Ipswich Witches 2026

[cowboy cookie returns?]

Mayfield being a successful business probably saw lack of return on Bangs. We have all followed this sport long enough to know that a 28 day replacement for ‘illness’ means he ain’t coming back.

Kennett is cheaper no flight costs. Allows mayfield to see the year out with lower costs & with crowds still holding up.

The real issue is if in a year or two nothing has changed in British Speedway then mayfield will probably walk away. They won’t allow the rest to ruin their chance of making the sport in general & Ipswich especially more attractive. 
 

Kennett for bangs maybe the first sign things aren’t what they expected, the real test will be this winter & the team they put together for 27

[ouch]

History shows how fickle the Ipswich support can be and the last thing we need is them dropping out of our league again due to insufficient support. 

We really need Mayfield to come to the party and help us push on. What we have done with Northampton in this short space of time and our program of producing number ones for teams to use plus the whole Brits thing is not an easy burden to take on alone. I had high hopes for Mayfield at Ipswich and was looking forward to a GP or two there instead of us carrying the can. I’m still hopeful they will join the party.  

[Neila]

Last time Kennet rode in a professional league was for Plymouth a few years ago, but only completed 3 laps then was " injured " for the rest of the year, Plymouth got to use RR or guest riders all year, maybe this is the plan for the witches 🤔😜. Maybe @lewy has something to say about this 🤣

[ShanoXtra]

22 minutes ago, ouch said:

History shows how fickle the Ipswich support can be and the last thing we need is them dropping out of our league again due to insufficient support. 

We really need Mayfield to come to the party and help us push on. What we have done with Northampton in this short space of time and our program of producing number ones for teams to use plus the whole Brits thing is not an easy burden to take on alone. I had high hopes for Mayfield at Ipswich and was looking forward to a GP or two there instead of us carrying the can. I’m still hopeful they will join the party.  

Manchester is contracted to run a double header GP next year and then that’s it. So don’t fear that you’ll be carrying Britain’s GP on your back for much longer! Mayfield’s ideal scenario is one at Manchester and one elsewhere, although nothing confirmed as to where that may be! 

[TB1]

1 hour ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

Mayfield being a successful business probably saw lack of return on Bangs. We have all followed this sport long enough to know that a 28 day replacement for ‘illness’ means he ain’t coming back.

Kennett is cheaper no flight costs. Allows mayfield to see the year out with lower costs & with crowds still holding up.

The real issue is if in a year or two nothing has changed in British Speedway then mayfield will probably walk away. They won’t allow the rest to ruin their chance of making the sport in general & Ipswich especially more attractive. 
 

Kennett for bangs maybe the first sign things aren’t what they expected, the real test will be this winter & the team they put together for 27

The only thing I can see is new riders coming through or cloning of existing ones! Failing one or both of the above, I'm afraid the ship goes down with only brave hardy souls on board!

[Hawk127]

I think the article in the Star this week sums up where Mayfield Sports are and anyone looking at the sport through rose tinted glasses is not going to survive. Five years seems to be the time frame, change or that is it. I have some sympathy regarding the comments on the lower tier of the major events despite the many protests over the lack of streaming but if the previous sponsors were allegedly loosing money on the GPs then something has to give to get the sport out of survival mode and on to a sound financial footing. Otherwise it is back to amateur status. Adopt that view and then the Kennet scenario makes sense in the short term. For now Ipswich continue.

[Whitelinehugger]

48 minutes ago, Hawk127 said:

anyone looking at the sport through rose tinted glasses 

Like these.

 

[lewy]

1 hour ago, Neila said:

Last time Kennet rode in a professional league was for Plymouth a few years ago, but only completed 3 laps then was " injured " for the rest of the year, Plymouth got to use RR or guest riders all year, maybe this is the plan for the witches 🤔😜. Maybe @lewy has something to say about this 🤣

Yeah it was a nasty injury  i think he eventually needed an operation to sort it out

 

[Gavan]

3 hours ago, ouch said:

History shows how fickle the Ipswich support can be and the last thing we need is them dropping out of our league again due to insufficient support. 

