Around the Premier League Tracks 2007 - the close season 2007/8

.

.

Wednesday, 7 November


Premier League News



Edinburgh: The Monarchs received further press coverage about their ‘best prepared track’ award, continued sponsorship by Scotwaste and signing of Aaron Summers. The Sun carried the following article:

EDINBURGH MONARCHS won an award for best track – because team boss Doc Bridgett won’t let it go to the dogs. Bridgett claimed the accolade at speedway’s annual awards ceremony in Coventry. The Monarchs Armadale strip won ahead of Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green – which is also prepared by Bridgett and like Armadale doubles up as a greyhound circuit.He said: “We’re fortunate at Edinburgh. We have a good relationship with the dog people and have round-the-clock access more or less.”

The Edinburgh Evening News covered events with the following:

EDINBURGH Monarchs have made their first signing for 2008. The Capital speedway club have snapped up promising Australian Aaron Summers, who will occupy one of the two reserve berths. The 19-year-old rode a few matches for Monarchs during a short visit to the UK in the summer-and impressed bosses with his skill levels and enthusiasm. Monarchs promoter John Campbell said: "We don't know the rules or set-up for the Premier League for next season so we can't make too many signings yet, but Aaron will definitely be in our team."

.

Summers sent a message to the Monarchs, who held their annual dance in the city on Saturday, expressing his delight at landing a contract, and says he hopes to justify the faith Monarchs have shown in him. Meanwhile, Scotwaste have announced they will continue their team sponsorship of Monarchs for a third year next season. Company chief Stewart Melrose said: "We get good coverage from backing Monarchs. I like the sport and I like the people in it. Last year I took my ten-year-old son along to Armadale with some of his friends from his football team. They had a ball and that's another reason I want to stay involved with Monarchs."

.

Campbell, who revealed season ticket applications are up on last season, added: "Stewart has an infectious enthusiasm and everyone at the club is delighted to have them back on board again for next season." Finally, the Monarchs did pick up one prize for the season. Team boss Alan Bridgett, who prepares the Armadale circuit, has picked up the Speedway Riders Association award for best-prepared track in 2007.



Berwick: The Bandits’ promoter, Peter Waite, was pulling no punches in an article in the Berwick Advertiser. From what he said it’s hard to see any of last year’s team back at Shielfield Park next season. The only possible survivor could be Michal Makovsky and even he didn’t exactly get a full vote of confidence from the Berwick supremo. Waite was angered by the non-attendance at the annual end of season presentation and this lack of commitment seems to have been the last straw. Even Rider of the Year, Jacek Rempala, looks to have ridden his last match for the Bandits.

BERWICK promoter Peter Waite has slammed some of his riders for not being man enough to face the fans and say 'sorry' for their on-track performances last season.Their decision not to attend the end of season presentation evening in the Black and Gold on Saturday may ultimately have led to their departure from the club as Waite announced at the weekend that at least four of last year's regulars will not be returning in 2008.

.

Jac Rempala, Stanislaw Burza, Andreas Bergstrom and David Meldrum have all been released and made available on loan, as has short-term signing Arlo Bugeja. Club asset Tom Madsen, who has spent the last two years racing with Mildenhall has also been told he will not be required at Shielfield next year.Skipper Michal Makovsky's future is still hanging in the balance until after the annual promoters' conference at the end of November, whilst the only other rider who finished the season with the club, Sam Martin is not a Berwick asset.The Bandits had a disastrous year, finishing bottom of the Premier League table with only seven points, and Waite believed the function would have been the ideal time for the riders to make their apologies. But local Bandit Meldrum and Bergstrom were the only two riders who attended the event and the non-appearance of some of the other team members drew an angry response from the Berwick boss."I am extremely disappointed that some of the riders just couldn't be bothered to put in an appearance," he said. "I know most of them are out of the country, but for some of them it would only have cost them £70 to get a cheap flight. Someone would have picked them up at the airport and their accommodation would have been provided."But these guys let us down on the track last season and now they have let the fans down again. It might sound harsh, and it might upset some people, but I am only telling it like it is. The riders I am talking about were paid well to ride for us last year. They came across when they knew they could earn some money. “As everyone is well aware we had a disastrous season, one of the worst in the club's history. The presentation evening would have been the perfect chance for them to stand up in front of the fans and apologise for the way in which they performed. Had they done that I think they would have won a lot of respect from the supporters. But as it is they can't be bothered and that really annoys me. It just shows that nowadays some riders don't really care about what goes on outside the meetings.

