Berwick V Rye House Sat 25th Koc Q/f 2nd Leg

[sparkafag 746]

National League don't want a club so far north.

 

That seems really harsh but pretty logical if you are looking at it from the clubs currently in the NL's side of things. You would have to wonder how sustainable Berwick v Eastbourne is for either club at NL level.

Berwick would probably only attract about a handful of away fans all season as well by the time you factor in Coventry and Kings Lynn.

Edited July 27, 2015 by sparkafag

[SCB 13]

If Berwick and Scunny are struggling, and I doubt they're the only ones, then surely it's time the PL stopped trying to get stronger and stronger all the time and went with a 5 Brits per team rule. It would force the PL teams to basically be NL teams with 2 extra riders at the top end. It would also make the jump form NL to PL smaller. The gap into the EL wouldn't be an issue with the draft working as it is at present - ok it probably won't help non-draft riders moving from PL to EL but so what?

[sparkafag 746]

I would assume it’s probably beneficial to the PL to keep the pool of riders who can be signed as large as possible rather than to consciously reduce it even further.

Edited July 27, 2015 by sparkafag

[penchev 342]

Like everything else it will all come out in the wash............and until then we will just have to wait and see what happens, miracle needed though.

[SCB 13]

I would assume it’s probably beneficial to the PL to keep the pool of riders who can be signed as large as possible rather than to consciously reduce it even further.

I'd argue that if you are seeing clubs drop to the NL and close down it's beneficial for the PL to do something about it (and the EL too - I'm not naive enough to think the EL is a bed of roses)

[To The Point 356]

I'd argue that if you are seeing clubs drop to the NL and close down it's beneficial for the PL to do something about it (and the EL too - I'm not naive enough to think the EL is a bed of roses)

The way things are going financially, probably better to restructure, create 2 leagues the more financially stable clubs join the new 1st division, alongside the current EL the less financially viable clubs join the new league division 2. alongside the current NL. The EL standards have dropped in the last few years, should help it be more sustainable, the standards of the NL would be lifted. Keep the development leagues to bring on new riders.

[penchev 342]

The way things are going financially, probably better to restructure, create 2 leagues the more financially stable clubs join the new 1st division, alongside the current EL the less financially viable clubs join the new league division 2. alongside the current NL. The EL standards have dropped in the last few years, should help it be more sustainable, the standards of the NL would be lifted. Keep the development leagues to bring on new riders.

 

Nice idea and makes sense from a financial perspective, but the bloody minded BSPA will never go for it.

 

The whole of British Speedway is a mess right now, think there are more clubs than Berwick and Scunthorpe in trouble.

 

Just need to look at what happened to Birmingham and Eastbourne last season as an example.

Edited July 27, 2015 by penchev

[Fromafar 10,416]

The announcement has been made,we will just have to wait and see the outcome.

[To The Point 356]

 

Nice idea and makes sense from a financial perspective, but the bloody minded BSPA will never go for it.

 

The whole of British Speedway is a mess right now, think there are more clubs than Berwick and Scunthorpe in trouble.

 

Just need to look at what happened to Birmingham and Eastbourne last season as an example.

Presume you got your newsletter, interesting statement from John and certainly to the point. Honesty without any spin always goes down better with the fans

[Fromafar 10,416]

Presume you got your newsletter, interesting statement from John and certainly to the point. Honesty without any spin always goes down better with the fans

It does! At least the fans know what the options are.The sport is in mess though attracting new investors might be difficult.

[penchev 342]

Presume you got your newsletter, interesting statement from John and certainly to the point. Honesty without any spin always goes down better with the fans

Yes, and fingers crossed, the right person/persons can be found to either work alongside the current promotion or take over completely.

[allthegearbutnaeidea 1,737]

I have to agree with Shadders imo it's going to be new owners or shutdown, hope it's the first one of those and if not then I will definately go NL, I personally prefer the NL to the EL as you get to see young Brits trying it out in the sport instead of watching people like Matej Zagar not try for Belle Vue.

