Gordon Pairman

PC had no involvement whatsoever with the development of promotion of the NSS. The 100+ names “demanded” were ex-riders, occasional sponsors (of him) and friends and acquaintances with no involvement with PC. There was never any suggestion of bringing along potential future sponsors. It was pointed out to him that any former Belle Vue rider would be welcomed - all they had to do was call in advance. As a former promoter, my stance would be the same. Any former rider of a team in which I was involved would welcome past riders wishing to attend. Sometimes, we’d ask that they agree to be interviewed or make themselves available to meet supporters. If any former rider wanted to attend every meeting, a financial arrangement would probably be reached, As a former promoter, I have had personal invitations to attend several tracks, (something I can rately take up) but I wouldn’t expect to attend free of charge every meeting at one track.

I think you need to read what Martin Coleman wrote on Facebook and watch Robbo’s interview. The decision to cancel the meeting was made around 1pm after the track staff had been working all morning. They thought it could be saved otherwise they wouldn’t have been working so hard. Calling off a meeting is never easy. Calling one off when the sun is shining and there’s no threat of rain is ten times worse.

Just to reassure the doubters, the forecast rain did as expected and arrived between 4.30 and 5. The roads round the stadium are saturated and there’s no chance this could have gone ahead. I’m in the Diamond Lodge just along the road and so would have been the first to moan had there been a chance. But there wasn’t. And still isn’t. Two meetings, two call offs, two hotels plus hire car petrol and flights. Can’t be helped. It’s UK in speedway season!

The negativity on this - from those that weren’t there - is truly disappointing. I flew into Manchester yesterday morning, collected a hire car and drove to the track. Like many, I was pleased that the weather was set fair but, as Martin Coleman has said, yesterday’s weather wasn’t the problem. As soon as I set foot on the track, and sank into it ankle deep, it was clear that, despite all the work done, it wasn’t fit for racing. No one calls off a meeting without good reason and the decision made, difficult though it was, was the correct one. Here’s hoping that BSPL allow this to be run during the season, especially as there seem to be loads of gaps in the fixture list which would allow that.

If you were there, you will know there were plenty of mentions of Peter Craven on the night and acknowledgements of his achievements. Surely that’s more important than a write up in a programme that less than half those attending would see, some of who would be the “new supporters” you mention? Or they could Google him….

Just to correct the last paragraph - I was in the Peter Craven Suite last night for the amazing celebration of Steve Casey’s life so checked. At the top of the stairs, outside the suite, in gold letters, it says “Peter Craven Suite”. Below that, there is a photograph of the “Wizard of balance” himself. So yes there is a mention and yes there is a photo

Just for clarification, my intention was not to reduce sales of the book. One of the reasons for delaying commenting was to ensure that the period when the greatest number of sales took place would not be negatively impacted. Secondly, this was not a “personal note” that PC wrote. It was an inscription made on a book by the author directed at someone who had paid him £20. Also, someone asked whether Steve Casey’s cancer was well known - Steve neither hid it nor made a fuss over it so I’m not sure about “well known”. And finally, there was a comment about a donation being made to a cancer charity. My view is that a financial penalty or penance is not sought or required. Steve’s cancer is not really relevant to the matter - in my view, it’s the shocking treatment of someone who had worked so hard to effect a reconciliation. Taking twenty quid off him was just the icing on a nasty tasting cake.

Thanks Steve. Great photo of SKC and Jackie

It was largely through your contact information that Steve and I made all 4 tracks of the 2015 Aussie championships. We also managed to have lunch in Mildura with Jason Lyons - where Steve ate kangaroo before he’d seen one! - and then hit the pub at night with speedway royalty: the Lyons, obviously, the Holders, the Woodwards and the Adams to name but a few. I ended up with wet trousers that night but that’s a story for another day…… PS The only mistake I think he made was asking Dave Hoggart rather than you to do centre green for Belle Vue’s 80th meeting. Better a jock than an yorkie

Thanks Tony. And I appreciated then and am happy now to acknowledge your gestures. You were, of course, as much an innocent party to what happened as was Steve but I did and do believe that what happened needed to be made public. The one man who should have apologised has remained silent. As I have said elsewhere, PC’s behaviour was unforgivable and I am not alone being shocked and disgusted by it. I know he’s got a huge chip on his shoulder about the NSS, but you don’t take your bile out on one of the guys who has worked flat out to achieve a reconciliation.

I have kept quiet on this for a very long time in the hope that there would at least be an acknowledgement of the wrong that occurred that night. For those that want more, please see my comments on the thread entitled Steve Casey RIP

I am truly devastated at the loss of Steve. He was my friend and travelling companion on several memorable domestic and overseas trips. He had no side to him but was a straightforward gentle gentleman. He worked tirelessly to get Peter Collins to come back to Belle Vue - and don’t believe PC’s propaganda, he was told he would always be welcomed at the NSS as would any ex-Belle Vue rider. What wasn’t on offer though was his demand, not request, that nearly 200 of his cronies, some who’d had no involvement with speedway let alone Belle Vue, also got in free. Steve tried many times to talk sense into PC, including going round to his house, but PC would not change his mind, possibly because he’d backed himself into a corner. Steve was never one for taking offence and went to the Glossop signing of PC’s book. Having paid his £20, PC scrawled in his copy “Steve, I will never forgive you for what you have done to me and my family. I will never go to BV if you are there.” Steve shared a photo of the inscription but then said to me that he’d enjoyed reading the book. That is the sort of man that Steve was and I hope that, although Steve will never be at BV again, neither will PC as he’ll be barred. I am not alone in knowing that I will never forgive PC for what he wrote. Many men become world speedway champion, there’s one every year, but there will only ever be one Steve Casey. I knew Steve’s cancer would take him sooner rather than later but am still stunned that we have lost him. The world is a much sadder place today.

Dear me. Where to start? First of all, Tony Mole didn’t sell out to David Gordon and Chris Morton. David and Chris walked away from the deal on offer, the same as I had walked away some months earlier. I then made the approach to David and Chris about putting together a consortium. Similar but different. And on the financial involvement, I repeat that George had no financial involvement in the promotion. His individual sponsorship was hugely important, but went directly to riders. Last year, I financially supported various riders, events and organisations, including speedway promotions but would never claim I had a financial involvement with any of them. The differentiation is important as I never sought nor was asked for my input to the running of the businesses, and have little or no insight into their day to day operations.

I don’t know about recollections. George was living and working in Canada during the period in question. Tony Mole ran all his speedway operations through one business of which he was the sole owner. In the short time I was involved - we set up the company in 2006 and I ceased to be a promoter after the end of the 2009 season - as I said, George had no financial involvement.

Just to set the record straight, and I have only good things to say about George Carswell, a man who was owed even more than I was when BV went bust in 2016, but he had no involvement in the Tony Mole years at Belle Vue nor the Pairman/Morton/Gordon ones, financial or otherwise.