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Even for 2026, Phil has been a great advocate for British Speedway Premiership and has done lots of work behind the scenes which most people simply do not see. Always knowing that his role of Chief executive wasn’t to continue this year due to lack of money He was instrumental in keeping Ipswich going including being part of a consortium that made an offer to keep it going if Mayfield deal had fallen through. Has also had a a lot to do with the opening of Northampton giving guidance of what was required to get Speedway running along with being involved in the negotiations with stadium owners and management . There has been some failures previously maybe the loss of TV deal being the greatest but he did explore various options but none could be got over the line for various reasons. It has not been helped by some promotions not backing him fully. He wanted to modernise the product to try to get in new fans and sponsors some of which cost money like for tv meetings having a set presentation team and DJ, Lights and fire cannons on centre field but certain promotions wouldn’t back this and could even be objective like refusing to move advertising A boards for tv meetings and not even keeping the league sponsorship ones clean. Phil was also key to a number of top names returning to the UK like Woofy , Janowski and Lindgren along with brokering deals for Lambert and Dudek to ride for clubs to then back down on the deals

Congratulations to Mark and the whole team at Plymouth who obtained a notable achievement on Saturday by having a record attendance for over 10 years in the defeat against the Pirates. Fantastic for a sport that needs positive news stories to see a club going in the right direction and the swell of momentum behind the club within Plymouth. It's fantastic to see and long may it continue.

Let's be honest, the "improvements" made have pretty much all been suggested on here down the past few years... All very basic, cosmetic changes... Fundamental change was never going to happen, given so many promoters are quite content with their lot... Fans say that want to see the sport have credibility, integrity, and able to be taken seriously, however, to be fair to the promoters, I have never seen those apirational aims ever being quoted from themselves as objectives to be achieved... To run UK Speedway "properly" as a team sport, takes more money, and also, brings close scrutiny, which UK Speedway doesn't stand up to well when it happens.. Phil made those obvious, quick win, changes, (which was more than had been done by others), however, ultimately, those running UK Speedway know that their skill sets are not what the sport needs, (hence it is where it is), but definitely won't relinquish control of it to someone else who may be able to lead it in delivering its true potential... I presume the lack of a TV deal meant no more job for Phil? As, again I presume, this helped pay his salary?.. The sport, 100%, needs grabbing by the scruff of the neck, with someone showing ambition, vision, and drive... It sadly just will never happen...

He made the clubs adhere to a schedule to speed meetings up with set grading breaks. Introduced the centre green clocks. Had the sponsors banners made up in the pits so every club looked the same. Brokered deals with riders to ride in the premiership. For the grand final he had a magnificent looking stage not made of three pallets. Pyrotechnics and flames. Spoke to save Coventry stadium and offered to buy Ipswich with his own money. Introduced the media day. but apart from that not much. now the sport is imploding and going backwards under the current regime

Yes he did a lot to improve things in the sport, especially the race night experience and the appearance of the sport on TV. He was never going to be allowed to make it into a proper sport as the powers that be just aren't interested in doing that. I think he may have had a hand in introducing some new riders to the UK. He did make the massive bottom burp of interfering with the play offs the season before last though but he did fess up to that understood it was wrong and owned it. Couldn't see him staying on as soon as the TV cleared off.

I was thinking of starting a "Guestfest 2026" thread, and logging each one... But then realised what an undertaking it would be ...

... and Workington... and Scunny who had doubts surrounding their return... and Edinburgh who seemed set to lose their stadium a couple of years back (and who knows whether that one has well and truly gone away). And if you count going quite well, a league of just 9 teams and having lost Somerset, Newcastle, Rye House, Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Leicester, King's Lynn & Ipswich over the years as "doing quite well" that's a very strange measurement. Poole & Glasgow are "going quite well", I'd say the rest are clinging on by their finger tips! Mr Morris also engaged with the fans, I personally spoke with him on the phone after the play off semi debacle a couple of years back. He set up the fans forum with fan representatives and I know of others who he has reached out to when they have been ignored by individual clubs. You may reply "what actual good did that do?" but as @mikebv said he picked and addressed all of the low hanging fruit, anything more radical he was never going to be allowed to do with no stake in the sport financially.

If he's gone I think its a great shame he brought ideas and professionalism to the Premiership and having the guy who directs the GP series could only be a good thing. Assuming he is still involved with Speedway Futures and that still has legs then hopefully we haven't seen the last of him.

Track prep taking place this morning

In the good old days when we had a functional sport with competitors. For how many years did we have the old fashioned tactical rule of using any rider when 6 points behind. I always thought it worked quite well to be honest?

First time watching Pirates TV…bloody hell, I’ve never heard such a biased commentary in a LONG time!! 🤣 Not even a hint of impartiality!! 🤣

Indeed - at Foxhall when some of us starting using horns, cow bells and a megaphone a few moved and one poor old dear dropped a stitch on her knitting

Let me guess the fan was 60 plus and wanted speedway to go back to the good old days

Do you work for the BSPL? Old fashioned, outdated, and unwilling to change..

Brilliant race from Bewley there, he really is great to watch.

