Coventry Stadium Sold

[1 valve 558]

As an aged Lions fan, the impending plight at Coventry would for many years have given me great pleasure to see the shoe being on the other foot & I would have been happy to quote “what goes around comes around” . This all due to the demise of Blackbird Road speedway being as a result of selling the site to developers and using some of the money to significantly upgrade Brandon to become (at the time) a truly fantastic speedway stadium in all of its glory.

 

However, now with the Lions returning from the wilderness and entering the Elite League, I am truly saddened that the supporters of Coventry face the same heartache as we lions did back in the early eighties (I guess I am growing up in my more senior years!) and I trust a new home can be found for the Bees as soon as possible.

 

If I could offer one word of advice. Don’t rely on the current owners or promoters to find that alternative home. Waiting for them to lead the way I fear will be wasting valuable time. Instead I encourage you the supporters to form an appropriate committee to take on the challenge, by all means involve current and future interested parties, but as they drop out one by one, you will need to have an ongoing team to carry on the search and deal with all that is involved until you find your new home.

 

If there is one truth in speedway it is that fans care more about the long term future of our sport than most promoters do and therefore only the fans can ensure the Bees are not forgotten. I just hope it doesn’t take you guys as long as it did Leicester...We didn’t win many matches back then and I am hoping we can start to address the balance a bit for many years to come

 

Good hunting and see you all at Brandon and BP during 2014.

[ColinMills 1,728]

if anybody in the coventry area want a fund raising night, for future funds, i can supply a hall for an evenings entertainment and money raising around june/july time, it could alsobe an awareness night with local press involved..if enough support, i can arrange this, if nnot then i have at least offered

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

1 valve....... As an aged Lions fan, the impending plight at Coventry would for many years have given me great pleasure to see the shoe being on the other foot & I would have been happy to quote “what goes around comes around” . This all due to the demise of Blackbird Road speedway being as a result of selling the site to developers and using some of the money to significantly upgrade Brandon to become (at the time) a truly fantastic speedway stadium in all of its glory.

 

I'm glad you didn't just stop there but went on to be a bit more sympathetic because nothing annoys me more than Leicester fans being pleased at the demise of Coventry. As Speedway fans we shouldn't want to see the loss of any track, particularly a Midlands one. The closure of the Blackbird Road Stadium, and I had been a fan since 1949, was heartbreaking but Charles Ochiltree only played a minor role and it wasn't him that decided Leicester had to go but the directors of Midland Sports Stadiums. Consequently it really irritates me that some fans bear a grudge all these years later when it has been nothing to do with the last three promotions at Brandon.

The whole thing seemed a bit strange to me but Martin Rogers has stated he knew nothing about it so I've got to believe him. That final meeting just fizzled out with no 'Goodbyes, see you next season' from the riders, which always previously happened. Was there even a fireworks display? I can't remember if there was but it was a very unusual end to the season.

[Agrotron 955]

It will be a huge loss if we loose Coventry and I mean that, I know how it feels to lose a club when they shut Bradford down, I am hoping a new ground is found for the Bees and Sandu stands by his word for the sake of Coventry Speedway and its fans.

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

Time for clear thinking here.

 

Sandhu has purchased the land back and is now attempting to develope it for housing. Meaning he is the sole reason Coventry Speedway is in this plight. Anyone disagree?

 

So as far as Sandhu is concerned, speedway is the least of his issues. Far more important to get planning for a couple of hundred houses on the site. He should be cut off from finding a new home for the Bees forthwith. What if a piece of land is found, he is alerted to it, buys it then chucks in a planning permission for more houses?

 

He relinquishes any ownership to Coventry as soon as the Bees are out of Brandon. What rights would he have once he has kicked the speedway out of their home? Would the BSPA still see him as someone to promote a speedway club?

 

This has nothing to do with Horton who is just leasing the speedway off Sandhu until the club are booted out. Once that has happened anyone would have just as much right to run a team in the area providing it gets the backing of the BSPA.

 

Time is now to form a save our speedway group. Time is tight already. If that line is met with lethargy then there is no hope for Coventry Bees.

[Crump99 4,476]

Time for clear thinking here.

 

Sandhu has purchased the land back and is now attempting to develope it for housing. Meaning he is the sole reason Coventry Speedway is in this plight. Anyone disagree?

 

So as far as Sandhu is concerned, speedway is the least of his issues. Far more important to get planning for a couple of hundred houses on the site. He should be cut off from finding a new home for the Bees forthwith. What if a piece of land is found, he is alerted to it, buys it then chucks in a planning permission for more houses?

 

He relinquishes any ownership to Coventry as soon as the Bees are out of Brandon. What rights would he have once he has kicked the speedway out of their home? Would the BSPA still see him as someone to promote a speedway club?

 

This has nothing to do with Horton who is just leasing the speedway off Sandhu until the club are booted out. Once that has happened anyone would have just as much right to run a team in the area providing it gets the backing of the BSPA.

 

Time is now to form a save our speedway group. Time is tight already. If that line is met with lethargy then there is no hope for Coventry Bees.

 

They (or some of them) made their mind up in 2010 which is probably why we're in this position. Reads like the final broadcast in the "let's run him out of town boys" crusade!

[Woz01 3,589]

Time for clear thinking here.

 

Sandhu has purchased the land back and is now attempting to develope it for housing. Meaning he is the sole reason Coventry Speedway is in this plight. Anyone disagree?

