Aries

Good point. Unlike Doyle he hasn’t had a year off and is a lot younger so yesterday could be more beneficial than a hindrance. Let’s be honest it’s almost impossible to call this one, any of the four I mentioned could win it. Edit: Actually chuck Lindgren in with those four! How could I forget him.

Following on BSN. Looking forward to it. I’d be surprised if the winner came from anyone other than Bewley, Kurtz, Lambert and Emil. I’d rule Doyle out of this one purely because it’s 24 hours after his first meeting in nearly a year. At his age, I’d imagine he might be feeling a bit stiff this morning! Could have done with a few days between the meetings ideally from his perspective but we’ll see. I’ll go for Bewley, rapid around here.

Do Lynn offer online ticketing for normal meetings?

I’m trying not to read too much in to that, but King is usually handy around Lynn and after a good second first time out, three lasts including one heat that looked fairly easy on paper is a slight concern. Was only December he had surgery on his hand so fingers crossed he didn’t damage it in his opening ride…

Happy Speedway day everybody! Hope those that are going have a great time and enjoy the first racing of the new season. Wrap up warm!

Well it is isn’t it? Arch is correct here, you simply can’t be a true fan of a club if you’re not @rsed if they win trophies or not! If that’s the case then you’re just a fan of the Sport, not any particular club. And there’s a fair few of these nowadays sadly after many have lost their clubs but still like to follow the Sport. As someone who was born and bred in Ipswich, the first thing I want is my team to be successful. As I do the football team. I also don’t understand why so many on here comment that success is meaningless. That isn’t true either is it? There may not be much monetary value in winning, but pride in winning means a hell of a lot to supporters and the professional people involved. I watched us win the KOC a couple of seasons ago, wasn’t televised and no cameras present. Emil kissing his medal and having a smile longer than the A14 told you whether it meant anything or not. Likewise Mark Lemon and the Belle Vue riders hugging just about everybody and celebrating with their supporters last September, and Simon Stead and the Sheffield riders likewise the year before. These “pointless” and “meaningless” shouts are bonkers.

I think they’ve got that just about right personally. That top 4 looks play off certainties for me and I think the bottom 3 there will realise pretty quickly that they’ll have to make changes before they all get cut adrift of 4th spot. The race for a play off spot could be over and done with by July leaving us with a boring second half of the season if they don’t. Just can’t see any of those bottom 3 making any serious challenge.

Merry March! Speedway month has finally arrived. Still just over three weeks until this one, too early for a thread? Meh, who cares it’s been a long Winter! First competitive fixture of the new season and it couldn’t have started with a better fixture IMO. Will Witches make a better fist of things here than we have in recent years? It has to happen sooner or later, the team is too good not to. A lot will depend on Doyle and how he starts the season. Thankfully, he has two or three warm up meetings before this so that should help. Within 10 and its job done, will fancy us to finish the job at Foxhall if we can manage that.

Not for the first time the village idiot has jumped in two footed without reading things properly and totally misunderstood what was being asked 🙄 NOBODY has said we should be bringing any of these songs back.

And King’s last two season’s there, 9, 10, 12 (missed a meeting through injury). Brennan’s results there last year, 7, 13, 13! While Doyle and Emil obviously fill their boots there as well. Going to take a superhuman effort from King’s Lynn to end our winning run against them that’s for sure but they DO have a better side this time around so there should be some decent meetings coming up. Looking forward to them.

Do we even know if Speedway will be on TNT before anyone signs up? I’m not sure legally how it works. Even though the contract was for another year with Eurosport, do TNT have to fulfil those contractual obligations, or are they now null and void after Eurosport were brought out? I’m not convinced TNT will be overly interested in screening to be honest..

All things being equal I’d fully expect us to win it because our team is better than everyone else’s but after what happened last year I’ll make no predictions!

Good that Doyley is getting a meeting under his belt in the Ben fund but I wonder if he’ll get an invite from Belle Vue for the Peter Craven? We go there a week later in the Cup for our first meeting so that would be very handy.

Harris 100% wanted to remain at Oxford this year and to say he was disappointed he isn’t is an understatement.

Certainly would be an issue.

