Mike Smillie

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IPSWICH manager Mike Smillie is considering his future after a season where away results in particular have taken their toll on the club.
Smillie was in charge of the Witches in their glory year of 1998 - but the days of the team which included the likes of Tony Rickardsson, Tomasz Gollob, Chris Louis and an emerging Scott Nicholls are long since over and the Foxhall club have never again hit the heights of their Treble season.
They reached the play-offs in 2004 but have been in the lower reaches of the table this year, their hopes of a strong campaign virtually being ended in their first Elite League match when Mark Loram broke his leg.
Smillie says the results of the ongoing discussions about future arrangements for the top flight will have a bearing on whether he continues.
He said: "If the big boys in the league dig their heels in and diffuse attempts to make changes, then I will be ready to walk away. Teams like Ipswich must be given the opportunity to compete and not be treated by some clubs simply as someone to help make up the numbers.
"You only have to look at the table to see the current imbalance. Something has to be done or it will not be worth me carrying on."

From: www.speedwayworld.tv

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Cue LW....................

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She's very late.......out celebrating maybe

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Woohoo, didn't post before its a bit difficult typing when everything is crossed. ;D

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Love it ;D ;D

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lw said:

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Woohoo, didn't post before its a bit difficult typing when everything is crossed. ;D

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Ace ;D ;D ;D

Where did you get that?

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I just knew you wouldn't let me down mate. ;D

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LW this is for you , as told to Elvin King in tonight's Evening Star:


IPSWICH Evening Star Witches team manager Mike Smillie could be excused for heaving a huge sigh of relief when he woke up this morning.

No more long trips to suffer inevitable league defeats and no more trying to juggle an uncompetitive team into a winning one at Foxhall Stadium.

He would not publicly admit his relief, but said: “It has not been a good season. We were rock bottom in 2003 and this was not much better.”

While Smillie will leave the major decisions on Ipswich's - and speedway's - future to promoter John Louis and rider/manager Chris Louis, he will provide the inside knowledge on riders and statistics.

He said: “One thing is for certain - we need top end strength. It comes at a price, but this is what we need.

“It might not be easy to attract top riders to race in the current Elite League format with the Grand Prix growing and ten Russian League meetings paying as much as a whole English season.

“I suggest a 16-meeting Elite League when the likes of Jarek Hampel and Tomasz Gollob might be tempted back. It would be elite in the true sense of the word.

“The rest of the season would be taken up riding in a league that puts itself somewhere between the Elite and the Premier League.

“We have taken part in a total of 45 meetings this year, which is far too many.”

Having seen lower order riders like Marcin Rempala take time to adapt to British racing, Smillie said: “Why not call in a young British rider from the Conference League and train him up?

“At the moment it is too easy for promoters to get on the phone and bring in Poles. I have nothing against Marcin Rempala and his fellow countrymen, but where is this going to take us?

Smillie would like to see the meeting format changed so world stars do not race against three-point reserves. “It should be like against like to provide fans with the best value, but the bottom line is that Ipswich must be a success in 2008,” he said.