Ipswich Witches’ director of speedway Chris Louis has said there will be a change of direction in the way he builds his 2016 Foxhall Heath side.

Coming on the back of a desperately disappointing summer where the Witches couldn’t even qualify for the Premier League play-offs, Louis is not letting the grass grow under his feet, with planning for the Ipswich of 2016 already underway.

And he confirmed, ahead of this weekend’s annual Promoters’ conference, that the Witches will be staying Premier League.

“It was a hugely frustrating season and there was no-one more frustrated that me, I can assure you,” Louis said.

“I thought – no I know – I put together a side that could have won the Premier League. I honestly never saw us finishing seventh and out of the play-offs.

“There was no lack of effort from any of my riders. No lack of effort at all.

“And we had injuries throughout the season at one time or another, as well as a ban to Rohan Tungate. But we have no excuses, we didn’t perform.”

The Witches’ season finished three weeks ago and while many other clubs are contesting play-offs and cup finals, Ipswich’s riders have been left twiddling their thumbs.

Not that Louis is sitting still.

“It’s a huge winter for us,” he said.

“We need a new air fence which is very costly for a club like us. Just keeping the club going is a task in itself.

“But we will be entering the Premier League in 2016 and I’m going to build a team in a change of direction to other seasons.”

Louis is giving nothing away as regards what he means by that, but he did confirm that Danny King and Nico Covatti, the two shining lights from 2015, both want to race for Ipswich again next year.

“I know Danny and Nico are big fans’ favourites and all I can say is that I want them back, they want to come back, but until contracts are signed, I can’t confirm anything.”