Leicester Hunter

That's very true, but whether he went over the books or not is now irrelevant. He's a fan (so he says), and that could have clouded any objective decisions he made. But as david2905 has correctly pointed out earlier in this thread, Phillips would have wrecked the club anyway, no matter which league we were in, simply because he was totally out of his depth and had got rid of anyone and everyone who knew anything about running a speedway club. I suppose the moral of this sad tale is this: If you're a fan, don't even think about purchasing a speedway club and running one. It's not a hobby, it's a full blown business, and one for the long haul too. Think with your head, not your heart. We've all seen too many people leave the sport with absolutely nothing at all after they've failed, although in this case, I'm certain that hasn't happened.

Well, if Tore Kittilsen had been completely impartial, he would have excluded Penhall for dangerous riding as well as Carter for falling off. But it was all about an American winning the World Championship in the USA. It's not as though Penhall hadn't got previous in situations like that. He wasn't fussy who he did it to. I was at Cradley Heath the night he finished Steve Clarke's career.

Yes, 1976 Intercontinental Final at Wembley. Ivan decided not to race Peter Collins in the run-off for the title, as he knew the runner up drew No5 in the Final. PC got 'lumbered' with No11, and of course won the World Championship.... But in all honesty, to call that cheating is a tad harsh. I'd say it's taking advantage of a known situation, and being more mentally alert, rather like Nicki Pedersen in the SWC Final a couple of years ago....

100% correct. And that's why you'll find so much has been swept under the carpet in the hope that it will simply go away. What's more, it looks like that methodology has worked.

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he? Not if, but when Birmingham Speedway reopens, even someone as thick skinned as Alan Phillips will realise there won't be a cordial welcome for him. The part of the interview which really interested me was the £20,000 payment due in March 2015 from Tony Mole if the Brummies were still operating. Strange how when you buy something, the seller ends up owing you money. But I reckon it's one reason why Tony Mole was very anti Phillips at the time of the collapse, as Phillips had let into the public domain something that should have stayed strictly confidential between both parties. The version Charles Phillips gave during the now infamous radio interview a couple of weeks ago was that the money was the last down payment on the Danny King transfer, and the amount was £24,000 - doesn't look anything like that now. It just goes to show that if you tell lies, make sure you're good at it. And remember what's been said to who at what time, and what has been previously stated publically.

Just have the sick bucket ready for when you do, Peter. You're really going to need it.

Basically, yes. He says he thinks he's "the best promoter Birmingham has ever had" along with his son. He says they should have been allowed more time and a little more support. Really? He spent the best part of eighteen months slagging off the very people who were putting money in his pocket, to the extent some no longer went. He resorted to name calling those who dared express an opinion. He indulged in character assassination on people who clearly knew more about the sport than him. And he's the best promoter Birmingham Speedway has ever had? That really is beyond satire. The saving grace is, someone may still be interested in taking the club forward, and one would hope, in a more positive way. By what we've already seen on this thread, Tony Mole isn't everyone's cup of tea, but at least his heart is in the right place with the club. And he hasn't trampled on what previous promoters such as Joe Thurley, John Berry, Les Marshall, Dan McCormick and others achieved in previous years. All I can say in conclusion is "Onwards and upwards. Things can only get better from hereon in."

Granted, but according to the original link supplied by Siggytastic, a No Win No Fee smartarse was involved here. And the judge also raised his concern about the defendants legal fees coming to more than £400,000.... These parasites really should be outlawed. And then the couple's house burned down.... I've just read Lioness's post. I agree that the buck stops with either the couple themselves, or their solicitor during the purchase process. They should stand the costs, not Mildenhall Stadium.

