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'Potential Northampton side' does that include Lord Lucan and Captain Oates? With Shergar as the mascot?

I have seen on certain FB pages that the sport, to move forward, needs Coventry, Peterborough, Wolves and Swindon back... Who, it has to be asked, will ride for them?. Name those 28 riders of sufficient capability..

And at the risk of repeating myself, this is exactly WHY a current “top league” is only suited to 5 clubs. You’re struggling to get the fifth (Ipswich) team competitive, let alone a 6th! 7th or 8th? Absolutely no chance, forget it.

Of course it will... You know that, I know that, and tens and tens of thousands of fans, who no longer attend, but still closely follow the sport, elsewhere, know that... The undeniable issue, is that those who are quite happy to run the sport as a hobby, won't ever, for one second, accept that.. Until, of course, their hobby doesn't exist anymore..

Don’t think that’s now going to happen for that very reason. The 360 podcast said a few weeks back that Lawson was one earmarked for Northampton, but we now know he’s ended up at Ipswich instead. Thats an indication that Northampton isn’t happening. Could be wrong on that obviously.

What was once a laudable development idea, that gave those moving up a "safety net", should their higher division aspirations be beyond them... Became the ONLY reason two tiers can pass themselves off as a professional entity..

The reluctance to go back to basics and 1 League (albeit slower standard)is going to kill the sport of completely.

If Ipswich didn’t have the pick of the rider market , what will the potential Northampton side look like

Doubling up became a total joke. One season an ENTIRE premiership team was made up of double uppers and there were two other riders used in that team who were also double uppers making it NINE in total. Promoters such as this one have presided over the steep decline of our sport, usually from a position of power at the top table. Little wonder we find ourselves where we are with this kind of promoter running the show. Danny King (Poole) Craig Cook (Glasgow) Jason Crump (Plymouth) Jake Allen (Redcar) Paul Starke (Kent) Anders Rowe (Edinburgh) Drew Kemp (Edinburgh) Cameron Heep (Kent) Jordon Stewart (Redcar)

Is there any other worthwhile options other than Jeppesen on around the 4.5 mark? None seem to jump out and he seems the best option by a mile.

I did wonder if this type of thing would continue so good on the supporters club for carrying it on. The other, was the professional photo shoot that Chris always carried out at Ipswich Sports club on the morning of press and practice. Wonder if that will continue also.

Agreed the plus side is they have bought one of the two best supported clubs in the country agree re Reading money was p-ssed away on industrial scale.

UK Speedway is clearly hamstrung by doubling up.. Neither league can pay those top tier third HL's/SS's, and 2nd tier "one and fives" individually, what these lads want to earn.. Therefore, they share the costs, to ensure so many teams can actually exist at the level they want to run at, and riders get what they want.. The top tier need to have some "top talent" to justify their "top tier" status... And those who run the sport as a hobby have zero interest in what the top tier do, and have even less than zero interest in joining them, but do like using riders they couldn't afford if the top tier didn't subsidise them.. In short... Doubling up, and Guestfest after Guestfest, (196 in the top two tiers last year), actually renders the sport a ridiculously "hard sell" to both sponsors (from outside the Speedway bubble), and potential new followers.... (Not promoted well Richard? Really? How do you actually promote that?) Sorting this sharing of riders is the No1 issue, and the biggest barrier to the sport ever becoming seen as "authentic" by those who no longer attend, or wish to sponsor clubs.. To the likes of Richard Coleman, I say... Good luck... Many before have seen the huge potential in such a unique concept of motorbike racing in a town environs... And all then basically, gave up, and cleared off, disillusioned, given those incumbents who run the sport, are more than happy with their lot.. Us fans may see potential, those who run it, particularly as a hobby, don't feel any growth is needed... (Especially If it impacts them)..

Jan Kvech signs for Holsted

The supporters club are organising the annual meet the riders on March 26th at Venue 16 in Ipswich. Shouldn't it be at Area 51

Les Rumsey only rode one season for Crayford, 1980 which was also the year I started to follow the sport My first ever away meeting was the NL 4 Team finals at Peterborough in 1980, Les was at reserve due to his average being affected by a series of bike failures; however this match would be his most memorable for the Kestrels as team manager Pete Thorogood used the reserve can have 3 fides rule to the max in the heats and final, replacing Laurie Etheridge in both his heats and Alan Sage in one of his. Worked perfectly as Les, the big track rider scored where the recovering from injury Laurie wouldn't have and the smaller track specialist Alan probably wound't have either. Les became a hero that night, the only night Crayford ever won a team competition Les's home form improved after that meeting but he left during the upheaval of personnel in winter 80/81 and never really seemed to have a good meeting at London road after he left, retiring at the end of 1982 IIRC I'm sure every Crayford fan, especially those at the showground that afternoon will remember Les with affection and thank him for the great memories we have of that day Condolences to his family

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002rp7m 30 minutes in

Didn’t “have the pick of the rider market” due to how late this deal happened, so basically tempering expectations for this year, but they’ve already “got an eye on where the club will go beyond this year”. My personal take on it, was it sounded like we’ve already suggested. Stick with us this year, real business starts next year. Also discusses UK speedway in general and the state it’s in. A lot of it was just repeating what was in the press release.

Would broadly agree with that, I think the top four you have identified stand out clearly from the rest on on paper. Unless Poole are scuppered by injuries they should win it at a canter.

Interesting comments obvs 😂🤷‍♂️

What did he say?

More cock up than conspiracy, it is to be hoped

Not guilty!

Interesting comments from Mr Coleman on BBC radio Suffolk played after the town match yesterday.

I hope that Mayfield sports are more savvy than the old GP organisers were when they bought Reading in the 00's and made many mistakes like p@ssing money on ridiculous wages and changing an iconic nickname. I trust someone has mentioned the ill fated Reading Bulldogs venture to Mayfield sports given its likely they won't have any knowledge of it? Also Ipswich speedway is a completely different level to what Reading speedway in the 00's was as the Witches must be the best supported track in the Country while Reading at that time wern't well supported and had been subsidised by the greyhounds at Smallmead for many years.