I also think Taffy's point of 2 leagues split by how fonancially stable the club is is a brilliant idea

Lets all have our fingers crossed that someone throws some money at it then, John has put his cards on the table here and fair play for that statement

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Its now on the club's facebook page:

 

AN ANNOUNCEMENT :
On behalf of his fellow-directors, John Anderson today issued a statement regarding the future of speedway at Berwick.

“Speedway has been an integral part of the fabric of life in and around Berwick for nearly fifty years, and we want this to continue – but it might be time for fresh attitudes, people with newer, younger ideas to take over the task and help us share a burden which has become very, very heavy to carry”.

“I don’t want to be thought of as scaremongering – this isn’t us saying that we are closing down, we’re not!”

“But when I look back, I see the previous custodians of this great club – the Taylor family, the Fairbairns and Peter Waite – all had a burn cycle of around a decade, and maybe our own ownership has reached the point where new blood is required”.

“This is about owning the club, paying the bills – not about promoting or managing the team”.

“Myself, my son Ryan, George Hepburn and George Fairgrieve are the shareholders, the ones who have to ensure the club comes up with the money each week – and we are proud to say we have always paid our riders, and our bills, right on the nail”.

“In the past, this speedway has been able to soldier on through thick and thin, and we truly, deeply want the club to continue into the next fifty seasons – but we just can’t do it alone any more”.

“It isn’t just the financial burdens we are carrying, heavy though these are, it is a terrible strain on our mental and physical health, and when that begins to take its toll it has to be time to take a step back”.

“So what I am saying is, there are two ways to go from here”.

“We would welcome further investment from interested parties who might share our wish to see the sport remaining as a vital, irreplaceable part of a Saturday night out in Berwick-upon-Tweed and who might want to take on a part of our shareholding and stand beside us, working with and taking some of the load off the present directors and in time perhaps taking more and more control”.

“Alternatively, we would be prepared to sell the company outright. Lock, stock and barrel to a new custodian who -- and I make this clear – we feel could be trusted to serve the Bandits and their fans in the way of our honoured predecessors”.

“If a total sale was to happen, this would be required to be decided well in advance of the BSPA’s AGM in mid-October, so any new owner could decide who should represent their interests as promoter(s) at the AGM and other meetings”.

“I said there were two ways to go from here, but there is a third option”.

“Our dearest wish is that speedway continues at Shielfield Park, but to be honest, we could close the doors at the end of the season and cash in. Take the money and run!”

“We’d take our share of the League’s profits from big events, sell off the rider-assets, the safety-fence and regain our bond – and by doing so, our company would almost certainly end up well in profit for the year!”

“But this is the last thing we want to do, despite the obvious financial advantage”.

“We really want new partners to join us to take the club forward, or we want to sell it on as a going concern to a suitable buyer”.

“We are saying this now, at the end of July and with a three-week gap before we race again, to allow any interested parties to make contact while we aren’t too busy preparing for matches”.

“But we have to make clear that if we don’t find new investment, or we don’t find a viable purchaser before October then the dreadful alternative of closure has to be contemplated as a serious and very final option”.

I am genuinely saddened by this because as far as I am concerned John Anderson and his fellow directors have tried very hard to make Berwick Speedway a success.

 

Some clubs - with their team, their track, their racing and, often most importantly, their attitude - simply don't deserve to attract the kind of support that makes the sport pay or at least make it sustainable.

 

In my view, Berwick isn't one of them.

Edited July 27, 2015 by Halifaxtiger

[Goodiepatchie 417]

Will anyone come in or buy it ?

Probably not

Think this is the end

[coolcol 57]

Will anyone come in or buy it ?

Probably not

Think this is the end

will b with ppl like you goin on like that God seeing a statment from the club wit out stupid jokes init straight to the point big john get behind him heppy n the lads