Birmingham have gone due to the rank ineptitude of their 'promoters' and Bob Dugard has decided that, at the age of 72, he's tired of it all and doesn't want to inject extra cash every year with what is probably the smallest hard core support in the EL as it stands at the moment. Coventry is under threat of redevelopment and therefore not within the remit of not making money. Well, that's the 64 million dollar question, isn't it? Birmingham may have a future, as both Tony Mole and Graham Drury have gone on record as saying speedway can be profitable there, and a buyer may be interested in resurrecting the club next year. Who knows, Eastbourne may also find a buyer over the winter. Yes, I've personally felt the league structure in this country is a little unbalanced - maybe two hybrid leagues may be the way forward. No top names, (ie GP riders) but part amalgamation of the existing EL and PL to operate at the higher level and for those who wish to operate with lower overheads join together the rest of the PL with the National League. Whether that's the answer or not, I honestly don't know. What I do know is that there will always be an upper and lower tier in British Speedway, whatever the leagues are called is immaterial. And a way forward has to be found. As it currently stands, speedway in Britain just seems to lurch from crisis to crisis, while the governing body also appears to just stand by and let it happen.

Oh, the irony....

I'm quite surprised no-one has mentioned the night of the infamous punch-up at Hyde Road in 1971. 10th July 1971, Belle Vue v Leicester. With the score at 35-37 in Leicester's favour, Aces' Dave Hemus broke the tapes and was replaced by Alan Wilkinson. Alan Cowland drove inside Wilkinson on lap 1, who fell. Referee David Miller stopped the race and excluded Wilkie, who was furious, and made his feelings known to Cowland as he returned to the pit gate. As this fracas subsided, some fans got involved, and a free for all developed outside the pits. While all this was going on, Miller excluded the three other riders, Belle Vue's Soren Sjosten and Lions pairing Ray Wilson and Cowland under the 2 minute rule. With a very sour atmosphere having developed, Miller then declared the match over, a two point win for Leicester. I suppose it was largely academic, as the Aces couldn't have put a rider out in the rerun anyway, their other reserve Ken Eyre having completed his maximum allowed races sometime earlier. I also believe Leicester's Malcolm Brown had completed five rides as well, just leaving Tom Leadbitter to complete four laps alone. This match also halted Belle Vue's unbeaten British League sequence at Hyde Road, which extended back 49 matches, Sheffield being the last team to win a League match there in September 1968. All in all, not a satisfactory way to end such a winning run.

To be fair AC, the fighting fund being made available to the Phillips' was never an option. Contributors made it plain that if any of their money was going to end up in the hands of the operating company, they just wouldn't give any. Both Phillips snr and jnr have insisted that Birmingham Brummies Ltd is not insolvent, and as far as I'm aware the company isn't - yet. But from what I've read elsewhere, bankruptcy could be the next step. Potentially, this saga could run for a fair while yet, and equally, things may still get nasty for the Phillips clan.

If you say so. However, here's two more realistic explanations for you to mull over. Phillips certainly carries the majority of the blame, but that's what you get for trying to run a club in a sport you know nothing about with no expert assistance. Hope these clarify the situation for you.

Actually, he did, he rode at #4 in his last match for us and won his last ever race in Brummies colours, as the weather closed in. Ed's problem though, is that he's a confidence rider. The team was struggling, and so was he. But I do agree with you. Put him in a strong team and just see how he goes. His guest appearance recently for Poole proved that.

Unfortunately, the GRA got messed about by one or two promoters at Oxford a few years ago, and as a result are not the most speedway friendly landlords. Just as an aside, if you had a tenant who wasn't paying an amount of rent that was in writing and on a signed tenancy agreement, what would you do about it?

