Steve Irving

So he threatened to quit and the others have called his bluff, and he’s now dug himself in to such a huge hole that he now can’t get out of? Silly boy, and all very sad tbh.

It absolutely is. I listened to his radio interview weeks ago where he was happily stating that he was already attempting to put together another “title winning side”. There was absolutely nothing in that interview that hinted he was offski, nothing. You say you kind of don’t blame him, but is his stubbornness at things not going the way he wanted, worth depriving thousands of loyal supporters of their Speedway club? Clubs have gone to the wall in recent years which has been heartbreaking. Far far too many in recent years. But in each case from memory, those closures were forced due to one reason or another. To have another close, and one that seemingly still has an awful lot going for it despite the poor state of the sport in general in this Country, is unforgivable. I’m struggling to comprehend some on here defending Louis for threatening to pull the damn plug on a fine Speedway Club!

It isn’t unfounded though is it? He’s threatening to close a viable Speedway club because he’s gotten the hump over something he “can’t talk about”! Of course none of us know the figures involved, but if Ipswich are losing money then so is every single club up and down the Country! And if that’s the case, close it all down now. Somehow, I don’t think that’s the case. The fact is, clubs in the top flight who are not as well backed both via sponsorship or via gate receipts, are all coming to tapes in March. The man who is lucky enough to be backed by Thousands of loyal supporters, more than any other club in the top flight, is threatening to end Speedway for those very supporters. Nobody is suggesting he stays where he is forever, but if he can’t find a buyer before January the 6th, why can’t he do just one more year to keep Speedway going in Ipswich that has been running since the 50’s? That will give him plenty of time to find someone to take over for 2027 (if there is one). Just shutting up shop and closing Ipswich Speedway, should NOT under any circumstances be defended or accepted.

Those should be the ONLY two options, sell it or run it. I can’t believe the bloke has the brass neck to come out and say “I can’t say for definite that there will be a team for next year yet” Why can’t he? Because things simply “don’t align” for him anymore? Well they still align for thousands of Ipswich supporters who want to continue watching their beloved team next year you selfish t0sser!!!!!!!! And the fact there’s STILL people on here backing him and defending him I find absolutely staggering. You simply can’t be allowed to fold one of the very few profit making clubs in the entire country, one of if not THE best supported, and well backed clubs in the country, and a club with an available track and venue to continue racing at.

He has a point also though. Bewley was clearly taken by what he saw at Ipswich that night and quite clearly hasn’t witnessed anything remotely close at the NSS!

I think it’s pretty evident that to a fair few Ipswich supporters, Chris Louis walks on water and can’t do a thing wrong. They’re going to back him no matter what. Which of course is their prerogative. As a neutral, he’s rightly being criticised by others because he’s treated his own supporters appallingly here.

Your point would carry far more weight if he wasn’t alone and others were doing the same. But they’re not are they? There’s four other clubs in that division, all four are not as well backed as Ipswich, and all four don’t get the numbers through the gate that Ipswich do either. And yet all four are prepared to battle on to save Speedway in the top flight while Louis has bailed. Louis has seriously let down the people of Ipswich and the amount of people coming on here and defending him is bonkers!

As far as I’m aware, he had no other job outside of speedway? So unless he made enough money out of his riding career to never work again (obviously not), then he simply MUST be earning a living out of Ipswich Speedway. Just like his Father John did before him. Id also bet that the 5k+ attendance at 24? Quid a pop (no season ticket admission remember) for the play off final has nicely paid for his little Holibobs to the other side of the world!

Yes, really. We’ll agree to disagree.

So Sheffield now join Belle Vue, Leicester, and Kings Lynn in confirming their place in the Premiership in 2026. Complete radio silence from Ipswich way leaving their supporters completely in the dark as to whether they’ll see any speedway next year. Meanwhile, the clubs owner has buggered off to Australia, at the most crucial time in the clubs history. Louis has treated the Ipswich supporters abysmally here I’m afraid.

Why are you believing anyone on here? You, or anyone else on here haven’t got a clue as to the genuine reasons why Louis has put Ipswich up for sale. @RoundTheBoards This time last year by the way, was telling everyone on here that Keynan Rew was definitely in the 2025 Ipswich side when the reality was, he’d long since done a lucrative deal with Birmingham! That’s the problem with this forum. You get an awful lot pretending to be “in the know” when the reality is 99.9% don’t know their @rse from their elbow. Another classic from last year was someone claiming to have been with Ellis at a certain weekend, until his father came on and said Adam wasn’t even in the Country, he was having dinner with him in France! LOL.

Jack Holder also fits Flagrag’s description of “great new number 1 who if can master the track, could push him on in the GP’s”. Fits Bewley also to be fair.

Which one?

Another one hooked. Don’t take the bait Iain, you surely know what he’s all about by now.

That was my initial thought reading Flagrag’s post too but just looking at the averages, Belle Vue finished on 39.77 (Although not the final GSA’s). So if it’s 37 for top six, they could keep the top two, and replace Lidsey with a five pointer and drop below the limit. PHB maybe?

Yes unlike Emil, he hardly screamed “commitment” did he.

Buster did complain after he left that the team was left “over budget” but I’ve no idea what financial input Brady had whilst he was there. Perhaps it was affordable to HIM, but after he left, not affordable to others?

Anyone know the real reason Brady walked out on Lynn? The “official” line I seem to remember was that he needed to spend more time with family and his other business, but there was all sorts of rumours that all wasn’t well between him and others behind the scenes. Brady seemed to be the ambitious one at Lynn, personally doing the Laguta deal himself by all accounts.

Well if he’s sold it, it no longer IS his problem is it? I’m sorry, I’m not really following your point here.

Nobody really knows do they? And to be honest, it’s nobody else’s business. He’ll have his reasons and to walk away from a club he’s spent all of his life associated with, wouldn’t have been easy for him. Everyone needs to respect his decision.

No longer his problem is it? It’s someone else’s. Almost certainly I’d say. He was interviewed during the season and publicly said he’d like to stay in the sport and he has himself a golden opportunity here. He was on a hiding to nothing at Birmingham, but he’d be starting from a much stronger base at Ipswich with a far bigger fan base, sponsors and set up.

There it is. You’re making assumptions on something you know absolutely nothing about. You haven’t got a clue what is going on Phil.

Could be the four I mentioned and one from the Championship or a.n other if Ipswich don’t get sold. If it IS a five team league, they’re simply going to have to change the rules and do away with play offs for next year at least. Top team wins the title. It’s the only way.

Belle Vue, Sheffield, Leicester, Kings Lynn, and??

And he hasn’t done that has he Iain? You haven’t got the first clue what is going on so pipe down. It’s not your money or business at stake here. If Louis feels what is currently on the table isn’t something he wants any part with, he’s perfectly entitled to make that decision. His money, his business.