That’s a fair point actually. He’s had far too many spills and injuries already for a rider his age. Was constantly hitting the deck in Australia. Never looks safe on the bike to me.

We’re talking 2025 season here, not beyond. Arch is correct, King is still currently a better rider than Rew. At least here. Let’s see what King, Ellis and Rew average over the course of the season to see if the right decision was made. Time will tell on this one.

It was Bert and Ernie from Manchester that I was referring to. Generally a decent bunch on here the Belle Vue fans, let down by those two clowns. They must be embarrassed also by their delusional ramblings.

Are people seriously suggesting that because Ipswich were the best team this season (when fully fit) they shouldn’t bother building up to the points limit? LOL. Of course fans of other clubs would say that. So Brennan is available to replace a reserve and you say “nah we don’t need to” and build nearly a point under the limit? 😂😂😂

🤮 Christ you really are pathetic. Cringeworthy.

Not sure I agree with that. Foxhall was his biggest strength. He was generally poor everywhere away but at Foxhall he could often be a match winner. Took some huge scalps beating the leagues best riders on occasions. In 22 averaged comfortably more at home than Barker, Starke and Anders Rowe, and in 23’ averaged more at home than Rew, Dan Thompson and Riss.

I agree, and Hilly is correct, riders will inevitably end up where they want to go. Jenkins has all but admitted that Birmingham “picked” him but he refused to go there. Kings Lynn also wanted him but he refused their advances also, the Lynn fans will tell you that. Rob Lyon was openly telling them that Jenkins would be targeted for their rising star berth. An Oxford fan talking to Jenkins, at Oxford, is obviously going to be told what they want to hear. He’s not going to tell an Oxford supporter that he didn’t want to be there is he. The lad wanted a return to Ipswich (and has stated his reasons for it) and dug his heels in to get his move. Jenkins is arguably the strongest rising star on the Premiership list, there is absolutely no way on earth that THREE clubs (Birmingham, King’s Lynn, Oxford) all ignored him and left the fourth choice club (Ipswich) to seemingly win the lottery. Nobody believes that surely. The draft picks are a nonsense, no rider should be forced to ride anywhere and I’m personally glad that some have called that out and got the rides they wanted. But I agree with you 100%, why they’re still pretending that this stupid draft order picking is a thing and playing the supporters for fools I’ve no idea. “Big changes” for 2026 apparently (yes I know we’ve heard that before) so I expect this to be dropped this time next year.

Ipswich had no right of retention on Jenkins because he wasn’t Ipswich’ rising star last year. Jenkins was back on the rising star list for 2025 and was available to Oxford before Ipswich due to the positions they finished in the table. So we have to believe that Oxford, having two Cheetahs riders available to them, chose a championship reserve on a championship average of 3.95, over their 3rd heatleader and clearly superior rider, on a 6.37 average? That’s not even slightly realistic come on. The fact is if Jenkins wanted to be at Spires next year then he’d be there as their rising star it’s as simple as that.

https://ipswichwitches.co/2025-signing-jordan-jenkins/ When riders sign on, there’s always a PR spin. But if he didn’t really want to be at Ipswich and would rather be elsewhere, that is the most OTT PR spin I’ve ever seen! Jenkins was wanted at Birmingham, but he refused to go there and he dug his heels in to get his move to Ipswich. Oxford also had a priority pick over Ipswich. Would Oxford seriously have picked Killeen over Jenkins if they had that choice? Not buying that one for a second. The fact is Jenkins wasn’t an option for Oxford either because he was going to Ipswich and only Ipswich. Oh, and if anyone knows the true facts here, Arch Stanton surely does! 😂

£2 increase? Has that ever happened before? I know Leicester have increased their admission but that’s by the standard £1 which is the norm, can’t remember a £2 increase before? Leicester £23 btw so better value. £276 also for a season ticket that is only for the 12 league meetings. 12 league meeting at full £25 is £300, so you’re only saving £24. Not even enough for one full free meeting! That’s terrible value for money and poor from Sheffield. You do get a fiver off the first KOC round for balance, and same again IF they make it to the semi finals, but that’s still awful value for money.