Fair enough. As arthur cross has highlighted in #231, all sorts of figures are being bandied about at the moment. We know that the Brummies have been locked out of Perry Barr, so that is quite serious, but we don't know what is owed elsewhere. Losses being made on meetings week on week, riders not being paid, that sort of thing. Then there's the added difficulty of knowing whether the operating company is insolvent or not. The Phillips' are insisting that they are not. What I do know is, a substantial six figure sum was asked for by last Friday, or the whole thing could be over, and again, nothing specific was mentioned as to what that money was for. One thing that has come out over the last few days is this; The Phillips' have admitted ploughing £400,000 into the venture since they took over at the end of 2011. If that doesn't include sponsorship and monies from interested third parties, that figure could top over half a million pounds, and even if it includes this season so far, it is plain to see that a business plan, if one actually existed at all, wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. But what is particularly sticking in most Brummies fans' throats at the moment, is the fact that when the Fans Liaison Group was formed a short time ago, they were told that there were no debts, and that the club was viable. Hope that helps.

You can rest assured that any money raised in a situation like this would go to pay off existing debts, and help anyone who wishes to take the team on as a going concern. From what I have seen on here so far, the speedway family doesn't want one of it's own to leave, no matter what the circumstances are. Many thanks to all of you, fellow supporters far and wide, I for one hope this isn't all in vain.

Yes, like on here, you have to be a member to access all the threads.

You think this is still all about rent? It's gone way, way beyond that, I'm afraid. Of course. Just over a hundred years ago, Harland & Wolff faithfully promised The White Star Line that the Titanic wouldn't sink. Look at what happened there...

Agreed, but there were one or two other coincidences that happened around that time. With all that has happened today, and one post in particular on the Kings Lynn v Birmingham thread, I wonder if The Pedaler will now vanish from here, rather like Midland Robin did at around this time last year....

No, not really. Dave Allen was a genuinely funny bloke. In my humble opinion.

Looking at some members of society these days, it's not a bad idea. It's called saving them from themselves. You could also say that statement partly describes the bankruptcy procedure, and seeing the state the sport's in these days, not really a bad suggestion.

Yes, the Brummies management should ask him to stay on, and one would hope he is tempted to stay. Tough luck on Sqora though, looks like he's going to miss out as the Brummies finally turn the corner. A bit of healthy competition for team places wouldn't have gone amiss at this stage of the season.

I'm not quite sure what kind of point you're trying to make here. Are you trying to pick an argument with me, or what? I'm saying it's wrong anyway to make comparisons, but invariably human nature dictates how different people see different things if they were directly involved in both eras. You say you didn't go to Blackbird Road for whatever reason. That's OK with me, I just don't see the point of your reply.

What you have to bear in mind is this: Leicester was without a speedway team from October 1983 to early 2011. That's a timespan of almost 27 and a half years. Like my club, Birmingham, there was constant lobbying for the sport to return to a suitable venue in the city, and eventually it did. The parallel between both clubs is that both were initially well supported (in fairness to Leicester they still are), and have both moved into the top level of speedway in this country. However, disquiet among supporters is now starting to arise over various issues, a common theme with some is that neither team is competitive at EL level and it might be better if they reverted to PL status. One difference between the two clubs is the David Hemsley has not been stating he can't afford to do this, that and the other because he hasn't got sufficient funds (not yet, anyway) and crowd levels so far are not overly concerning. I would say the Leicester public really have cottoned on to the fact that if they don't use it, they will lose it, and the sport probably would be dead and buried as far as the city is concerned. But you could say that about virtually every other club in the country at the moment. Beaumont Park is the closest track to me, but having visited once in 2011, and witnessed a succession of 'gate and go' races, I have never returned. Blackbird Road it certainly isn't. I first started attending speedway at that venue, and whether under the promotions of Ron Wilson, Vic White or Martin Rogers, you paid your money and were almost guaranteed top class entertainment every week, such was the way the track was prepared, allied with the wide open spaces there. That's not a swipe at Glyn Taylor btw. I'm sure he does his utmost with what he has available, and it must be soul destroying for him to come on here and read what he does every week about the track. It is wrong to make comparisons between different venues in different era's, but it's also human nature, and thus is largely unavoidable. Blackbird Road was always going to be a hard act to follow with those of us the went there every week, and with Beaumont Park being the way it is at the moment, I reckon it's nigh on impossible. Which is a great shame.