Ipswich Witches 2026

[SPEEDY69]

22 minutes ago, JamesB said:

…but that’s the problem.

Until contracts are signed there is no sale of the club and there is no way that Louis can state that the Witches will come to the tapes in 2026 (unless he is prepared to run it in the event of the sale being frustrated).

Also, the NDA will not allow him to provide a running commentary on the sale. The only thing he can say is that negotiations continue well but everything is subject to contract, which is exactly what he has said.

I still do not understand how the BSPL were able to announce that there will be a minimum of five clubs including the Witches in 2026.

I remain with my fingers well and truly crossed.

Exactly, no reason he couldn't be clear on that, that's what Sheffield had said before their investors turned up...and then left.

[SteveLyric2]

18 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Rosco?

Rosco has always said he would want to pick his own 1-7 if ever he was to return.

[noaksey]

19 minutes ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Rosco has always said he would want to pick his own 1-7 if ever he was to return.

Also Adams is an experienced administrator as well as a Team Manager and that might be useful to Ipswich this season

He's not the best TM around anymore but I think he'd be ok short term 

[WookieboyDon]

Pete Adams told SS a few months back he wants back in now that resurrecting Wolverhampton does not look likely at the moment. I think he still has plenty to offer and would be incredibly excited if I was an Ipswich fan if he ends up being confirmed.

With regards to Tai, he has said that nobody from the UK has been in touch. Whether that has now changed only time will tell. But given Pete is like a second father to him, if he comes calling I don't think Tai would say no.

[WookieboyDon]

4 hours ago, ShanoXtra said:

I can’t believe people are on here still second guessing what team Ipswich will have when the club has treated the fans like something off the bottom of their shoe with little updates of any significance. I’d be more inclined to say I’d boy-cot the matches if they did run than just pretend everything is rosy and play ‘guess the line-up’. This has left a massive sour taste in my mouth over Ipswich and the entire speedway scene, no updates from anyone and British speedway happy to announce rider signings as if everything is normal, if Ipswich just collapse then these signing will be for nothing for the other teams. Absolute joke. Rant over enjoy your day people! 

🤡

[TTT]

17 minutes ago, WookieboyDon said:

Pete Adams told SS a few months back he wants back in now that resurrecting Wolverhampton does not look likely at the moment. I think he still has plenty to offer and would be incredibly excited if I was an Ipswich fan if he ends up being confirmed.

With regards to Tai, he has said that nobody from the UK has been in touch. Whether that has now changed only time will tell. But given Pete is like a second father to him, if he comes calling I don't think Tai would say no.

It does sound like the rumour has some legs to it then.

Tai gets a questionable GP wildcard and Mayfield Sports rumoured to be the buyers of Ipswich, Helping each other out?????

Ipswich need a new Team Manager and No.1, Pete Adams wants to return to the Sport and Ipswich is the only way back in for him unless a 6th Team is found, Pete is like a second father to Tai like you said.

Luke Becker is the other rumoured rider and he hasn't been announced elsewhere either.

It all makes sense tbh.

[TTT]

This team would win the League imo.

 

1. T. Woffinden 8.45 (Rumour)

2. J. Jeppesen 4.34 (Why hasn't he been signed yet on a bargain GSA?)

3. L. Becker 6.88 (Rumour)

4. T. Musielak 6.63 (Local mechanic, Chris and Pete Adams connections)

5. T. Brennan 7.05 (Nailed on)

6. J. Jenkins 3.46 (Sponsors)

7. J. Edwards (RS) (Already confirmed)

= 36.81

Edited yesterday at 02:29 PM by TTT

[Aries]

2 hours ago, SPEEDY69 said:

Exactly, no reason he couldn't be clear on that, that's what Sheffield had said before their investors turned up...and then left.

Can’t disagree with you here. Louis wasn’t fair to the Ipswich supporters early doors no matter what his defenders will say and I was one of his critics on here. But, don’t agree with the latest rant either. Louis isn’t flogging an old pair of jeans that no longer fit on gumtree, he’s selling his business and his living. People will take the p!ss with their side splitting hilarious jibes of “starting gate and broken down tractor”, but it’s obviously far more complex than that. He made his living out of Ipswich speedway just like his father John did before him. He issued an update just over a week ago saying everything was agreed, but he couldn’t go in to detail until it was all completed. 
 

What else can he say in the meantime?? He put a timescale of “within two weeks” on his statement, and that runs up until Tuesday next week so I’m not sure why anyone would criticise him now. Even if it runs past that, these things sometimes do and that’s out of his control. But he probably felt pressured in issuing some sort of update, which he’s done. 
 

As hard as it is, we all now need to wait until Louis issues a further update, which he’s promised to do. 

[Aries]

1 hour ago, noaksey said:

Also Adams is an experienced administrator as well as a Team Manager and that might be useful to Ipswich this season

He's not the best TM around anymore but I think he'd be ok short term 

My memory wasn’t what it used to be, but didn’t Adams, along with CVS, say that it would be Wolves or nobody for them when Wolves unfortunately lost their venue? Apologies in advance if I’ve got that wrong, but that’s in my head for some reason.

[Aries]

1 hour ago, WookieboyDon said:

Pete Adams told SS a few months back he wants back in now that resurrecting Wolverhampton does not look likely at the moment. I think he still has plenty to offer and would be incredibly excited if I was an Ipswich fan if he ends up being confirmed.

With regards to Tai, he has said that nobody from the UK has been in touch. Whether that has now changed only time will tell. But given Pete is like a second father to him, if he comes calling I don't think Tai would say no.

Sorry, didn’t read this before I posted! 

