Ipswich Witches 2026

[SteelShoe]

12 hours ago, mikebv said:

Hey. As it stands Kings Lynn are in the play offs...😄

Could yet win by default

[YeOldPitGate]

8 minutes ago, noaksey said:

Wanting to persist with a "model" that has caused several tracks to lose very significant amounts of money in the last few seasons is absolutely mad even if your own track is in reasonable shape

They were always going to run out of road at some point 

 

Its taken forty odd years to get here but sadly its looking close to finally being checkmate for the sport we all love.

I have followed it from afar since 1992 and its still my favourite sport, I did think things might head in the right direction when Sky came on board but promoters let the number one's hoover up all the money so the foresight to put some of the millions into the general infra-structure to set a sturdy base for the future was wasted.

I still have great memories of when I first started going in the early 80's Lynn had a dreadful team but crowds were decent and Martin Rogers really tried to promote things locally, every week powerhouse teams turned up and steam rolled us, but when we got the odd win the place went mental.

This was mainly down to Bobby Schwartz being so reliable and the odd time when Mike Lee rolled back the years and could be bothered.

I also had the privaledge of watching some of the most gifted riders ever in Henka, Loram and John 'Cowboy Cook' during his brief stint.

So sad its come to this and even forty years ago I knew it was always a constant struggle for the sport as every winter a couple of teams would be in troublee, maybe there's a 10% chance that the promoters will now be forced to work together and some kind of rebirth can begin.

[ShanoXtra]

Any outside chance, for the short term, would Jake Nicholls step it to promote. I know he goes often and he is running his own section of his Dads business now. He is close friends with Dan Bewley who rides in his dads back garden MotoX and he knows Adam Ellis and Doyle really well… totally out of the box comment I know but just to keep Ipswich going as they live here too? 

[Garry1603]

So sorry for Ipswich fans who must be devasted.

The Louis family have been a credit to the sort in various guises and, whilst having a Witches bias (which is completely understandable), have always put the interests of the sport in general first. 

The sport is crying out for an independent  supremo to be the figurehead, face and voice of the sport. Fans, media and sponsors have no idea how the sport is governed. I for one would be more than happy if that was Chris Louis.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Garry1603

[SteelShoe]

Seems to me that now more than ever, is the time that riders who have been supported by British Speedway over the last 20 years should seriously consider giving something back  in whatever way they can.

[TTT]

8 minutes ago, SteelShoe said:

Seems to me that now more than ever, is the time that riders who have been supported by British Speedway over the last 20 years should seriously consider giving something back  in whatever way they can.

BSPL simply don't want to make things work even if they did get given financial help.

[Aries]

 

[Racin Jason 72]

4 hours ago, ouch said:

So Louis plays the Sandhu card due to the proposed set up not being to his liking. Try being a Belle Vue promoter and having to deal with the crap laid at our feet with irritating regularity. 

No matter how disgruntled you feel about not getting your own way you do not jump ship. Think of the bigger picture for once and not solely your own club as this thinking has got us into this situation we are now in. It’s better all round to try and attempt change from within rather than just washing your hands of our wonderful sport. You never win every battle but you still have hope to win the war. 

I posted when the NSS opened my concern of not having any top flight clubs to ride against due to the volatile nature of many promoting teams. It’s come to pass in the main due to this insular me, me, me thinking that culminates in this situation when things don’t go their way. We know it’s not a financial decision as like Poole in the second division the witches have the best crowds and due to incredible work done by Louis they have the best sponsor support. 

Pulling the rug like this has MASSIVE repercussions to the WHOLE sport in the UK and even if he gets his way and performs a U turn the damage from that press release will last. I feel for the witches supporters who would turn out to see their team in what ever guise they appeared. To have that potentially removed whilst the perpetrator sheds crocodile tears is particularly galling. Keep fighting guys, someone’s got to. 

Up the witches!

The late John Perrin was threatening to pull the plug most seasons 

[CrystalCastles]

Really sad news.

Nothing positive about this.

When i think about Ipswich, as a kid. When Newport reopened and getting into Speedway, watching the Elite League at Swindon. I remember the Ipswich team of 1998 as having a special aura and Ipswich being a special club.

Chris and the team have done so much to rebuild Ipswich back up to be that well run professional club in the last 4/5 years because they have been ambitious, invested, obtained sponsors and wanted to grow.

As a neutral it's one of the things i have most enjoyed.

I think dropping down leagues and that model for Ipswich, didn't really work in the past.

So i can see why he will have made this decision.

If Chris is not involved in club speedway that is a massive loss for the Sport.

 

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by CrystalCastles

[SteveLyric2]

1 hour ago, ShanoXtra said:

Disappointingly, Ipswich is probably the best run sporting town at the moment with the witches and Ipswich town football financially sound, I think that’s why everyone is so shocked and disappointed. The town was going through some kind of amazing high if you also include Fabio wardley. 

'Hello?! Hello?! Is that Ed Sheeran, I've got a proposition for you..................'

[ShanoXtra]

7 minutes ago, SteveLyric2 said:

'Hello?! Hello?! Is that Ed Sheeran, I've got a proposition for you..................'

I’d get game changer involved! 

[TINYS]

4 hours ago, ouch said:

So Louis plays the Sandhu card due to the proposed set up not being to his liking. Try being a Belle Vue promoter and having to deal with the crap laid at our feet with irritating regularity. 

No matter how disgruntled you feel about not getting your own way you do not jump ship. Think of the bigger picture for once and not solely your own club as this thinking has got us into this situation we are now in. It’s better all round to try and attempt change from within rather than just washing your hands of our wonderful sport. You never win every battle but you still have hope to win the war. 

I posted when the NSS opened my concern of not having any top flight clubs to ride against due to the volatile nature of many promoting teams. It’s come to pass in the main due to this insular me, me, me thinking that culminates in this situation when things don’t go their way. We know it’s not a financial decision as like Poole in the second division the witches have the best crowds and due to incredible work done by Louis they have the best sponsor support. 

Pulling the rug like this has MASSIVE repercussions to the WHOLE sport in the UK and even if he gets his way and performs a U turn the damage from that press release will last. I feel for the witches supporters who would turn out to see their team in what ever guise they appeared. To have that potentially removed whilst the perpetrator sheds crocodile tears is particularly galling. Keep fighting guys, someone’s got to. 

Up the witches!

Bull sh/t

[TINYS]

25 minutes ago, Aries said:

 

Would be good to see you at Kings Lynn next season Tom.

[ShanoXtra]

26 minutes ago, TINYS said:

Would be good to see you at Kings Lynn next season Tom.

Something seriously wrong with this comment… “if only it could have lasted longer”. Everyone wants the truth but we will never get it.

[ArthurRudge]

11 minutes ago, ShanoXtra said:

Something seriously wrong with this comment… “if only it could have lasted longer”. Everyone wants the truth but we will never get it.

Yeah it sounds really fishy to me.

[ShanoXtra]

The whole team basically saying farewell is a pretty sad situation.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by ShanoXtra
.

[ArthurRudge]

1 minute ago, ShanoXtra said:

The whole team basically saying farewell is a pretty sad situation.

Of course, I know how sad it is losing a team when Bradford shut

[TTT]

Just now, ShanoXtra said:

The whole team basically saying farewell is a pretty sad situation.

Should never have come to this.

[ArthurRudge]

2 minutes ago, TTT said:

Should never have come to this.

Will Louis out a statement to put people more into the picture about why it has happened?

[Hawk127]

5 minutes ago, TTT said:

Should never have come to this.

Grasping at straws, are they saying farewell to Chris and Ritchie or to the club?