Northampton 2026

[Normski]

51 minutes ago, topaz325 said:

Many speedway clubs nickname's incorporate the big cat family, Lions, Tigers (many including Sheffield, Glasgow, Mildenhall ) , Wildcats, Panthers, Cheetahs, ...any more?

Look at Berwick there is a bear on town coat of arms but we are called Bandits

[Hamish McRaker]

36 minutes ago, paulnolan said:

The name doesn't really matter, does it? Northampton Foxes sounds good. That's it.

(Although the town crest has lions on it so maybe Leicester could swap if they're that bothered...)

Both Cobblers and Saints are protected commercial properties, and as someone from Northampton, I'm sick of shoes.

I know Northampton/shire quite well.

Has always seemed to consist of multiple identities to me. East Midlands? East Anglia? Greater London? Scots over in Corby. Landowning wealth in rural towns and villages. A mish mash of those plus a growing immigrant population. 

Whichever direction you take when leaving Northampton, youre going into a different area with its own, stronger, identity.

Names of sports clubs do matter, and i suspect those behind this project have very limited knowledge of the East Midlands.

Id advise them to have a rethink!

[IainB]

1 hour ago, Derrickn said:

It's a long time ago,but I think Leicester used to have a horseshoe design on their race jackets.

And used to be called "Hunters" because of the county's association with Foxes and Fox Hunting

[DaveWayne]

11 hours ago, Derrickn said:

Leicester used to be called the "Hunters",as per fox hunters.

 

1 hour ago, Hamish McRaker said:

Best to ask Reg Fearman or Alan Jones why Lions name was chosen in 1968.

Leicester Tigers name goes back to 1880 and the local regiment after which the club was named.

Leicester City FC has had Fox identity for a long time (I'm no football historian) but have used it increasingly in marketing since maybe 40 years ago.

Leicestershire CCC has had Fox badge for as long as i can recall and like LCFC the club has increased its use in marketing and "brand identity".

When Leicester Speedway was reborn in 2011, LCFC and LCCC had the Fox branding well and truly established and so it rightly continued the Lions branding even with a 28 year gap, regardless of why the name had been chosen in 1968.

Leicester/shire is something of a sporting Mecca, and it would be very messy if all of them were called "Foxes"!

But even so, Leicester/shire sport does have a strong Fox identity, and its attempted appropriation by Northampton speedway is a terrible and unbelievable mistake.

Should be Falcons in my opinion

 

7 minutes ago, Hamish McRaker said:

I know Northampton/shire quite well.

Has always seemed to consist of multiple identities to me. East Midlands? East Anglia? Greater London? Scots over in Corby. Landowning wealth in rural towns and villages. A mish mash of those plus a growing immigrant population. 

Whichever direction you take when leaving Northampton, youre going into a different area with its own, stronger, identity.

Names of sports clubs do matter, and i suspect those behind this project have very limited knowledge of the East Midlands.

Id advise them to have a rethink!

So Leicester were called the Hunters at the same time as the Brafield Flying Foxes existed. 😉

Far from it being an 'attempted appropriation' or a 'lack of local knowledge', it is historically accurate in returning to the name of the original team that rode at the same stadium.

Most 'older' stock car fans still refer to the stadium as Brafield rather than Northampton.

[ouch]

Is it really the case that people won’t attend due to the name Foxes? If so I’m either really laid back or out of touch with modern sensibilities. 

I just hope Mark doesn’t bring along his bleedin’ podium. 

[Fortythirtyeight]

On 3/24/2026 at 7:22 PM, Roger Jacobs said:

How do you know he hasn't been named?  Just because they can't be bothered to tell the customers ...

After all, they've announced Northampton as a new team, but it seems that the track still hasn't been approved ... lots of assumptions being made ...

Can’t approve a track that they haven’t finished building yet .

[Fortythirtyeight]

Interesting to read that other Premiership Promoters now have a ‘vested interest’ in the club so which promoter will be named as the ‘Tutor’ as all new promoters are supposed to have one ?

Sounds like going back to the old days when one promoter ran several clubs .

 

Do recall that not being within the rules but that book is simply ‘advice’ these days it seems.

[Hamish McRaker]

1 hour ago, Normski said:

Look at Berwick there is a bear on town coat of arms but we are called Bandits

Sounds logical to me.

In Bandit Country

1 hour ago, DaveWayne said:

 

 

So Leicester were called the Hunters at the same time as the Brafield Flying Foxes existed. 😉

Far from it being an 'attempted appropriation' or a 'lack of local knowledge', it is historically accurate in returning to the name of the original team that rode at the same stadium.

Most 'older' stock car fans still refer to the stadium as Brafield rather than Northampton.

So hopefully all of the fans from the old Flying Foxes days and their descendents will be connecting and turning up in good numbers. 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, ouch said:

Is it really the case that people won’t attend due to the name Foxes? If so I’m either really laid back or out of touch with modern sensibilities. 

I just hope Mark doesn’t bring along his bleedin’ podium. 

I just hope mark doesn’t bring himself, too many cooks and all that, ego’s will soon come in to play 

[TB1]

1 hour ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Interesting to read that other Premiership Promoters now have a ‘vested interest’ in the club so which promoter will be named as the ‘Tutor’ as all new promoters are supposed to have one ?

Sounds like going back to the old days when one promoter ran several clubs .

 

Do recall that not being within the rules but that book is simply ‘advice’ these days it seems.

If this starts to go wrong does the new promoter get picked on by the other 5 playground bullies?

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

39 minutes ago, TB1 said:

If this starts to go wrong 

If it does contrary to rod Godfrey saying they all get on, they don’t and within time ego’s will come into play (they always do in any business)hopefully it’s a big success and makes money to keep those ego’s at bay 

Edited 18 hours ago by THE DEAN MACHINE

[ArthurRudge]

Still nothing? 

[89buttons]

 

[PersonalResponsibility]

15 hours ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

If it does contrary to rod Godfrey saying they all get on, they don’t and within time ego’s will come into play (they always do in any business)hopefully it’s a big success and makes money to keep those ego’s at bay 

Promoters have a long history of working together for the greater good, putting aside any differences to ensure the right outcome. I'm sure it'll go just perfectly...

[piston197]

13 hours ago, 89buttons said:

 

I wondered what the Stig was doing now ?

[Aries]

 

[CTRSports]

so far

1. TBC
2. Troy Batchelor
3.
4.
5.
6. Kye Thomsen
7. Luke Harrison

11am for the rest of the reveal of the "top 4" what are we all expecting, is there a surprise big hitter in there or not?

Probably going to be way off but Lidsey, Klindt, Iversen & Tungate to complete the top 4?

[Aries]

Fancy Zagar to be in there along with Lidsey and Klindt. We’ll see. 

Edited 19 minutes ago by Aries

[noaksey]

23 minutes ago, CTRSports said:

so far

1. TBC
2. Troy Batchelor
3.
4.
5.
6. Kye Thomsen
7. Luke Harrison

11am for the rest of the reveal of the "top 4" what are we all expecting, is there a surprise big hitter in there or not?

Probably going to be way off but Lidsey, Klindt, Iversen & Tungate to complete the top 4?

No big hitter

[Bagpuss]

Pleased to see Luke Harrison in there, Luke what we saw from him last season and exactly the kind of rider that the RS system is about.