 

So as far as Sandhu is concerned, speedway is the least of his issues. Far more important to get planning for a couple of hundred houses on the site. He should be cut off from finding a new home for the Bees forthwith. What if a piece of land is found, he is alerted to it, buys it then chucks in a planning permission for more houses?

 

He relinquishes any ownership to Coventry as soon as the Bees are out of Brandon. What rights would he have once he has kicked the speedway out of their home? Would the BSPA still see him as someone to promote a speedway club?

 

This has nothing to do with Horton who is just leasing the speedway off Sandhu until the club are booted out. Once that has happened anyone would have just as much right to run a team in the area providing it gets the backing of the BSPA.

 

Time is now to form a save our speedway group. Time is tight already. If that line is met with lethargy then there is no hope for Coventry Bees.

I'm more inclined to think Sandhu will more likely be in a position to find us a new home if he has rebought the site and confident of redevelopment. He would make a shed load of cash if planning permission is ever successful. Whether he actually wants to find us a home is another matter.

[Agrotron 955]

I have little faith in Sandhu finding any new home he is a man all about money, you fans should get on to old Tony Mole and see what he can do

[Coventry_Bee 467]

Is there any proof that Mr Sandhu has purchased the land from himself so to speak? Or is this Internet gossip that really isn't going to help anybody ??

[Agrotron 955]

Is there any proof that Mr Sandhu has purchased the land from himself so to speak? Or is this Internet gossip that really isn't going to help anybody ??

 

 

I agree I am not convinced I think someone needs to get a meeting on for fans and air what's going on at least put you lot in the picture.

[Daniel Smith 5,661]

This does look a pretty nasty situation for Coventry.

 

I just have a feeling that Coventry will fold, all the assets will follow Horton to Peterborough and he becomes a co-owner with Frost then Peterborough move back up to the EL.

 

I may be just being a little suspicious but I believe there must be a backup plan by Horton

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

This does look a pretty nasty situation for Coventry.

I may be just being a little suspicious but I believe there must be a backup plan by Horton

Yes it's called Peterborough.

[speedibee 3,091]

Time for clear thinking here.

 

Sandhu has purchased the land back and is now attempting to develope it for housing. Meaning he is the sole reason Coventry Speedway is in this plight. Anyone disagree?

 

So as far as Sandhu is concerned, speedway is the least of his issues. Far more important to get planning for a couple of hundred houses on the site. He should be cut off from finding a new home for the Bees forthwith. What if a piece of land is found, he is alerted to it, buys it then chucks in a planning permission for more houses?

 

He relinquishes any ownership to Coventry as soon as the Bees are out of Brandon. What rights would he have once he has kicked the speedway out of their home? Would the BSPA still see him as someone to promote a speedway club?

 

This has nothing to do with Horton who is just leasing the speedway off Sandhu until the club are booted out. Once that has happened anyone would have just as much right to run a team in the area providing it gets the backing of the BSPA.

 

Time is now to form a save our speedway group. Time is tight already. If that line is met with lethargy then there is no hope for Coventry Bees.

Never thought I' d see the day when I would be agreeing with SS, First of all can we believe anything Sandhu says , 2 years ago we were assured there was no partner Sandhu was the sole owner , So why does the sole owner have to purchase what he claims he already owns , Bees fans taking his word for him finding a new site is a Huge risk ,because if he takes our eye off the ball and we let redevelopment slip through unhindered in the mistaken belief that he is interested in anything other than profiteering then he will make fools of us , If he owns brandon which has the track , stadium .facilities and most important of all Planning Consent to run 3 sports , then why uproot them on some pie in the sky new piece of land , far easier to buy said piece of land and develop for housing than to try to gain PP on it for Noisy sports . . Trust Sandhu at your peril , but for me his open testamony as to why he bought Into Coventry speedway in the first place the subesquent reasons why he carried on running speedway because his plans to redevelop were thwarted and his later Lies about not having a partner who is now a convicted money launderer and fraudster , mean this is someone we should not be affording any trust to . forget the new land and get lobbying Rugby Council and it's MP's to keep to it's word and retain Brandon as a sports facility . let sandhu build his houses elsewhere

Edited March 8, 2014 by speedibee

[Coventry_Bee 467]

In my opinion I think over his time at Coventry Mr Sandhu has done enough to earn our respect and trust that he is a man of his word. He has never said houses were not in the plan for Brandon, the way businesses are set up you never understand the full ownership and every reason behind it. Had there been much in the report a few yrs back then HMRC would have acted and more would have been reported and the sale would have been questioned.

 

I may be in the minority, I am not sure but given previous I'd quite happily take Sandhu's word. Speedway and its politics that let him

Down. Look at how we find our Elite League today !!! Maybe, just maybe if they would have listened to Sandhu we might be in a better position than we find ourself in in 2014.

[Steve0 5,517]

In my opinion I think over his time at Coventry Mr Sandhu has done enough to earn our respect and trust that he is a man of his word. He has never said houses were not in the plan for Brandon, the way businesses are set up you never understand the full ownership and every reason behind it. Had there been much in the report a few yrs back then HMRC would have acted and more would have been reported and the sale would have been questioned.

I may be in the minority, I am not sure but given previous I'd quite happily take Sandhu's word. Speedway and its politics that let him

Down. Look at how we find our Elite League today !!! Maybe, just maybe if they would have listened to Sandhu we might be in a better position than we find ourself in in 2014.

Maybe you can purchase one of the houses he builds - if you trust him that much. He might even let you choose which bend of the track for your plot. He is a businessman and, like all businessmen, he will do what is right for him.

 

I do hope that Coventry continue at Brandon though as there is a lot of history at that venue.