.

"Waite, who has already said that he plans to track 'a virtual new 1-7 next year,' was not naming names, but indications would suggest that his comments were directed in particular at the Polish pair of Burza and Rempala.Both turned in indifferent seasons for the club in 2007 and it came as no surprise at the weekend when Waite revealed that neither of them would be back at Shielfield next season, although Rempala was named as 'Rider of the Year' for his third place in the Premier League Riders' Championship - the first time a Bandit has been on the rostrum for 24 years."Jac and Stan have both been released and will be available to ride elsewhere on loan in 2008," said Waite. “The same goes for Andreas Bergstrom who rode for us for most of last season before being dropped in the final month, and David (Meldrum) who might be moving to America."Makovsky, who has spent seven years at the Border club, and who is currently back home in the Czech Republic recovering from shoulder ligament damage which ruled him out of action in the final weeks of the season, was not named amongst those released, although a question mark still hangs over his future.Waite says that is simply down to the fact that he hasn't yet made his mind up what is the best course of action to take. "As people may have read a fortnight ago, there is some doubt over Michal's future here," said Waite. "That's down to the fact that we have not had our conference yet and so we do not know what the points limit will be to structure our team.

.

"I know Michal is popular at Berwick and he likes riding here, but there is also a school of thought that a spell away, learning to ride some of the smaller tracks, might give his career the boost it needs to kick on to the next level. We may decide to use Michal next year, but we may not, we will just have to wait and see what the conference brings before we make that decision."

.

*THIS Saturday, (November 10), Berwick are running DVD/video night in the Black and Gold to raise money for the Mayoress's Charity. The event starts at 7.45pm and entry costs £5 on the door. "It is a worthwhile event for the new chemotherapy unit at Berwick Infirmary," said Waite, "and all the money raised will go to the charity."



Workington: New Comets’ owner, Keith Denham, continues to make the headlines. Again the News and Star carried an article about his plans for the next season. Denham doesn’t exactly seem to be letting the grass grow under his feet as developments for next season continue with breakneck speed.

NEW Workington Comets owner Keith Denham isn’t a man to let grass start growing under his feet! Work on relaying the Derwent Park track is expected to start this week-end and he wants the job finished as soon as possible.

.

Denham has already spent time wandering around the track and inspecting the existing facilities at the stadium after completing a deal to buy the Comets from Tony Mole and R&D Aggregates. He says: “Getting the track right is our first priority and especially as we’ve still got some decent weather around I want it sorted as quickly as we can.“I’m hoping to make a start this week-end and we’ll be looking first of all to take all the existing shale off the track. It will be put through narrow mesh to take out all the dangerous slices which have been contributing to some of the accidents. The shale will be stock-piled and then we’ll bring in plant to relay the track to the levels it was at in 1999.

.

“I want Derwent Park to be the best track in the country that will provide exciting and entertaining racing.” But Denham’s eyes haven’t been concentrating on the track during his travels around the stadium – and there are a number of other areas where he sees improvements can be made for the benefit of supporters. “I will be meeting with the directors of the Town rugby league club very shortly and putting my suggestions to them. There are a lot of places where I can see how we can help them to tidy up the whole ground. I don’t think it will cost a lot of money either for a general clean-up operation – removing tyre and debris from the stock car people, improving the toilets around the place and generally making Derwent Park more presentable,” he says.

.

As well as meeting the rugby league club directors in the near future, Denham also plans his first fans forum for the speedway fraternity. “I want the supporters to know exactly what I have in mind, and getting them together will enable them to ask any questions they might have about the new era. “I’m looking for a suitable venue, and it will be held before Christmas, hopefully later this month. By then I expect to be well down the roads towards putting a new team together and close to revealing some of the new names I am lining-up to get involved with sponsorship at the Comets.

.

“Now that I’ve finally taken over the Comets I can’t wait to put my ideas into practice and I’m sure the fans will be in for an exciting year ahead,” he says. Denham, and Ian Thomas his fellow co-promoter at Workington, will know more on what they have to do to put together a successful team, and who the 2008 opposition will be, after the BSPA annual conference. That’s being spread over four days for the first time this year and is being held at Brandon in Coventry from November 29 to December 2.