We really need Mayfield to come to the party and help us push on. What we have done with Northampton in this short space of time and our program of producing number ones for teams to use plus the whole Brits thing is not an easy burden to take on alone. I had high hopes for Mayfield at Ipswich and was looking forward to a GP or two there instead of us carrying the can. I’m still hopeful they will join the party.  

Clueless or trolling?

Ipswich fans are not fickle we have had the biggest crowds even through the crap years and lower league …. One of if not the best supported clubs 

And although Brennan and Lidsey ride at one they aren’t exactly good enough to be number ones and Lidsey again doing his usual Foxhall performance.

 

 

[TTT]

4 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

Mayfield being a successful business probably saw lack of return on Bangs. We have all followed this sport long enough to know that a 28 day replacement for ‘illness’ means he ain’t coming back.

Kennett is cheaper no flight costs. Allows mayfield to see the year out with lower costs & with crowds still holding up.

The real issue is if in a year or two nothing has changed in British Speedway then mayfield will probably walk away. They won’t allow the rest to ruin their chance of making the sport in general & Ipswich especially more attractive. 
 

Kennett for bangs maybe the first sign things aren’t what they expected, the real test will be this winter & the team they put together for 27

My minimum expectation is Doyle, Musielak, Brennan and King as a Top 4.

[GeneralMelchett]

Very interesting programme notes from the Witches promotion effectively calling out promoters being 'too willing' in calling off fixtures particuarly if their is just the slighest risk of rain! Its a habit that needs breaking!

He also cited the last rain off in the FIM/SGP was in 2021 - just 2 rain offs in 200 meetings!

[TB1]

1 hour ago, GeneralMelchett said:

Very interesting programme notes from the Witches promotion effectively calling out promoters being 'too willing' in calling off fixtures particuarly if their is just the slighest risk of rain! Its a habit that needs breaking!

He also cited the last rain off in the FIM/SGP was in 2021 - just 2 rain offs in 200 meetings!

And therein lies the problem. The speedway authorities won't challenge it and the status quo won't change. As the old saying goes, never kick a man when he's down.

[cowboy cookie returns?]

6 hours ago, TB1 said:

And therein lies the problem. The speedway authorities won't challenge it and the status quo won't change. As the old saying goes, never kick a man when he's down.

 

6 hours ago, TB1 said:

And therein lies the problem. The speedway authorities won't challenge it and the status quo won't change. As the old saying goes, never kick a man when he's down.

And if those aren’t willing to change Mayfield will walk away

[ouch]

9 hours ago, Gavan said:

Clueless or trolling?

Ipswich fans are not fickle we have had the biggest crowds even through the crap years and lower league …. One of if not the best supported clubs 

And although Brennan and Lidsey ride at one they aren’t exactly good enough to be number ones and Lidsey again doing his usual Foxhall performance.

 

 

I’d have to say clueless as I assumed Ipswich twice dropped out of our league due to finances negatively impacted by poor attendance. I apologise for my error and would like to know what their motives were for the drops.

Tom & Jaimon are exactly good enough to be number ones. This was arrived at by using their averages and the rulebook. You are, as always entitled to your opinion but the fact remains that they have to ride at number one for their respective teams. 

With regards Jaimon, which is his usual performance at Foxhall, 1 or 13?

[mikebv]

6 hours ago, TB1 said:

And therein lies the problem. The speedway authorities won't challenge it and the status quo won't change. As the old saying goes, never kick a man when he's down.

Self policing often means no policing...

They all will use some kind of nonsense decision at some stage, therefore all are happy to let the circus roll on..

[YeOldPitGate]

15 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

Mayfield being a successful business probably saw lack of return on Bangs. We have all followed this sport long enough to know that a 28 day replacement for ‘illness’ means he ain’t coming back.

