Roger Jacobs

Independent Chairman!? In other words, completely ineffectual. What's the point? Send your e-mail to Neil Vatcher: neil@scbgb.co.uk ... so that he can ignore it too. Maybe copy-in Speedway Star and the BSPA/L ...

I think it's clear that Ipswich generously gave away points to Leicester, affording the Lions several chances to win at a canter ... yet the Witches still managed to crawl to a last heat decider despite the referee.

Incorrect. It's clear form the Discovery+ coverage that Kvech didn't move, and Fricke was lifting before they go to the first turn.

Because that's speedway. Hawkins acknowledged that they threw points away. Turnbull's awful refereeing made a huge difference.

Contact them directly with that suggestion. Also, please ask them to sort out the drainage - it's a purpose built track, so should be able to cope with downpours, rather than lose the inside line.

Start delayed until 20:00 because of a shower around 18:50-19:10. If you're not watching on Discovery+/Eurosport, Live Updates providing coverage here: https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/22907/leicester-ipswich-premiership-2nd-2024

I said your Point B is wrong, that doesn't make you wrong. There's no way that Ipswich willingly agreed to take the first week. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a trade-off, possibly because Sheffield (and/or BV) didn't want the first week, and Leicester saw it as a real opportunity against a weakend Ipswich.

Indeed: 4 Fricke; 7 Masters; 11 Becker; 13 Lawson

Your point b) is wrong. Ipswich would have benefitted tremendously from having the second week, because there would be a greater chance of Sayfutdinov being available, which means more feet on terraces. As it was they had to stage two home meetings in five days, with a stockcar meeting in between. If Louis & Hawkins agreed to that it was either begrudgingly (most likely) or stupidly. PS: The attendance on Monday was awful for a Play-off Semi-Final - it looked poor compared to a league match. Season Ticket holders had to pay for the Cup Final and the Play-Off … I think a lot of people (season ticket holders or not) either couldn’t afford or weren’t prepared to pay for both. Therefore, there was absolutely no sense in Ipswich agreeing to those dates.

A few of us seem to understand this. Some choose not to. After Thursday night we will find out if Ipswich need him for their Final, and after Friday night we will know if Toruń need him for their Final ...

Do we? Why do you even bother. PS to forum members: I know I shouldn't reply, but this armhole really does take the biscuit.

I don't follow the Ekstraliga closely, but after just looking at their fixtures, I can see that Toruń's second leg is on Friday night!! No wonder then that Sayfutdinov isn't riding for Ipswich, with consecutive nights in different countries at the beginning and end of this week. The biggest question now has to be: if the dates for the Premiership PO Semis were agreed by all four clubs, why on earth did Ipswich agree to ride in the first week?!

How do you know there wasn't a certificate up to the 9th September? Brennan was booked as a guest a while ago. The usual lack of transparency is the biggest problem.

It means that if Leicester win, there's nothing to worry about, and if Ipswich do cause an upset then decisions have to be made ... will another week make a difference to Sayfutdinov's fitness, and ... will Toruń qualify?

Both. 1. we will never know what any score might have been ... as I have always said: race the same meeting tonight, with the same riders, and you'll get a different result. 2. I agree that Toruń would have been powerless to stop him, but I don't believe that Sayfutdinov was ever likely to travel, and Ipswich knew that. He must be in discomfort which would make tough for him to race on consecutive days, let alone travel a distance in between. Toruń might have put pressure on, but they must have known they were taking a calculated risk. Given the positive impact he's had on British speedway, Sayfutdinov has earned a bit of leeway. Similar applies to Doyle - as soon as he was told the significance of his injury, he took the personal decision to write off this season, because of the impact it could have on later life. Another rider might have taken the risk to get as fit as soon possible to return before the season was out. As it is, Ipswich have continued with a facility.

King's home track knowledge counted for nothing in Heat 11 - he got it all wrong.

You really are worst Troll - do you really think that comment has validity? Genuine question ... answer awaited ..

Sadly, King's complete failure in Heat 11 was so very predictable ...

And of course, building a team around two big hitters and both of the getting injured at the same time happens every time ...

In their previous visit J.Holder said on TV that after the first heat he told them to blade the track. I don't think it was just the gate positions that made a difference - in both matches Ipswich allowed the track to dry and slicken, which was just what Sheffield wanted.

Don't forget that last week, Brennan was riding against Ipswich ...

That wasn't as a replacement for Musielak, that was an attempt to bolster a struggling team. There was no guarantee Kvech would settle - although having KL as his home track probably helped. It would be interesting to know how long KL were talking to him and arranging a deal (fixture list & travel, machinery, mechanics, transport, sponsorship, work permit), before he was finally signed. Apart from what Louis has said about approaching some riders, and the difficulties of arranging things when their seasons are already organised, there hasn't been any information about the actual riders, e.g. would they have taken a risk on Huckenbeck or such like? As usual with speedway, fans are left with speculation and rumour.

Amazingly, they just about managed without Doyle, and (as we now know) the Witches thought they'd have Lindgren for the big matches. However, it was the injury to Sayfutdinov which kiboshed the season, with any chance of finding any replacement scuppered by the transfer window - which takes no account of riders missing the remaining fixtures due to injury. That is thanks to BV's use of poorly written Regulations, and the BSPA/L's and SCB's knee-jerk reaction to prevent changes from happening - even though they know it has a serious impact on the play-offs, and makes a mockery of Phil Morris's more recent involvement and the need for "commercially based decisions". How can Ipswich advertise the Play-offs as a worthwhile event?

And the biggest problem is that the BSPA/L and SCB have run away from developing any sensibly/clearly written Regs that would help teams affected at the business end of the season - precisely when there's the most chance of commercial interest.

I think Nicholls has dedicated himself to his Oxford meetings, so he was at Oxford last night and Redcar on Friday, which are far more important. Obviously King and Jenkins are in both of those matches too, but are obliged to turn out for Ipswich (unless injured 🤕).