Unfortunately for UK speedway we are exposed to two types of promoter. 1. The professional. 2. The hobbyist. And let’s be clear, some regard themselves as professionals because they run businesses elsewhere but are in realty stuck in the mud hobbyists. What makes the matter worse is that there are more hobbyists promoters than professionals and thus they get to say what goes and what doesn’t. I live in (faint) hope that the time will come when the professionals get together and gain sufficient momentum/influence & money to go it alone. Because make no mistake the hobbyist are not (as they would like us to believe) keeping the sport going on a thriving basis, they are holding it to ransom and actively leading it to an eventual demise.

Another who could see what the sport (in the UK), could be, if only it could become credible and authentic within a team sport concept... But was never going to change things when so many (who financially sustain the sport), are quite content with what they have.. He definitely helped with Coventry and their ongoing battle to get back to Brandon...

The co-promoter of Northampton Foxes, Paul Hunsdon, will be the guest of the NSSC at the Brandon Club on Tuesday 28th April. Everyone is welcome at these events with entry only £4 with all proceeds going to help the GB Young Lions. Come along, listen to Paul and have the opportunity to ask questions. The meeting starts at 8pm. The venue; Brandon Club, Main Street, Brandon, Coventry, CV8 3HW

From Tobi's FB: Just an Quick update here from Poole hospital 😵‍💫 I have broken my femur and got put in an taitanium pipe from my knee to my hip to support the femur .🛌 On my face around the eye i have 3 minior cracks to the bones around the eye wich dont need any work done 😅 On top of that I cracked 3 ribs and got an swealed lung . Finally and last of got a small brain bleed nothing serious has the doc told me 🤦 Whats gonna happen here from now i really dont know I Will do my best to get back to fitness and see where that puts me for the future I wanna race because thats makes me happy and feel alive . I really thought I had everything in control in that heat. But being hit from behind is hard to safe 🤔 . This is an Racing accident and i dont hold any bad feelings against lawson i understand rubbish happens All fokus bow is being back to my fitness 💥 Thank you for all the love and support ❤️🤦✊

Edinburgh will easily finish Top 4 well balanced team. After watching Dan last Saturday he looks like he will go up another level our loss is Edinburgh’s gain. I am away for a lie down now after that prediction

Today I, a lifelong cricket fan, have learned that county cricket is streamed on YouTube, from a speedway forum. Glad to see the ECB spend that £40million budget just as badly as others do.

Yes a plan was put into place to broadcast one meeting Live for free on You Tube on Monday evenings to try and raise the appeal of the sport and could sell some sponsorship as well. This was decided against as clubs would have had to pay for this so as usual looked at the negatives instead of thinking let’s try it cost wise probably less for a full season than £25,00

I'm hundreds of miles from Plymouth, but I always make a point of getting there at least once a season, great little set up there 👍 last year me and my dad went, he loved it too. For that reason, Plymouth are now my team in a sport I've honestly not got much interest in anymore, but I'll still try to get there at some point this year.

Phil Morris has the sport at heart and wasn't allowed to do what he wanted with British Speedway by the clowns who run the sport , mainly that w anchor Godfrey at Scunthorpe. How the hell he got into such a high up position is anybodys guess.

If indeed it turns out that the role of CEO (incumbent Phil Morris) has been made redundant due to a lack of money then it’s difficult to see how an “independent body/person” that is often raised as a solution on this forum, could be funded to run the sport. That said, the sport is already “run” by a (supposedly) independent body - the SCB - which by and large get their objectives done and funded by license & similar fees. Which brings the conversation back to the BSPL & the intransigent hobbyist majority within. Their actions continue to block progress of the sport (to now include the removal of a CEO) simply because they have little or no intention or capability of implementing change which may (would) disrupt their hobby. Until, somehow, there is sufficient momentum by a group of well funded vested promoters to bring about long term change, then worryingly, we fans need to understand that whilst they remain in situ the hobbyist will continue to rule.

Let's be honest no Poole fan will blame Lawson which i except but don't agree with but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. One thing for sure putting Toby in hospital won the match for Poole, but the main thing is tobys wellbeing both physically and mentally of that I'm sure we can all agree.

"I am very unhappy today with the fella who is doing my double glazing installation. I asked him a few weeks ago if he could book today in his diary, but, instead, he told me that he had another job already booked elsewhere, and it was a bigger job, thus will earn him several times more than mine will, and that all the equipment needed has been bought, and the people having the work done have already paid a considerable down payment".... "He also added that the other job will last six months, with several other dates already agreed through to completion. So. He basically has told me what dates he can do if I want to use his services during that timeline"..... "I am very disappointed with his attitude"....

We all know exactly who that is 🙄 Hint: The same promotion who couldn’t even be @rsed to have a press and practice session this year, instead will do the “team photo” at the first meeting. Unfortunately some promotions are a cancer to the sport in this country. They’re old, stuck in their ways, have no fresh ideas, and want to just get by every year by doing the absolute bare minimum. Until they’ve all retired or buggered off, nothing will change and neither will they let it. The ideas you’ve suggested Phil wanted to implement sound exactly like the ideas Mayfield have for the sport not just at Ipswich, but for British Speedway in general. But they’ll also find out soon enough that any ideas they have will fall on deaf ears and they’ll get absolutely nowhere with them. Would anyone be at all surprised if Mayfield went exactly the same way as Chris Louis in 12 months time? I wouldn’t.

