Tommy Sweetman Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 reading that statement that looks like that's it for speedway at Brandon - I still think the plan was to move to Pboro this now looks even more likely . Very sad day for British Speedway if this is the end at Brandon . Haza,why keep going on about P,boro. If the wealthest man in speedway couldnt make it pay there,what makes you think Horton can. Think they will give it a season in the PL,before any futher decision is made,for EL racing at the showground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g13webb Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Coventry Stadium Press Release 24th March 2014 During 2013 both speedway and stock car suffered from a mediocre track at best to a surface which resulted in cancelled meetings at worst. We consulted with both speedway and stock car promoters and reached a conclusion during the closed season that we needed to change our track curator and to invest more heavily in the track which we have been doing. The reason for making changes was driven by our desire to make the Bees last three seasons to be the best racing possible. This requires a great race surface. We managed to find a very professional track curator in Marek Meinert who has extensive experience in providing an excellent race surface at Bydgoszcz and has produced the track for 16 GP’s. He arrived at Coventry Stadium three weeks ago with excellent credentials and immediately recognised the scale of the work required to return the Coventry surface back to the best in the UK. He does not speak English, however we have at least three members of our team who speak both English and Polish fluently, so language is not a barrier that would affect his ability to curate the track. He has worked seven days a week for the past three weeks between rain showers to regain flat straights and slightly banked bends that had been lost in recent years. Marek knows the track is not right and certainly not to his standard, however since his arrival three weeks ago he has had limited track time due to rain. All the promoters using the track including Mick Horton were very pleased with his appointment and approved of the early results of his work accepting it was going to take time to undo mistakes of the past. The shale going into Friday night’s speedway was moisture rich but was in good shape until we experienced a big downpour at around 5pm which tipped the balance in terms of the composition of the track. This caused it to cut up faster than normal resulting in the meeting being called off after only six heats. The chronology from the cancelled meeting on Friday to the cancelation of the ELRC is important so that disappointed fans, Sky TV, BSPA all understand what went on then hopefully they can draw the correct conclusions. Saturday 22nd March 2.01pm Mick Horton called Mathew, the stadiums accountant, and Mathew was unable to take the call as he was on a different call 2.13pm Mathew returned Mick Horton's call and Mathew expressed concerns for the track and stated that a decision would need to be made regarding the possibility of cancelling the ELRC. Mick told Mathew he would meet Mathew at 4pm on site that day (Saturday) to make a decision regarding cancellation. It was made clear that it was Mick's decision to take not the stadiums. It was still raining hard 2.49pm As the rain had become heavy Mathew sent Mick a txt message “Please come tonight so we can make a decision tonight” 4pm Mathew returned to the stadium to meet with Mick and the track staff. 6.39pm After waiting for over two and a half hours Mick did not arrive, call or txt to say he was not coming. Mathew sent Mick a txt “ Are you coming today” The reason for the txt is because the stadium has no power to cancel a speedway event it is down to the staging promoter. 6.39pm Immediate reply from Mick “ I will be there at 10am in the morning” No apology and in the full knowledge that no work had taken place on the track due to rain. Mathew and all the track staff felt badly let down as they all knew a decision should have been taken on Saturday but would instead be taken Sunday morning. Sunday 23rd March Around 10am Mick arrived on site and saw the track was waterlogged and requested that the blade should be used to remove some of the water but the track was to wet for that to have been effective. He made no decision regarding the meeting and clearly he was hoping it would dry out in time without listening to the advice he had been given. In the past Colin Pratt as the promoter of the Bees would have been on site making sure the track could be made ready and if that was not possible he would call the meeting off as early as possible to save fans traveling or even Sky setting up. Since Colin is no longer involved in the Bees nobody from the club overseas the track preparation to ensure it will be ready on time. We are not in control of the cancelation of events due to track conditions as that is the promoter’s decision and responsibility and we fulfilled our obligation to inform Mick Horton about our doubts which he chose to ignore. He showed little regard as to the state of the track on Saturday and was cavalier in his attitude on Sunday morning. The track will continue to be prepared by Marek Meinert with one aim to be the best in the UK by using his experience gained at the highest level in Poland and he will enjoy our full support in that task. We are sorry that Mick Horton has decided not to race at Coventry but rest assured we will still be operating for the next three years as a stock car track. Coventry Stadium Thank you for this information. It sure puts a different light on the subject in regards to Mick Horton. He's not the good guy he's been trying to paint, but instead he was the reason the event wasn't cancelled when prompted. Although I don't blame him entirely, he was obviously the main reason this fiasco erupted. The BSPA have to take their share of the blame, but Christ, what a mess our sport has descended into. People have mentioned Barry Hearne, but, Mary Poppins would do a better job then the lot we have in charge. At least she would make this medicine go down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowandblack Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Hold on ...literally a few minutes ago I was going to post a facetious one about when I should be checking to see of Friday's match is till on before I set off...and now ....no speedway at all at Cov? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 It seems there is very much more to this than we are being told too!! But what we have been told is very clear, the stadium wanted it called off on Saturday but were in no position to do so. Horton couldn't be bothered till Sunday then couldn't make a decision, end result fiasco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Haza,why keep going on about P,boro. If the wealthest man in speedway couldnt make it pay there,what makes you think Horton can. Think they will give it a season in the PL,before any futher decision is made,for EL racing at the showground. ok I'm clutching at straws other option is the Bees are no more which way would you sooner go ? By how that statement reads carrying on at Brandon isn't going to happen . