Baldyman

So why all this with Barker? Is it just a result of the late cancellation of his attendance at the 16 lapper? Shame if he doesn't race for us again, nearly always entertaining, unlike Allen who is one of the ultimate gating tarts. I really hope we don't see him in Ipswich colours again, but that's just my opinion and many may disagree. It would certainly lessen my weekly visits if that's the case. As well as it being a sport, I think it's more of an evenings entertainment for me, so I want to be entertained.

Worrall would be good, but isn't the reason he is quitting Newcastle to race in Poland on a Sunday? Which means we would be without him against Sunday tracks. Personally I don't fancy Allen, not very entertaining. I read Louis is considering all of this seasons team, that's a shame.

Well if less money is going to be available, then people will be trying to bend the rules even more to keep their teams competitive, as they won't want to lose any customers.

Was going by someone else's 38. Is that okay? And I am guessing the points limit would be whatever suits Poole's needs best.

Rohan and cam at reserve would really leave us weak in other places.

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Apart from Doyle or cook and maybe Worrall, which i doubt we would get any of, are there any other proper number 1's? Not that I can think of. I would have Barker back everyday. You are probably right about Plymouth though

Nielsen at number 2, he hasn't scored a single point on his last 3 visits, and that was from reserve.

There is over a 2 points average difference between the two Steve and when you say Allen do you mean rr, as there would be a lot of that.

And not finishing late would be one less excuse why parents can't take their children. You are right about taking children and getting them hooked, but speedway clubs don't think about the future only what they can or can't get now. When the stadium is finished, rubbish dirty run down stadiums will be another excuse that also won't be able to be used to why people don't go. Why are there never any promotional flyers or snippets in the papers of other local ish towns like Colchester or Sudbury or Chelmsford? I never see anything about speedway in my local paper or other papers not in Ipswich.

Yeah taking it forward also means getting bigger crowds, the whole sport is marketed wrong, oh no hang on, it's not marketed at all. Was the red bull x fighters that big a few years ago? No it was marketed properly to the right people. That's how you takeaway sport forward. And yes you are right, kids should always get in free. And yes under 18 and students and pensioners a fiver. Then put on some good entertainment.

I guess that's one thing we do know, that after the AGM everything will probably be its usually mess and heads still buried in the sand about how to take the sport forward.

Isn't Poole further away time wise? Not sure. And I shall have a guess at Leicester and Scunthorpe

So think that's exactly why people think it's time to move back up, without the top riders bothering it makes the huge jump back up a lot smaller. Personally I don't mind what league we are in as long as we are running and can be competitive. Ditch certain riders and we can be.

Well feel free to join in

That's cos there is only a few of us Ipswich fans that post on here.

So a fair bit of talk about the top league, are we really thinking it's time and it's very possible?

If we did go back into top flight some one like Lindgren is a must, a different rider to our track. Not the same old rubbish we used to get dished up year after year. Are people willing to pay 17 or 18 quid though. I also agree it would be great to race against our local rivals again, but there needs to be at least 13 or 14 teams in the top flight otherwise there will be huge gaps in between meetings as there was before.

Well he also mentions how they suddenly lost focus at the most important time of the season. Doesn't sound anything like looking for riders in the elite league. For one thing even if it did, i doubt very much you would see Hampel over here. Nicholls and King, tried that before and didn't work, and Nicholls isn't as good now as he was then. That's what scares me about ever going back into the top league, back to the same old riders that failed over and over again before.

So how the speedway star today Chris Louis has said he will be reviewing the way things are done at the club. What exactly does that mean.

Always hoping.

Nicholls king cook and bridger should do just nicely

Well with Doyle there, wouldn't it be good to see cook aswell, last qualification heat of Doyle Barker Worrall and Cook?

I love watching Barker like most of us do. I just wish when he misses the start which let's be honest can be pretty often, that he would then cut up the inside. Also when he is chasing he enters the third turn way to late which isn't a problem if there is some grip there to work with, but there isn't. Would like to see bob putting a bit of moisture out wide a bit later in the meetings, very rarely does the outside get watered after the meeting has started. Shouldn't the track staff be doing all they can to help Ben out wide? So is Hawkins definitely not racing next season? Maybe we won't even be in the premier next season, in which case you would imagine Barker staying where he is.

Would be great if they splashed the cash and tried to get a few elite riders, Nicholls and king would be a good start.