Dave Jones

6.5 is for Poole only . 7.5 is for everyone else.

A report from the Express& Star. PUBLISHED: October 5, 2015 8:05 am LAST UPDATED: October 5, 2015 10:00 am 'We hope this is not the end': Cradley Heathens owners stepping down Owners of Cradley Heathens speedway club today made a desperate plea for new management to take over and save the club after announcing they are stepping down. Chairman Nigel Pearson and club partners Chris Van Straaten and Gary Patchett revived the club in 2010 after 15 years out of the league. But the management trio have today revealed they are bowing out because of personal circumstances and other work commitments. The consortium hope the club can be saved by new faces coming forward and insist folding the Heathens would be the final option. "It is a very difficult thing for us to do, but unfortunately at this time we cannot continue for both business and personal reasons," said Mr Pearson. "It is our intention to do everything we can to allow the club to continue under new management next season rather than close the club down. "We sincerely hope the forthcoming cup tie with King's Lynn at Perry Barr on October 14 is not the last ever Heathens' meeting," he said. Mr Pearson is a broadcaster with Sky Sports and talkSPORT while Mr Van Straaten is one of three owners at speedway rivals Wolverhampton Wolves. The Cradley Heathens have been thwarted by an on-going search for a permanent home after losing its home track in Dudley Wood two decades ago. This season the club has been riding at Birmingham’s Perry Barr Stadium after a deal to race in Wolverhampton ended. It had been hoped plans for an enterprise zone next to the M5 close to Junction 3 could provide a new long-term base. But the proposals were dropped following a fierce backlash from campaigners who feared part of the green belt would be swallowed up. The club had also been exploring possibilities at a site near Merry Hill shopping centre, which also fell through. Following today's announcement, a meeting has been arranged with the interim board of the newly-formed Heathens Supporters Trust to discuss the situation. Mr Pearson will also meet with officials at Dudley Council later this month to discuss a future home. He added: "We have been going six years since we revived and it has been a wonderful time. We have given people a lot of pleasure. "I do hope enough people care enough about this club and step forward and take the club forward and that this is not the end. "We will offer all the help and support to anyone who comes forward and we will go to the meeting with the council regardless. "I will even be there at home matches to make sure it is a smooth handover. Hopefully this will not be the end."

Selective memory in overdrive again I see .

In which case you should have some knowledge of what happens when another club has the temerity to challenge Mr Ford's team.

I presume you weren't around in 2010/11 season then.

If you genuinely believe , then that's fine.

OK I'll spell it out for you. Hans pulls his weight throughout the season and keeps up his starting average. Result, bees finish top of the league, top team choose their opponents, bees don't choose Poole. Much better chance of reaching the final.

Rubbish, if Hans had pulled his weight throughout the season Coventry wouldn't have been in a semi final with Poole. I would have expected you had the ability to work that out for yourself.

If Hans does end up back at Swindon I don't think many bees fans will be too concerned TBH. The only frustration might be that has used this last season to knock a couple of points off his average, which many would argue cost the bees their chance of a play off final .

From my viewpoint rmc doesn't need to talk the sport down, the speedway administrators do a wonderful job of wrecking its credibility without any external help.

Even MH isn't that desperate.................................Is he?

You didn't mention which of us you thought was misguided. With regard to the "negativity comment" ,I would be quite happy to see Kent in the EL, but I do wonder if they would be prepared for everything that goes with being a newcomer at that level.

It was more of an opinion than a statement. However any right minded person can see that Ford has an unhealthy influence in the corridors of power , is a person who has his own methods of dealing with any serious competition, and has no morals.

I bet you couldn't. You would never find a proof reader with sufficient patience.

I think that with the current set up as it is, all teams bar one understand that they are team building for second place at the very best. Nothing else is a consideration.

I don't that there are, I just had a search for Fiddlers Rd, & Bandits Place but couldn't find them in the Poole area.

Just the self imposed Poole propaganda merchant doing his best to divert the attention away from his own clubs dodgy moves during the play offs.

I threw darts at mine, and then I suddenly remembered ,I only bought it two weeks ago

Unusual for you.

Makes the guy at Brandon look a bit second rate . Mark Lemon = Top Man

How true those words are. It must be part of the indoctrination process .

When the SCB do announce their decision, it will just be yet another fudge in all probability.

I have just googled" Gogglebox on Friday" and it says a new-man will be featured.

I would imagine it will all be forgotten & buried at the " rats nest " ( AKA... BSPA/SCB Headquarters)

Retrospective decision making . Something that the SCB & BSPA have always excelled in.