Brummie Kev

Sadly its not on the Mail website and neither is the Graham Drury article too. Seems they havent put any speedway stories online for the last 5 days.

No Idea, but thats what Nigel Pearson has wrote in his article today. Perhaps the GRA have sold it to raise some of he money they are owed.

Latest News from the Bham mail today is potential new promoters have been in talks with the GRA yesterday afternoon and evening about taking it over. Although the Mail states there are several complications for a take over this season, a decision is expected within the next 48 hours. It talks about £8,000 needed to pay off the GRA and also new shale would have to bought in for racing to take place again. Fingers Crossed this works out!!

Announced on BBC Wm that Charles Phillips has had his licence anulled by the BSPA. BSPA are running the club Despite this the BSPA say "great efforts" being made to makesure club sees out the season.

Should be more news on Brummies tomorrow according to BBC WM and Nigel Pearson. Hope its better news. Nigel Pearson ‏@nigelpearson Lots of goodwill towards crisis club Birmingham. Update tomorrow in my @birminghammail #Speedway column. BBC WM Sport 95.6 @sportbbcwm · 2h For the latest development on the future of the Birmingham Brummies, tune into @bbcwm tmrrw morning, 6-9 am #savethebrummies

In a Statement to Brummies fans on our website, Alan Phillips said on May18th: "We would like to put it on record now that Birmingham speedway is not in debt or being chased by creditors" I am very angry that he said something like that that clearly wasnt true, I am very angry that he let the situation get out of hand like this but I shouldn't be because he's poured £400k into the club?

Link Below, thank you Colin http://www.brummiespeedway.net/forum/index.php?action=page;id=6

Donated £120, Been said on the Brummies Forum that £3000 has already been pledged and its only been going a few hours. Amazing

I am so gutted with the whole situation, 20 yrs trying to get the sport back to Birmingham. We do that, and get full planning permission which looked unlikely at one stage, now look at us. I feel for the likes of Tony Mole and Brian Buck who worked their socks off in fulfilling their dream of seeing the Brummies return. Obviously its not 100% certain and pray something at the very last minute can be sorted but if not I would like to thank all the riders that have ridden for the Brummies since 2007, Premier League and Elite League. Its been a joy to watch them in a Brummies race bib/suit. I would also like to thank the the Drurys, Joe Mac for his hard work in securing some great sponsors in past seasons. Also to Phil Morris, did great for us as a rider and then as the team manager last year, instrumental in our on-track success and to the presentation team, enjoyed very much Chris Simpson as centre-green presenter and Dave Rowe in the box. Really everyone that has worked behind the scenes at the club, thank you so much

From todays mail: "Birmingham could race their last-ever meeting tonight at Belle Vue. Crisis club Birmingham race what could be their last-ever meeting tonight when they head to Belle Vue with the future of the club still in grave doubt. Former owner Tony Mole admitted over the weekend he has been in talks with the British Speedway Promoters Association, who are paying the riders for tonights meeting, about rescuing the ailing outfit. But there has been a major stumbling block because of the amount of debts which will need clearing for the sport to resume in Birmingham including riders, other clubs, rent and staff. The BSPA have pulled the plug on Wednesdays meeting with Leicester at Perry Barr because the stadium is unavailable until the rent arrears are brought up to date. British Speedway chairman Alex Harkess said: Its fair to say this could be the last meeting for Birmingham. Any takeover is very complex and we will give a two-week period of grace to establish whether something can be sorted out after that time then Im afraid the club will fold and the riders are free to sign for other clubs. I understand Mole pulled the plug on talks at one stage over the weekend but is considering one last push to try to take the club back on before it becomes too late."

Brummies v Leicester on Wednesday is off http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.25856.2

We have numerous problems in attracting people to watch the sport. The people of Birmingham are obsessed with football, neither of our clubs Aston Villa and Birmingham City are in good shape, but despite that Villa's average crowd went up last year despite almost getting relegated. The Birmingham Mail do give speedway coverage but its usually 8 pages in and not always a full page. Football always gets back page even during the off season, others sports don't get much of a chance, certainty not minority ones like speedway. Its not only speedway that has struggled other small sports have. The Birmingham Bullets basketball team is no longer around because it went bankrupt in 2006, don't think the support was there. Birmingham & Solihull Rugby club a few years back went into Voluntary Liquidation, their situation was then similar to us. They were spending too much money on players wages and expenditure generally and not getting enough people through the turnstiles to compensate. Even look at Cricket, in the T20 this year we have the "Birmingham Bears", its stupid. It was only done because they want relate more with the Birmingham public, so they must have been concerned support locally to have done that. Despite all that, I believe speedway has a place in the city. What I think is needed is a massive advertisement campaign. Billboards in the city centre, newspaper ads, radio ads ( the gra advertise greyhound meetings) and a pretty extensive leaflet campaign in may areas of the city. That might sound unrealistic due to the costs involved, but we are a small fish in a big pond. To get significant improvements in the crowds we need significant advertising. There are man people in the city that dont know a speedway club exists, how sad is that? Was this in todays local paper?, this was mentioned a week or so back by the commerical manager Victoria Pyke on the Brummies forum. Apparently the sponsors want a full season and not come in part way through. If Phillips is mentioning it now despite clearly wanting to sell, then he will more than likely use it to bump up the price to the person hes selling to. Just hope it dont end in tears.

