Ipswich Witches 2026

[SPEEDY69]

Who is Terry Tibbs, apart from being in a speedway limerick with Andy Hibbs? 

[SteveArena]

Great to read TT back again!  We need him to run British Speedway.

[flagrag]

On 1/27/2026 at 10:20 AM, PhilTheAce said:

I wouldn't worry. Because even if a buyer can't be sorted the BSPL will run Ipswich. 

 

So they will be running 100%  just who will be running them 

A decent offer was made by Two Premiership promotors in conjunction with Phil Morris to buy the Witches but this was turned down by Chris Louis as he felt it was worth more and had private interest . 
The latest I heard early this week was the proposed new owners were waiting on signing a number 1 before completing the payment for the sale transaction but do have most of the team signed 

[IainB]

6 minutes ago, flagrag said:

A decent offer was made by Two Premiership promotors in conjunction with Phil Morris to buy the Witches but this was turned down by Chris Louis as he felt it was worth more and had private interest . 
The latest I heard early this week was the proposed new owners were waiting on signing a number 1 before completing the payment for the sale transaction but do have most of the team signed 

So an unsigned "number 1" could hold the whole club to ransom? Not a great position to be in 🤔

Edited 13 hours ago by IainB

[Steve Irving]

5 hours ago, flagrag said:

A decent offer was made by Two Premiership promotors in conjunction with Phil Morris to buy the Witches but this was turned down by Chris Louis as he felt it was worth more and had private interest . 
The latest I heard early this week was the proposed new owners were waiting on signing a number 1 before completing the payment for the sale transaction but do have most of the team signed 

Surely that’s a complete conflict of interest? You can’t have two owners/promotors run their own clubs, and also own/run a second club between them in the same league. That’s just nuts.

Glad Louis turned that particular proposal down! Wouldn’t think the Ipswich supporters would have been too thrilled either to be frank. The two promoters would naturally put their clubs first, and Ipswich would end up with the scraps just to get them running so their own clubs had a viable league to compete in. Assuming one was Chapman, he’s hardly going to help build a better team than his beloved Kings Lynn is he?

Terrible idea, and pure desperation.

[Aries]

16 hours ago, noaksey said:

Someone told me yesterday that the deal is as good as done between the parties with one matter to be completed 

Fingers crossed 

 

6 hours ago, flagrag said:

The latest I heard early this week was the proposed new owners were waiting on signing a number 1 before completing the payment for the sale transaction but do have most of the team signed 

Those two posts sound similar and point to the same issue, but that throws up a red flag for me. Waiting on signing one rider for one season before pushing the button on buying a whole Speedway club, shouldn’t be a deal breaker should it? Hardly screams long term commitment does it??

 

[therefused]

3 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Surely that’s a complete conflict of interest? You can’t have two owners/promotors run their own clubs, and also own/run a second club between them in the same league. That’s just nuts.

Glad Louis turned that particular proposal down! Wouldn’t think the Ipswich supporters would have been too thrilled either to be frank. The two promoters would naturally put their clubs first, and Ipswich would end up with the scraps just to get them running so their own clubs had a viable league to compete in. Assuming one was Chapman, he’s hardly going to help build a better team than his beloved Kings Lynn is he?

Terrible idea, and pure desperation.

Peterborough won the league when chapman was involved there, if i remember Lynn finished bottom that year 

[TTT]

2 hours ago, Aries said:

 

Those two posts sound similar and point to the same issue, but that throws up a red flag for me. Waiting on signing one rider for one season before pushing the button on buying a whole Speedway club, shouldn’t be a deal breaker should it? Hardly screams long term commitment does it??

 

Also ties in with the Tai Woffinden SpeedwayStar article and rumour though.

Question is when did Tai give that interview to the SpeedwayStar about not getting any offers from British Clubs and have Mayfield Sports contacted him after the interview?

[IainB]

4 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Surely that’s a complete conflict of interest? You can’t have two owners/promotors run their own clubs, and also own/run a second club between them in the same league. That’s just nuts.

Glad Louis turned that particular proposal down! Wouldn’t think the Ipswich supporters would have been too thrilled either to be frank. The two promoters would naturally put their clubs first, and Ipswich would end up with the scraps just to get them running so their own clubs had a viable league to compete in. Assuming one was Chapman, he’s hardly going to help build a better team than his beloved Kings Lynn is he?

Terrible idea, and pure desperation.

 

1 hour ago, therefused said:

Peterborough won the league when chapman was involved there, if i remember Lynn finished bottom that year 

Leicester always seemed 2nd best when they were in the same league as Sheffield under the Bates

[bigcatdiary]

2 hours ago, therefused said:

Peterborough won the league when chapman was involved there, if i remember Lynn finished bottom that year 

Lynn finish bottom most years

[JamesB]

Maybe, the new owners plan a ‘major’ PR event.

Rather than just publicising the completion of the takeover, they may also want to announce the 2026 1-7 at the same time. 

That approach would be understandable, hence the need for the No 1 to be signed up prior to any announcement. 

[cowboy cookie returns?]

11 hours ago, IainB said:

So an unsigned "number 1" could hold the whole club to ransom? Not a great position to be in 🤔

Hi is that Emil? If you ride for Ipswich in 2026 we’ll guarantee you a go spot in 2027 are you in?

[castrolargh]

6 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Surely that’s a complete conflict of interest? You can’t have two owners/promotors run their own clubs, and also own/run a second club between them in the same league. That’s just nuts.

Glad Louis turned that particular proposal down! Wouldn’t think the Ipswich supporters would have been too thrilled either to be frank. The two promoters would naturally put their clubs first, and Ipswich would end up with the scraps just to get them running so their own clubs had a viable league to compete in. Assuming one was Chapman, he’s hardly going to help build a better team than his beloved Kings Lynn is he?

Terrible idea, and pure desperation.

He did at Peterborough. The team there was stronger as crowds were better ,therefore better finance

[IainB]

48 minutes ago, JamesB said:

Maybe, the new owners plan a ‘major’ PR event. 

Brian Cant? Keith Deller?

[therefused]

1 hour ago, bigcatdiary said:

Lynn finish bottom most years

well aware thank you

[Aries]

4 hours ago, therefused said:

Peterborough won the league when chapman was involved there, if i remember Lynn finished bottom that year 

 

41 minutes ago, castrolargh said:

He did at Peterborough. The team there was stronger as crowds were better ,therefore better finance

But he hates us. He said so on the official press release when “legend” Louis tried to flog us to that charlatan a few years ago!!! 🙄

[Baldyman]

1 hour ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

Hi is that Emil? If you ride for Ipswich in 2026 we’ll guarantee you a go spot in 2027 are you in?

I doubt he will race here again.