Kennett is cheaper no flight costs. Allows mayfield to see the year out with lower costs & with crowds still holding up.

The real issue is if in a year or two nothing has changed in British Speedway then mayfield will probably walk away. They won’t allow the rest to ruin their chance of making the sport in general & Ipswich especially more attractive. 
 

Kennett for bangs maybe the first sign things aren’t what they expected, the real test will be this winter & the team they put together for 27

How are the crowds compared to this time last year 60-70% of 2025 levels ?

[YeOldPitGate]

14 hours ago, Hawk127 said:

I think the article in the Star this week sums up where Mayfield Sports are and anyone looking at the sport through rose tinted glasses is not going to survive. Five years seems to be the time frame, change or that is it. I have some sympathy regarding the comments on the lower tier of the major events despite the many protests over the lack of streaming but if the previous sponsors were allegedly loosing money on the GPs then something has to give to get the sport out of survival mode and on to a sound financial footing. Otherwise it is back to amateur status. Adopt that view and then the Kennet scenario makes sense in the short term. For now Ipswich continue.

Hi can you expand on the gist of the article in the star a bit can't get it where I live thanks.

[GeneralMelchett]

2 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

 

And if those aren’t willing to change Mayfield will walk away

One day we may get the full low down on why CL took the actions he did - I seem to recall some people accused him of throwing his toys out of the pram and pouting cos he wasn't getting his own way - given Mayfield have, since taking over, raised two real areas of concern where the league needs to sharpen itself up - if they walked away would they be accused of the same! 

[Hawk127]

31 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Hi can you expand on the gist of the article in the star a bit can't get it where I live thanks.

It follows on from the non screening of the SoN2 last weekend. Coleman said that the production costs for this meeting and the SGP 2 & 3 were prohibitive and giving the relatively low viewing figures it simply is not a good use of the limited funds available in the sport. He also said they they are working towards getting the SGPs back on track financially which is the number one priority. It seems that the championship was in jeopardy and could have ended up being promoted by the FIM and only perhaps three or four events. The championship had been losing millions. Mayfield Sports had/have sold out the first five GPs so it is looking optimistic. The decision not to screen SoN 2 was taken many months back and the same for SGP 2 & 3. WBD buys the television rights from Mayfield and it is up to WBD how they choose to use them. Some events don’t have particularly high viewing figures and the job Mayfield inherited was to try and sort out the Speedway GP first and foremost. Cost benefit analysis means it does not make sense to screen SoN 2 live. Even though the cameras were at the track, they could not film or broadcast it because Mayfield have sold the rights and would not be able to broadcast it. Another reason is the cost of the rigging. It would need to be in place on Thursday and this cost an additional Euro 60k -80k. Some general comments are made. Then Coleman moves on by saying they have concerns outside the the world GP particularly with the leagues in Sweden, Denmark and Britain and says that there is no point in doing a great at the top of the pyramid if it is crumbling underneath. There are a number of systemic issues and a number of issues in terms of governance and direction that need to be solved. There is a lot of naval gazing that goes on in speedway. Ultimately he thinks that there sport has five years to turn itself around. There are a number we are trying to move the needle on. But we have only been here for six months or so it is a challenge but hopefully we can keep as much goodwill as possible from the fans and do the best job we can.

That is about it. Hope it is useful

[szkocjasid]

11 hours ago, GeneralMelchett said:

Very interesting programme notes from the Witches promotion effectively calling out promoters being 'too willing' in calling off fixtures particuarly if their is just the slighest risk of rain! Its a habit that needs breaking!

He also cited the last rain off in the FIM/SGP was in 2021 - just 2 rain offs in 200 meetings!

I agree with the suggestion some clubs postpone matches far too early, but Ipswich themselves postponed a match when fans were in the stadium.

The ideal situation, is somewhere in the middle of these scenarios.