[noaksey]

1 hour ago, Aries said:

My memory wasn’t what it used to be, but didn’t Adams, along with CVS, say that it would be Wolves or nobody for them when Wolves unfortunately lost their venue? Apologies in advance if I’ve got that wrong, but that’s in my head for some reason.

I saw him say last year he was keen to get back in and it won't be with Wolves anytime soon if ever so this might be his chance 

[TTT]

28 minutes ago, noaksey said:

I saw him say last year he was keen to get back in and it won't be with Wolves anytime soon if ever so this might be his chance 

It all makes too much sense when you really think about it.

Probably Pete's one and only chance to get back into the top level of the Sport in the UK considering the PREM only has a few teams.

Don't see a scenario where another opportunity would open up at PREM level when it comes to BV, KL, LEI and SHE.

Edited yesterday at 04:58 PM by TTT

[YeOldPitGate]

3 hours ago, WookieboyDon said:

Pete Adams told SS a few months back he wants back in now that resurrecting Wolverhampton does not look likely at the moment. I think he still has plenty to offer and would be incredibly excited if I was an Ipswich fan if he ends up being confirmed.

With regards to Tai, he has said that nobody from the UK has been in touch. Whether that has now changed only time will tell. But given Pete is like a second father to him, if he comes calling I don't think Tai would say no.

Plus you get Pete's PR skills also.

[YeOldPitGate]

2 hours ago, TTT said:

This team would win the League imo.

 

1. T. Woffinden 8.45 (Rumour)

2. J. Jeppesen 4.34 (Why hasn't he been signed yet on a bargain GSA?)

3. L. Becker 6.88 (Rumour)

4. T. Musielak 6.63 (Local mechanic, Chris and Pete Adams connections)

5. T. Brennan 7.05 (Nailed on)

6. J. Jenkins 3.46 (Sponsors)

7. J. Edwards (RS) (Already confirmed)

= 36.81

The question marks would be Tai coming back from a horrendous injury the fella is tough as boots physically and mentally , his recovery from where he was is something from the gods but will there be something in the back of his mind after looking near death in the face hopefully he will prove me wrong and have a safe season. Tobi needs to get back to his Sheffield form he seems to flourish as the number two heat leader.

Becker I really like and if he came hopefully with a bit of help from Tai he could kick on to being an eight point plus man same with Brennan hopefully would make the next step up. Jeppenson I rate but would prefer him at six but granted with a lower points limit that's not doable without weakening elsewhere.

[cowboy cookie returns?]

4 hours ago, TTT said:

This team would win the League imo.

 

1. T. Woffinden 8.45 (Rumour)

2. J. Jeppesen 4.34 (Why hasn't he been signed yet on a bargain GSA?)

3. L. Becker 6.88 (Rumour)

4. T. Musielak 6.63 (Local mechanic, Chris and Pete Adams connections)

5. T. Brennan 7.05 (Nailed on)

6. J. Jenkins 3.46 (Sponsors)

7. J. Edwards (RS) (Already confirmed)

= 36.81

I not sure about Woffy to be honest that’s my main concern with that side.

Lots of question marks around fitness etc plus doesn’t seem to have the manner of Doyle & Emil.

Unfortunately those two are irreplaceable on many levels. Regardless of who is in the side Foxhall is going to have a very different feel.

[martinmauger]

I could be wrong but a thought occured to me one of the things that 'didn't tally' with UK speedway or whatever it was Louis said, could the abolition of clubs retaining riders as assets.  I.e. £,000's of assets wiped from a club's value.  Like I said, just a thought....

[89buttons]

6 hours ago, TTT said:

This team would win the League imo.

 

1. T. Woffinden 8.45 (Rumour)

2. J. Jeppesen 4.34 (Why hasn't he been signed yet on a bargain GSA?)

3. L. Becker 6.88 (Rumour)

4. T. Musielak 6.63 (Local mechanic, Chris and Pete Adams connections)

5. T. Brennan 7.05 (Nailed on)

6. J. Jenkins 3.46 (Sponsors)

7. J. Edwards (RS) (Already confirmed)

= 36.81

Tidy side, would prefer Rew to musielek personally, also if Jenkins isn’t getting the 25% reduction for a second time I’d love to see young Mitch McDairmaid at no.6 very impressed with him when I saw him last season and would fit

[arnieg]

43 minutes ago, martinmauger said:

I could be wrong but a thought occured to me one of the things that 'didn't tally' with UK speedway or whatever it was Louis said, could the abolition of clubs retaining riders as assets.  I.e. £,000's of assets wiped from a club's value.  Like I said, just a thought....

No.

The value of riders as assets was effectively the loan fees they could generate. But for every pound of loan fees received lost by clubs with large asset bases a pound of loan fees paid will be saved by clubs with small asset bases.

So while it will reduce the value of clubs with large asset bases there should be a compensating increase in the value of clubs with small asset bases.

[martinmauger]

I'm not as 'up' on accounting theory as I used to be once, was thinking more of value riders on a club's books.  E.g. if Emil planned to ride the UK in 2026 but if a club, wanted to 'buy' & retain him as a riding asset of their own, he was happy to leave and Ipswich were willing to sell (both unlikely), they might willing to pay, say, £35,000, not that clubs tend to that these days.  So £35,000 would be wiped from Ipswich's riding asset value, though added to funds held, same if they sold others riders they 'owned', though this could be spent on replacements and improve the value of the club.  I mean what does a speedway club 'own' these days: track equipment, track licence, goodwill ?  But, I'm not as 'up' on accounting theory as I once used to be....

Edited 16 hours ago by martinmauger
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