Did ok in the GP series but no impact in the Premier League but thats hardly surprising given the current set up

New link here: https://vk.com/video-53550004_456242544 Covers coming off now

Yes he looks a good signing and on this form we should keep Kyle in my opinion.

I watched the stream as a neutral and it looked a 50/50 to me. No malice whatsoever by either rider

I’m not sure why riders don’t get their own cover anyway, I took mine out in 1994 with the CICA and still have it today because it covers you for pretty much everything except war but even with personal cover it does not let speedway off the hook to provide cover too, I see the bspl are saying the ACU covers it now, what about foreign riders who don’t ride under the ACU ?

In Zachs defence, he wasn’t going to do championship and only did it after a bit of extra persuading after the Anders situation. Maybe the promise that they’d be much more lenient in allowing him to miss meetings, as the championship this season, is rightfully the bottom of his priorities

I'd quit while you're behind 😂

Ok Leon you know what you have to do anything less than 3 points is job done. I am sure Gerry will make up the shortfall, any questions asked about your performance just say you had a burger for lunch and it must have been dodgy.

I've come up with a brilliant idea, that nobody has thought of... don't call it the Knock Out Cup!

... and if Belle Vue do get "knocked out" of the "knock out cup" they can still do the business against Leicester on Monday to get back in? Oh no, hang on a minute I'm confused 🫤🤔

Any business needs a vision, and a plan to deliver that vision... UK Speedway, basically, runs season to season with no one knowing who will run the next year, or which league some teams may decide to compete in, or what the team strengths there will be, or what competitions will take place, or what formats these competitions will follow.. You cannot keep "hoping for the best", by living season to season, and doing the same old thing that you always do that prevents you from ever having any vision, never mind a plan to deliver that vision... Millions and Millions of pounds of TV money has gone up in smoke over two and a half decades... Money which seemed to have bailed out a fair few issues which never got resolved... That money isn't there any more....

The reach of YT is literally billions, with tens of millions in the UK... And you even can make money out of views and subscribers... With their algorithm sending you into similar type of videos.... A perfect media for UK Speedway to "piggy back" off other more popular sports, either two wheel, four wheel, or local professional teams in football... "How much?" No chance, we have to pay our riders (who hardly anyone in the UK have heard of, and will never hear of), around three million quid a season between them"... An absolute crackers business model...

The realty was that Sky needed subscribers and from their knowledge of the mutually successful relationship between TV & the NFL they knew that Uk football was the answer. Sky played a pivotal role in the formation of the Premiership alongside the then big five of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs & Everton. From its inception, clubs have never had the need to fund any part of the running of the league itself as those costs are met from commercial income including TV deals. Each club as shareholders own one share with one vote which they lose if they are relegated. Speedway had a similar opportunity with Sky but the promoters and their central body failed to invest the money correctly to future proof the sport and eventually rather than build a strong relationship with their broadcasting partner the promoters as a body actually alienated Sky.

Absolutely bonkers ruling. If not enforced anywhere else then it’s a joke to be enforced here. should be enforced worldwide.

Well they have announced the team for Wednesday, they would not do that if there was doubt it was happening.

Bewley different class tonight... but then he is, he's not going to have much competition in the British League this season.

Forecast for Friday at Redcar looks good so far . Just hope I can find some extra money to buy some fuel to get over 😜. UTC 🏁

Paul and Scott run a speedway academy (of sorts) and have done for a couple of years now, he did say he was team manager of grass track team so a bit of knowledge, he will obviously not be up to Ritchie standard quite yet, but then Ritchie was a cut above most managers regards rules etc. I know a lot of you will laugh at that but trust me some of the TM's haven't a clue regards the rules and you'd probably be surprised who the worst ones are.

What has he got against Scotland? 🤷‍♀️😁

To be fair, on Monday it was said he was "really poorly"... Not just "poorly", but "really poorly"... Who knows he might rise again on this Sunday? At least Bomber gets an early April run out... He went through March without guesting... Edit. Next Friday is his first Wroclaw match, and he did miss yesterdays "sparring match" for them....

Sick note up to his old tricks again... when does his Polish season start?

Looking forward to seeing Stars in action. To me there seems to be plenty of entertainers in the team. That’s great. A few years ago there were those who disappointed on that score. No names, no pack drill. I can accept defeats (we’ve seen a few !) but if riders try all the way, I will clap and support. I like to be entertained so if you win the race, pick up the flag, wheelies, wave but no straight back to the pits unless extenuating circumstances. Because of where I live, it costs me thousands of pounds to see the Stars each year. No complaints on that score but I do love telling people what a good night it has been. This year’s team looks set to deliver. Well done to Keith, Rob, Dale and the KL speedway team. Cant wait to get trackside. Boy was it cold for Nicolai testimonial.