Its hard to criticize the team tonight, it was clear before the match we were so much weaker without Bart and Dan and given the events today I suppose we should be grateful a Brummies team even rode. BSPA are paying the riders for tonight and will do up at Belle Vue on Monday, hopefully a takeover can happen before the Leicester meeting.

Fair play Vog for that response, I was wrong to suggest you were sticking the boot in when you have valid opinions on the situation. I do agree totally about what you say about the Brummies. It was a massive risk to take the Brummies up in the first place, it was after the season Gary Patchett promoted here and it was a struggle for him. At first EL speedway worked buts its clear we don't get the crowds to support this level of racing, the warning signs were absolutely there for all to see last year when we almost folded but Alan just carried on. Whats been a big issue this year apart having a poor side which obviously affects crowd levels, is the lack of sponsorship. The Brummies have always had good sponsorship, but this year it seemed like it dropped. There's still 3 heats that arnt sponsored which was unheard of before this season and the website is lacking. There were stories that people that have been loyal sponsors over many seasons were not even contacted before the season and the club lost out. I certainty think the departure of Joe McLaughlin was a big loss in that regard.

Cheers for sticking the boot in Vog, nice to see some fans actually care.

Theres more here, what a mess. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/birmingham-brummies-speedway-team-could-7323632

From BSPA site: THE British Speedway Promoters’ Association can confirm tonight’s Poole v Birmingham Elite League meeting WILL go ahead as planned at Wimborne Road. Representatives of the BSPA are currently in dialogue with relevant parties with the sole aim of ensuring the continuation of the sport at Perry Barr Stadium.

Seems its true, absolutely gutted that its come to this . I pray that the club can be saved and we can continue with this season, alot of people fought hard for the sport to return to Birmingham, and it would heartbreaking if it was gone. Whatever the reasons are for Alan Phillips "having enough", he should have the decency to give the fans an explanation on whats happening. Yet we are all hearing on internet forums and social media via Nigel Pearson, not acceptable imo. BSPA Statement: http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.25792

Been following it on the Brummies forum the past hour, its unconfirmed but track staff have been locked out of the stadium. Really hope it isn't true. Club have got to come out with a statement whether its true or not.

Nigel Pearson has said on twitter that Zmarzlik wont ride for the Brummies again, in todays Mail We will certainty miss Nermark tonight, the options were always limited and whilst it will be great to see Josh in Brummes colours once more, i don't see him having the scoring power Dan provides. We be another tough away match without a full side, same old story!!

Tai, Bomber and Cook will be 3 of the 4 but a bit unsure on the last place. King tends to go missing in the big meetings (EL Grand Final, British Final), think Barker would be a better option as he tends to raise his game but can he and Cook be in the same team together. Might have to be Richie Worrall for the last spot.

I personally would welcome a return to the Pl with open arms, I feel totally disillusioned with this league. The amount of meetings we see where teams are using guests and RR all the time is a joke. Fans when they pay their money want to see two evenly matched sides going at each other, not one sided meetings. Its got so worse this year with the introduction of the draft system, take Paul Starke for example, I read hes missing 14 Brummies away this year, its way too much. It feels like we are going into most away matches of late with depleted sides. You just dont want to see that. Whether we are for or against the club being in the Elite, its all boils down to enough people coming through the turnstiles to make it pay. The fact is this year our crowd levels at times have not been good enough, some might say its because of where we are in the league and the team we have, I disagree. Last year, the crowds for the first half of the season were poor and that was with a winning team, I reckon it was what lead the club to have the big financial trouble it had. Dropping to the Pl wont get them flocking in but lowering the costs and including the assets we have like , King, Ludvig Lindgren, Nico Covatti and Rusty Harrison might make it a lot more sustainable then what it is now.

I meant to say in my post Skornicki isnt returning, Phillips has a rider lined up probably on another short term deal.

It says in the Mail today that Zmarzlik's contract wont be extended after July 3rd, we all thought that may have been the case but it wont be because Skornicki isnt returning. I am disappointed that it wont be extended, would loved to see him do enough meetings to at least become an asset which may have been a benefit to us further down the road. The signing of Bart should have been done with long term ambition in mind, bearing in mind it takes a while for a rider even with the quality he has to adapt to British tracks. Seems there's none of that at Birmingham

Hopefully it wont be the Brummies as we would likely be without King, Barker and Starke and maybe Nermark with his broken finger. Would be crazy if we agreed to it.