FANS of the Coventry Bees speedway team have reacted angrily to news that the club has been accepted as new members of the National League.
The British Speedway Promoters Association broke news last night that Bees are among the ten-strong National League next season.
But Bees will race at Leicester Speedway, more than 25miles from their traditional Coventry Stadium home. And the majority of Bees fans took to social media to state they will not support Coventry Bees owner Mick Horton’s plans next season.
News of Bees’ move to Leicester follows months of a bitter ongoing off-track fallout between Mr Horton, Coventry Stadium owners Brandon Estates, and CoventryStox – who previously hosted stock car racing at the stadium.
In February, it was announced that Bees had been axed from this year’s SGB Premiership. Mr Horton then put the Bees up for sale, but later in the year he revealed to the Observer that he no longer had plans to sell the club.
Mr Horton’s plans to run speedway at Leicester under Bees’ name in the National League – an amateur league – were then made public in November.
And last night it was confirmed by the BSPA that Bees had been accepted into the league, subject to confirmation.
We have asked the BSPA what needs to be confirmed for Bees to start team building ahead of next season’s league campaign.
Fans quickly took to social media to voice their anger after the BSPA accepted the club into the league.
One fan said: “Waste of time, will be a flop.”
Another added: “It’s not really Coventry Bees is it? Riding at Leicester with an uncertain return to anywhere in Coventry?”
Someone else said: “If people support Leicester you can forget about Brandon or any other speedway in or around Coventry. How can this be helpful to the future of the great Coventry Bees.”
And: “I won’t be going. It’s so sad to see the demise of the Bees.”
Another Bees fan said if supporters want to watch speedway, they should go and support Leicester Lions, who next year will compete in the SGB Premiership – the sport’s top tier.
Another fan said: “I can’t see this working going on the crowds that used to support the Storm when they raced at Brandon.”
But one fan did support the move and said: “Bees in the National League at Leicester is better than no Bees anywhere at all.”
