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This should not be a surprise. The man is a class act...

All just hearsay and gossip pre season only believe signings when officially announced

Although some places do have Thursdays as Student night - mainly because those nights are “dead nights” for the hospitality trade. Wednesday is the actual Student day for the majority of universities.  Who deliberately schedule their academic timetables to leave Wednesday afternoons free from lectures and seminars, allowing a large number of students to participate in sports without conflicting with their studies. This tradition is often referred to as "BUCS Wednesday" Strangely enough the fact that the next day is a school days doesn’t appear to hold them back from seeing the night out. 😱

Latest update.  Looks like more dubious tactics from Brandon Estates   The Campaign Group were contacted by several Speedway Lane residents on Saturday to make us aware of a letter they had received from Brandon Estates.   The letter states Brandon Estates intends to submit another planning application, this time for 115 houses together with a 'fully restored speedway facility'.   Note, it does not include stock car racing.   Whilst speedway fans may be excited by this, we urge them and local residents not to be fooled by this for the reasons outlined in our response shown below and issued as a press release earlier today.   And please be assured, whilst progress regarding the stadium may appear quiet, this is far from the reality, as intense work continues with and by the Consortium and Rugby Council, to bring about a solution which would see Brandon return for speedway AND stock car racing and other community uses.   Latest statement reads:   Monday November 10, 2025 SAVE Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group and members of the Consortium who wish to acquire the Brandon Stadium and reinstate it for speedway and stock car racing to return are aware of a letter sent by Brandon Estates to local residents on Saturday (November 8).   The letter indicates that Brandon Estates are proposing to submit another planning application to build ‘Up to 115 houses and a speedway facility’ on the stadium site.   We submit these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and if this proposed application was, in the unlikely event, approved, they would build 115 houses and their planning agents, DPP Planning, would then submit another application to demolish the stadium and build as many as 200 additional houses. The reasons we believe this are set out below.   The letter sent to local residents refers to the existing site having been “closed since 2016 following the end of speedway racing,” a closure which was entirely their own decision and intention.   It refers to the condition of the site saying ; “the site has remained in a significant state of disrepair” and goes onto refer to it as a “dilapidated stadium”.   In an attempt to share their concern for local residents they say they “understand that living alongside a derelict site has created concerns for local residents”.   We would respectfully remind residents that the condition of the site and the appalling inconvenience and concern endured by those residents is down to the abject failure of the owners, Brandon Estates, to secure the site to prevent traveller incursions and acts of vandalism and arson.   Served with a Community Protection Notice by Rugby Borough Council (RBC) in 2017, Brandon Estates initially challenged it in court (and ended up paying the Council’s costs) and were subsequently taken to court by Rugby Council for multiple breaches of that Community Protection Notice in November 2022.   They were found guilty, fined the maximum allowed by law, ordered once again to pay the Council’s costs and have two criminal convictions.   With regard to their proposed new planning application, we make the following points:   Their original application in January 2018 (to demolish the stadium and build 137 houses) was effectively withdrawn after an independent consultant commissioned by RBC concluded their application did not satisfy the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the stadium could not be considered ‘surplus to requirements’ as Brandon Estates had argued.   A revised application in July 2021, again sought to demolish the stadium and build 124 houses, but this time included the provision of a 3G football pitch, arguing that this made it compliant with the NPPF as it replaced the stadium with an alternative sporting provision.   This application went to RBC Planning Committee in November 2022 and was unanimously refused.   Brandon Estates then appealed this decision and a nine day public hearing began in September 2023. After considering all the evidence the Government appointed Inspector rejected their appeal in January 2024.   This proposed new application which Brandon Estates refer to in their letter, proposes 115 houses on the site plus a speedway facility – so is this now an admission that the stadium use could and should have remained?   However, Brandon Stadium opened in 1928 for speedway racing, and stock cars were introduced in 1954. The two sports ran successfully and viably alongside one another from 1954 right up until the stadium closed in 2016. We note the new proposals do not include provision for stock car racing.   Given that Brandon Estates and their agents have repeatedly stated their belief over the last decade that speedway is not viable, and that satisfactory alternative venues exist for supporters elsewhere, it appears very surprising that they are now proposing a speedway facility on site, and there is no indication of exactly what type or level of facility this would entail.   We draw your attention to the Abbey Stadium in Swindon where an application was made to redevelop land around that speedway stadium, right up to the stadium perimeter, including the car park. That application also included the redevelopment of the speedway stadium. The application was approved and hundreds of houses were built. The owners then claimed speedway wasn’t viable on the site and submitted another application to demolish the stadium and build houses on it.   The common factor between Swindon and Brandon is DPP Planning are the planning agents in both cases.   We repeat our submission that these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and the proposed application is an attempt by Brandon Estates / DPP Planning to get around the Inspector’s decision by presenting these revised plans to RBC. In the unlikely event of them being approved, they would do exactly what they have done in Swindon - never deliver a redeveloped stadium and instead build up to 200 more houses on the site.   Furthermore, the Inspector’s decision made specific reference to the stadium not being surplus to requirements specifically because of its significance as a speedway AND stock car venue. Hence this proposed application fails to comply with that ruling. Brandon Estates and their agents DPP Planning are disingenuous, and their tactics are a shameful attempt to deceive.   In the meantime, we can confirm that the Consortium of very credible businessmen continue to work with RBC in an effort to acquire the stadium and reinstate it to its former glory for speedway racing, stock car racing and other community uses.   We have made Leader of Rugby Council, Michael Moran, and his senior officers aware of the Brandon Estates letter and indeed, the tactics employed by agents DPP Planning in Swindon.   Save Coventry Speedway and Stox Campaign Group 10th November 2025    

