Around the Premier League Tracks 2007 - the close season 2007/8
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Friday, 7 December


Premier League News



Scunthorpe: The Scorpions have completed the signings of two riders with Elite League experience as they prepare for their debut season in the Premier League.

They will be led by 2006 title winner Richard Hall, who rode for Peterborough, and Wolverhampton asset Magnus Karlsson.

Promoter Rob Godfrey said “These guys will average at least a point more than their starting averages. I’m sure they will be excellent acquisitions.”

Source: BPSA Website



Reading: Mark Lemon is staying with Reading to form part of a strong spearhead with Ulrich Ostergaard in the Racers’ Premier League Team. Lemon rode for the club in the top-flight last season but will revert to his previous Premier League average from 2006.

Promoter Malcolm Holloway said “This is brilliant news for all our supporters. It means we will have terrific top end strength with Mark and Ulrich.”

Source: BPSA Website



Edinburgh and Glasgow: Both the Scottish teams have shown enthusiasm for elevation to the Elite League.

Glasgow Tigers and Edinburgh Monarchs have welcomed the chance to take part in the Elite League.

The winner of the play-offs will take on the last-placed team in the Elite League to see who rides in the top league in 2009 with both Scottish sides hoping to eventually force their way in.

Source: Daily Record



Berwick: The Bandits are facing a crisis after losing the valuable sponsorship they have enjoyed over the last three seasons.

The Berwick Bandits association with the North Berwick-based award winning butchers, Andersons has come to a close in the last few days.

It’s been a very fruitful (although not always on track) relationship which has seen a very positive 3 seasons of joint work going on between club and company, with the last 2 as main team sponsors. So as the Bandits get ever closer to the new season starting with a home and away friendly Tyne Tweed Trophy encounter with Newcastle Diamonds on March 8th and 9th the search is on for a new club backer has gone into overdrive.

“It’s a real blow to us,” said Berwick’s Peter Waite, “as it now means we are desperately in the lookout for a new major backer as Andersons have been such tremendous backers for 3 years, and it’s no exaggeration to say they’ve kept the club afloat over those years when to stand alone would have been disastrous financially.

“It’s a fact I know to be the case because I’ve had to run the club solo without backing like this and it means cutting all costs to a minimum and then panicking week in week out and it’s a position I cannot bear to think about going into again.

“Andersons were fantastic to deal with and were always supportive and positive in all ways and we have to thank them hugely for that help. We cannot really convey the importance to us that they have had in out running in recent years.

“Consequently we are now very actively in the market for new sponsors, especially in this very important year for the Premier League when even the chance of a playoff for promotion to the Elite League is on the winner’s platter.

“It could be a massive year and we need a company to jump on board to help get the Bandits to the top of the pile again, and any company who does come along and back the Bandits in 2008 will be assured of a mountain of publicity as we will boost them to the hilt for the help we get.

“Any one, individual, company or business who wants to discuss the terms, can I please ask them to waste no time in contacting myself at the club, or via email on bandits32@hotmail.com or phone me direct on 07762-63-63-43 without delay if at all possible for once we get the finances back in place then we can start announcing confirmed riders for the 2008 campaign.”

Waite was also keen to point out that he believes the recent changes and new regulations are an huge positive boost for Speedway in Britain which have only increased his desire for success for the little border club in Berwick upon Tweed.

“It was an amazing AGM to be part of with some really forward thinking moves being passed and in particular getting rid of the aggregate bonus point means big things to me where as in the past teams with massive home track advantage could win the league on their home form alone by picking up 14 bonus points as well.

Now we all have the chance to get up to the top of the league in a far more fair way, and with the new points system coming in rewarding an away victory with 3 points, a home one 2 and the usual 1 for a draw I honestly believe this will make for a better league all round with much more competitive racing to put on display for the fans.

“Also with the top team in the League then going on to challenge for Elite League honours in 2009 that’s really going to get the crowd and the riders going for a great end to a season. With the points limit going to 41½ too and the other fine decisions it’s going to be a great league to be a part of and I can’t wait to get started with the Tyne Tweed Trophy against Newcastle.

We also have a Round one Knockout Cup draw against Edinburgh, so there’s another excellent local derby battle to get our teeth into, all we need now is riders and of course a new sponsor!”

Source: Worldspeedway.com



King’s Lynn: Kevin Doolan is on his way back to King’s Lynn after just one season in the Elite League. He replaces the departing Daniel Nermark who has signed for Workington.

KEVIN DOOLAN is heading back to the Norfolk Arena for the 2008 campaign to form a potent top-order partnership with Tomas Topinka.

This was revealed to the Lynn fans who packed into the stadium clubroom on Monday evening – but they will have to wait until next week for the complete team line-up. Aussie favourite John Oliver and local racer Simon Lambert were announced as the two reserves.

