Rathbone row goes on as Panthers owner claims he was ‘stitched up’

Speedway - ‘I need two or three weeks away from speedway’ says suspended Panthers chief

Rathbone took to the East of England Arena tannoy following the city club’s 50-40 victory against Glasgow in the first leg of an SGB Championship KO Cup semi-final last Sunday to provide further detail on a situation that has led to him having his promoter’s licence suspended and being punished by the Speedway Control Bureau (SCB).

He told fans that BSPA vice-chairman Rob Godfrey advised him to release Holder in return for a financial payment from Polish club Torun. Holder missed the SGB Championship Fours – which Panthers won without him on home shale at Alwalton – and two subsequent away league meetings at Newcastle and Scunthorpe.

Rathbone was recently fined the value of that payment by the SCB and has also been hit with other penalties – including having to offer free admission to the first league meeting of 2018 – which, it’s claimed, have placed the future of the club in jeopardy.

“I’ve decided to go public regarding what happened with Jack,” Rathbone told supporters at Alwalton on Sunday.

“The second they rang me, I contacted the vice-chairman and asked for his advice which was to take the money.

“I was told the worst case scenario would be a £500 fine for each meeting that Jack missed - and I was prepared to accept that.

“The same guy then stitched me up two days after the Fours.”

Rathbone revealed the outcome of his recent SCB hearing made mention of the fact he had been poorly advised.

He also confirmed he will take time away at the end of the current season to consider his own and the city club’s future.

Rathbone, who stepped in to keep the sport going in the city in 2014, and completed a full takeover of the club last winter, added: “I owed it to the fans to be honest and let them know my mindset.

“I’m proud of what we have done as a promotion in the past three years.

“This was the right thing to do for Jack to progress his career and for the finances of the club.

“Running a speedway club is damn hard work and comes with a lot of sleepless nights. People have to understand that I am not a rich man. I’m just a normal guy with a normal job.

“I need to have two or three weeks away from speedway to have a serious think about the future.

“I’ve got to try to understand whether I can stay out of trouble and away from the politics, and if I’ve still got enough left in me to carry on doing the best I can for Peterborough Speedway, or whether the club gets sold, or worst case scenario disappears.”

■ Long-serving promoter Trevor Swales is to step aside at the end of the current season.

Swales has enjoyed a long association with the club which stretches back to a solitary appearance as a rider in the 1970s.

He has held a stack of offtrack positions and was the team manager who guided Panthers to their famous Elite League title triumph in 2006.

Trevor Swales (left) and Ged Rathbone.