Latest update.  Looks like more dubious tactics from Brandon Estates   The Campaign Group were contacted by several Speedway Lane residents on Saturday to make us aware of a letter they had received from Brandon Estates.   The letter states Brandon Estates intends to submit another planning application, this time for 115 houses together with a 'fully restored speedway facility'.   Note, it does not include stock car racing.   Whilst speedway fans may be excited by this, we urge them and local residents not to be fooled by this for the reasons outlined in our response shown below and issued as a press release earlier today.   And please be assured, whilst progress regarding the stadium may appear quiet, this is far from the reality, as intense work continues with and by the Consortium and Rugby Council, to bring about a solution which would see Brandon return for speedway AND stock car racing and other community uses.   Latest statement reads:   Monday November 10, 2025 SAVE Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group and members of the Consortium who wish to acquire the Brandon Stadium and reinstate it for speedway and stock car racing to return are aware of a letter sent by Brandon Estates to local residents on Saturday (November 8).   The letter indicates that Brandon Estates are proposing to submit another planning application to build ‘Up to 115 houses and a speedway facility’ on the stadium site.   We submit these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and if this proposed application was, in the unlikely event, approved, they would build 115 houses and their planning agents, DPP Planning, would then submit another application to demolish the stadium and build as many as 200 additional houses. The reasons we believe this are set out below.   The letter sent to local residents refers to the existing site having been “closed since 2016 following the end of speedway racing,” a closure which was entirely their own decision and intention.   It refers to the condition of the site saying ; “the site has remained in a significant state of disrepair” and goes onto refer to it as a “dilapidated stadium”.   In an attempt to share their concern for local residents they say they “understand that living alongside a derelict site has created concerns for local residents”.   We would respectfully remind residents that the condition of the site and the appalling inconvenience and concern endured by those residents is down to the abject failure of the owners, Brandon Estates, to secure the site to prevent traveller incursions and acts of vandalism and arson.   Served with a Community Protection Notice by Rugby Borough Council (RBC) in 2017, Brandon Estates initially challenged it in court (and ended up paying the Council’s costs) and were subsequently taken to court by Rugby Council for multiple breaches of that Community Protection Notice in November 2022.   They were found guilty, fined the maximum allowed by law, ordered once again to pay the Council’s costs and have two criminal convictions.   With regard to their proposed new planning application, we make the following points:   Their original application in January 2018 (to demolish the stadium and build 137 houses) was effectively withdrawn after an independent consultant commissioned by RBC concluded their application did not satisfy the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the stadium could not be considered ‘surplus to requirements’ as Brandon Estates had argued.   A revised application in July 2021, again sought to demolish the stadium and build 124 houses, but this time included the provision of a 3G football pitch, arguing that this made it compliant with the NPPF as it replaced the stadium with an alternative sporting provision.   This application went to RBC Planning Committee in November 2022 and was unanimously refused.   Brandon Estates then appealed this decision and a nine day public hearing began in September 2023. After considering all the evidence the Government appointed Inspector rejected their appeal in January 2024.   This proposed new application which Brandon Estates refer to in their letter, proposes 115 houses on the site plus a speedway facility – so is this now an admission that the stadium use could and should have remained?   However, Brandon Stadium opened in 1928 for speedway racing, and stock cars were introduced in 1954. The two sports ran successfully and viably alongside one another from 1954 right up until the stadium closed in 2016. We note the new proposals do not include provision for stock car racing.   Given that Brandon Estates and their agents have repeatedly stated their belief over the last decade that speedway is not viable, and that satisfactory alternative venues exist for supporters elsewhere, it appears very surprising that they are now proposing a speedway facility on site, and there is no indication of exactly what type or level of facility this would entail.   We draw your attention to the Abbey Stadium in Swindon where an application was made to redevelop land around that speedway stadium, right up to the stadium perimeter, including the car park. That application also included the redevelopment of the speedway stadium. The application was approved and hundreds of houses were built. The owners then claimed speedway wasn’t viable on the site and submitted another application to demolish the stadium and build houses on it.   The common factor between Swindon and Brandon is DPP Planning are the planning agents in both cases.   We repeat our submission that these proposals are a sham. They are a deception. Brandon Estates have no intention of ever reinstating the stadium for speedway racing and the proposed application is an attempt by Brandon Estates / DPP Planning to get around the Inspector’s decision by presenting these revised plans to RBC. In the unlikely event of them being approved, they would do exactly what they have done in Swindon - never deliver a redeveloped stadium and instead build up to 200 more houses on the site.   Furthermore, the Inspector’s decision made specific reference to the stadium not being surplus to requirements specifically because of its significance as a speedway AND stock car venue. Hence this proposed application fails to comply with that ruling. Brandon Estates and their agents DPP Planning are disingenuous, and their tactics are a shameful attempt to deceive.   In the meantime, we can confirm that the Consortium of very credible businessmen continue to work with RBC in an effort to acquire the stadium and reinstate it to its former glory for speedway racing, stock car racing and other community uses.   We have made Leader of Rugby Council, Michael Moran, and his senior officers aware of the Brandon Estates letter and indeed, the tactics employed by agents DPP Planning in Swindon.   Save Coventry Speedway and Stox Campaign Group 10th November 2025    

The parting of the ways between Ipswich and Rew last year certainly worked out better for Ipswich than it did for Rew.