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur cross Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 No surprise whatsoever that as soon as he had to face up to an awkward situation on Saturday afternoon, Mick Horton buried not just his head in the sand but most of his body and the history of Coventry speedway as well. At this rate, the main thing the BSPA should be investigating after yesterday's fiasco is their incompetent decision to welcome Mick Horton back into speedway promoting because it was always going to lead eventually to some degree of nightmare, albeit not necessarily on this epic a scale, While blocking his return might have still meant a gloomy future for Coventry, at least it would've avoided him having any significant role in the staging (or not as it turned out) of the first meeting of British speedway's new 5-year tv-deal. Very ironic that all this should be happening just as even the Football League have at last had the guts to block a potential new owner by refusing to sanction convicted Italian fraudster Massimo Cellino's takeover of Leeds United. How long do you think it would take Cellino to still get the go-ahead from the BSPA ... 5-minutes ? ... 10-minutes ? ... at the most, half an hour. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 But what we have been told is very clear, the stadium wanted it called off on Saturday but were in no position to do so. Horton couldn't be bothered till Sunday then couldn't make a decision, end result fiasco. Other than that Dave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 ok I'm clutching at straws other option is the Bees are no more which way would you sooner go ? By how that statement reads carrying on at Brandon isn't going to happen . Like them to move anywhere mate,just to keep it going. The only other option i suppose,is to see Horton step down,and Sandu(or someone else)to give it a go,for the next three seasons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I think some kind of official statement is needed from the Bees promotion ASAP riders and fans need to no what's happening , Neil Watson comes on here blowing the promotions trumpet but just where is he now ? When the s##t hits the fan ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Other than that Dave! Which other part of the statement would you like me to comment on ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 The next Cov home meeting Horton should be put in stocks on the centre green and anyone with an ELRC ticket should be allowed to throw rotten fruit and eggs at him. Bet it wont be the last time Horton calls off a meeting at Brandon this season because he cant be arsed about the track preparation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Which other part of the statement would you like me to comment on ? Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. What I was trying to say that it seems that there is more going on behind the scenes than just the goings on this weekend. It stinks and it seems our concerns abut Mick Horton may have come home to roost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC Rides Again Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Sounds like doomsville, arizona to me , what a fetid mess. I didn't get where I am today..... Great ! Super. Yes, CJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_O Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 The next Cov home meeting Horton should be put in stocks on the centre green and anyone with an ELRC ticket should be allowed to throw rotten fruit and eggs at him. Bet it wont be the last time Horton calls off a meeting at Brandon this season because he cant be arsed about the track preparation. Bet he wont have too, as reading the stadiums statement there wont be any more speedway meetings to call off. Very sad state of affairs and hard to take in as my club crumbles into oblivion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. What I was trying to say that it seems that there is more going on behind the scenes than just the goings on this weekend. It stinks and it seems our concerns abut Mick Horton may have come home to roost Ah i see now , I just didn't think it was the the right moment to bring all that to the fore again 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aces51 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) I sincerely hope this isn't the end for the Bees. I don't see why it has to be. Horton said he will not allow the Bees to race at Brandon until the track is prepared properly and the statement on behalf of the stadium owners confirms they intend to do exactly that. Their statement also seems to confirm that Sandhu is still the owner. We now have two sides of the story and it is a question of deciding who you wish to believe. At the moment I find today's statement more convincing but will await any further information and the BSPA investigation. Yes, the BSPA has overall responsibility but realistically it seems at the moment that the blame lies either with Horton or, the stadium owner. They each blame the other but neither is trying to implicate anyone else. Edited March 24, 2014 by Aces51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur cross Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) Bet he wont have too, as reading the stadiums statement there wont be any more speedway meetings to call off. Very sad state of affairs and hard to take in as my club crumbles into oblivion. All depends on whether Coventry Stadium is now anti-speedway regardless of who's promoting it ... or whether Coventry Stadium is now anti-speedway just if Mick Horton is promoting the Bees or Storm given his non-appearance on Saturday-teatime. If it's the latter, then there might be a chance of the BSPA finding a willing alternative promoter who would be acceptable to Coventry Stadium. But there appears virtually no hope of Mick Horton promoting another meeting at Brandon. Edited March 24, 2014 by arthur cross Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Let's hope that it's au revoir to Brandon, and not goodbye. All that history ... the C.O must be turning over in his grave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 The stadium's statement implies that it was acknowledged quite some time ago, that the track was unsatisfactory and was in need of substantial remedial work. So why was that work not carried out at an earlier stage over the winter rather than being done at the last minute? And, if the track has been in need of that work (and still was in need of it), why did the BSPA allocate the ELRC meeting to Brandon? It sounds to me as if all parties have contributed to this situation, and it may even be that Horton has been trying to get the stadium owners to carry out the work over the winter and has basically now done a childish "see, i told you so" when things went badly wrong. Not that it would excuse his apparent course of non-action. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert72 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I feel for the bees riders at this moment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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