Happy Hunter

I think you might have underestimated the strength of feeling of Lions fans on this.

If only a half of what's been said on the Bees thread about Horton is true and he moves lock stock and barrel to Leicester then perhaps we should start a bring back Hemsley petition.

What would Lion's fans reaction be to the whole Coventry team signing for Leicester? I don't think I could support them as it would seem to me that, instead of losing the Bees, we will have lost the Lions!

Just been having a look at the Lion's fixtures for this season. Unless I am mistaken they are only down for 13 home fixtures with only one home fixture shown against Coventry, Rye House & Swindon. What is going on?

What makes you think it will all be over today? If so why did the BSPA put a tweet out yesterday?

Not sure you can have a corpse if its not dead!

As far as I can see from the Lion's web site there are 4 vacancies at the moment (Co-promoter, Operations Coordinator, Team Manager & Track Curator). If you include the Medical Officer, there are, I think, another 19 people employed in various capacities some of whom must be vulnerable, especially those who have been subject to criticism on here in the past.

I was right not to volunteer! The postperson arrived at 16.50 but without the Star. So, if anyone who did get a copy (top shelf or otherwise) and who would be prepared to share Dave Darcy's words of wisdom with he rest of us I, for one, would be truly grateful!

I'm sure some kind soul will post a synopsis of what Dave Darcy has to say. I would offer but I can't guarantee that the postperson will deliver my copy before you are all in bed!

Looks like there will be a two page article on an interview with Dave Darcy in this week's Speedway Star.

Although you can't compare them to Brandon I shouldn't think that the tracks at Leicester, Plymouth or Somerset cost anywhere near a six figure sum!

Neil Machin's name has now disappeared from the Lion's website (there is a post of Co-promoter but it is blank at the moment) but Norrie Allan is still shown as being Team Manager. Read into that what you will!

To be fair to DH (and its not very often I come to his aid!) the press release must have been put out sometime yesterday as it is in todays issue of the Leicester Mercury which is printed overnight and was delivered to us before 7.00 a.m. today.

Rather than trying to score points off each other why doesn't one of you get down to Brandon and see if anything is going on?

Where did you get the idea that Dave Darcy is the new owner from? All I can see is that he is the promoter and I am not even sure if he is the sole promoter as it does not say that in the press release. The press release also says that Dave Darcy is taking over running the business. So who owns the business. I am afraid that the press release asks more questions than it answers!

According to this week's Speedway Star there is going to be a "big meeting" before the New Year to sort out the arrangements for next season including what night the Lions will race on. It is reported as well that the team is already signed up for next season although I don't know how they can do that if they have not fixed the race night yet.

Thanks for this. I suspect that Hemsley is still the main leaseholder for the whole site and that Leicester Speedway (2017) Ltd. have a sub-lease for the 15 years. Perhaps by then all the other facilities that were planned e.g. 5 a side football & BMX track will have materialised!

Does anyone know if he was on and, if he was, what he said?

You might like to know that there have been some subtle alterations to the Lions Website today in that Mr Hemsley's name no longer appears anywhere on it. Just noticed that Mrs Hemsley's name has disappeared as well!

If my memory serves me right Jan Graversen is a Lions asset so there could be some truth in all this as it would make economic sense.

No

I like this. No good suggesting fanciful teams if you aren't sure if there will be team! Hope someone let's us know soon what, if anything is going on.

I don't think the fixtures usually come out before January/February.

There is no restriction on which night speedway takes place at Beaumont Park.

Before the BSPA’s AGM Dave Darcy was on Radio Leicester telling fans that Leicester would be running in the top league in 2017, that a new sponsor was on board and that the riders would be paid before the AGM. He also said that he did not know if he would be involved next season. After the AGM the BSPA issued a statement saying that, amongst other things, Leicester would be running a team in the top league next season. They also published a picture of Dave Darcy sitting in a group with fellow promoters. Bearing in mind that Lakeside withdrew because they could not guarantee that they could run in 2017 someone must have given the BSPA AGM the necessary guarantees on Leicester’s behalf. Speedflash says “How can it be unprofessional. These things take time to sort out. Councils don't do things quickly. Contracts to be drawn up signed. ect. Plus what makes you think that there is only one group vying for the right to promote.” I assume from all this that there is not a new promotion in place yet at Leicester and that the necessary guarantees must have been given by the existing promotion. The current promoters shown on the Speedway Control Bureau’s web site (on a list dated 9th September 2016) are David Hemsley (yes I know he is supposed to have resigned as promoter), David Darcy and Neil Machin. If last season’s promoters are still in charge perhaps they can tell us what’s going on. As I, and others have said on here, we don’t want detailed nitty gritty just some news that things are in hand and that an announcement about who will be running Leicester Speedway next season will be made (hopefully) shortly.