a spoilt brat ‘ ?

if you don’t like the way the business your involved in is being run then why not walk away ?

He obviously knows the full picture of what’s being proposed and wants nothing to do with it and has every right to walk away from it.

I think that the fact that someone as successful as Louis is walking away tells us the death bells are ringing for the premiership , if not the sport , and that it needs a revolution from within or you won’t have long left to vent your rants at.

[ShanoXtra]

43 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Yea just not the league, he is acting like a spoilt brat who can’t get his way 

You’re an idiot writing this and not having any facts although you often claim to know many. Do you know his personal situation? do you know his financial situation? Do you know if Ipswich can afford to run in one league with a watered down team and without TV money but still having to pay Spedeworth every time they use Foxhall stadium whilst not having the pull of the fans if they have to dismantle their team? If not, don’t call people spoil brats. You say you have a voice on a podcast now and then, but sometimes talk crap so it’s concerning.

[Fortythirtyeight]

3 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

You’re an idiot writing this and not having any facts although you often claim to know many. Do you know his personal situation? do you know his financial situation? Do you know if Ipswich can afford to run in one league with a watered down team and without TV money but still having to pay Spedeworth every time they use Foxhall stadium whilst not having the pull of the fans if they have to dismantle their team? If not, don’t call people spoil brats. You say you have a voice on a podcast now and then, but sometimes talk crap so it’s concerning.

Only sometimes ?