So it's four down and three to go for the Money Centre Stars, with just over 16 points to play with. Doolan joined the club in 2004, and was part of the treble-winning team in 2006 before moving on to Belle Vue last winter. The supporters' meeting was held just hours after the official announcement that rider-of-the-year, Daniel Nermark, was on his way to Workington.

Club boss Buster Chapman said: "Of course, we are disappointed he's leaving. Dan did a great job for us and never let the club down. He was up for sale from Wolverhampton and there was a big fee on his head which we could not afford. We are doing our sums and in Tomas and Kevin we have a brilliant top two, backed up by J-Lo and Simon as two super reserves."

Jonathan Chapman added: "Kevin comes in on his 2006 average of 8.64 and after the great season he's had at Belle Vue that is a huge bonus for us. A lot of Elite League clubs wanted him, but Kevin is our asset and we have agreed the deal. Kevin says that he wants to come back and help us win promotion to the Elite League.

"The other thing about Kevin is that he is a brilliant team man to have in the pits, just like Tomas always helping the other riders, and that's worth another point or two. We are working on the middle order and we hope to have everything sorted out by next week – to give you all an early Christmas present."

Buster said that Lynn had been looking at the possibility of going into the Elite League. "Yes, there was speculation, but we worked it out that our wages bill would go up by about £150,000," he said. "What a risk that would have been and a year from now we could have been down the pan.

"Our sponsors the Money Centre would have backed us going into the Elite League, but I'm delighted to say they are back on board and we value their support. They have been absolutely marvellous."

* LYNN say they are 99.9 per cent sure that admission prices to the Norfolk Arena will remain unchanged for 2008. "Our costs are going up, just like everyone else, but we hope to make up the difference by attracting more supporters through the turnstiles," said club boss Buster Chapman.

The new season will start on Wednesday, March 12, with a challenge against Ipswich, with the return at Foxhall the following night. Lynn, who will be using an air fence for all home matches, have also agreed a Good Friday double against Birmingham in the Premier Trophy. It's noon at Lynn, then the return at 7.30pm.

Season tickets will be on sale at the supporters' meeting next Wednesday, December 12, at 7.30pm.

Source: Lynn News



Sheffield: The Tigers have moved to re-sign five of their 2007 side.

SHEFFIELD Tigers are hoping to keep their top five from last season - with Paul Cooper, Ben Wilson and Joel Parsons currently in talks with the club. The Owlerton side have already confirmed Ricky Ashworth and skipper Andre Compton for the new campaign which starts next March when, for the first time, they will be chasing promotion to the Elite League.

Reserve James Cockle was told very quickly he would not be required and he has since been fixed up with Mildenhall - and colleague James Birkin-shaw, who remains popular on the Owlerton terraces, will also miss out if the top five slips into place. What do you think? Post your comments below.

Club owner Neil Machin said: "We've made a good start with our top two riders and hopefully the rest will follow. We're making no secret of the fact that we want to keep the bulk of last season's team and we feel confident that will be achieved.

"The points limit of 41.5 seems sensible and it gives us the option of continuity. The riders are all capable of improvement and, with the abolition of the aggregate bonus point, we need to look towards winning away meetings. I feel the top five from last season have what it takes and hopefully we will be able to finalise things over the weekend."

Club assets Lee Complin and Richard Hall have joined Stoke and Scunthorpe respectively and Kyle Legault is in talks with Mildenhall. Both Legault and Complin had been hoping to double up with Elite League clubs after handing in transfer requests at Owlerton - but that facility was scrapped at the AGM.

Source: Sheffield Star


Workington: The Comets will stage one of British Speedway’s Super7even events next year for the first time.

Derwent Park missed out last season when the Super7even series was introduced to promote the sport’s top meetings. But new owner Keith Denham, right, instructed team manager and co-promoter Ian Thomas to make sure he came back from the BSPA annual conference last weekend with one of the Super7even for Derwent Park.

Denham said: “He didn’t let me down and I’m absolutely thrilled that we have the opportunity to stage the Premier League Fours on Saturday, July 26. We are doing everything in our power to make Derwent Park the best track in the country, guaranteed to produce exciting racing so it will be really good to be part of this major speedway package.

“The Premier League Fours in 2006, when Alan Mogridge set-up a Workington win in his last outing, was probably one of the most dramatic and enthralling meetings Derwent Park has ever staged.

“I can’t promise anything as emotional as that but I will guarantee that Derwent Park will be at its best and it will be a memorable night for Workington speedway and the fans.” Derwent Park staged the Premier League Best Pairs for three years and then the Fours for another three before missing out this year.

Comets tickets will stay at £13 next season while children will be admitted free all season – as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Pensioners and students will pay £10 and children under-15, not accompanied by an adult, £5. A family ticket will be £30.

Source: News and Star