Gladiators aiming for promotion
PLYMOUTH Gladiators have confirmed that they are the team bidding to be welcomed into speedway’s Championship for the 2021 season, writes Stuart James.
The British Speedway Promoters’ Limited (BSPL) last week confirmed that one club had shown an interest in joining the league after Somerset Rebels and Swindon Robins both confirmed they would not be racing this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
At present, the Gladiators are in British speedway’s third tier, the National Development League, but have ambitions to be a Championship club. An application to join the league for 2020 was rejected back in 2019, but the club have since carried out extensive work on their stadium to make it fit for the second tier, including the construction of a new grandstand.
A statement released by the club read: “Plymouth Gladiators Speedway can confirm that we are in initial negotiations with the BSPL regarding a move to Championship Speedway in 2021, as reported by the BSPL in their update following the recent AGM.
“Promoters Mark Phillips and Mattie Bates are working behind the scenes to try to build a team of sufficient depth and quality to meet BSPL expectations, with the support of some other Championship promoters, and have spoken to a number of potential recruits. Mark is working hard to ensure that other required terms and conditions of entry can be met.
“In order to set supporter expectations, the club do not intend to make any further comment at this time without the permission and prior knowledge of the BSPL Board of Directors and we do not expect any further news until early February at the earliest in line with agreed timescales with the BSPL.
“The club is also progressing with some very exciting nonspeedway related projects linked to the separate PACE (Plymouth Arena Community Events Project) and hope to make some announcements about these in early March, subject to ongoing Covid-19 related issues.
“Due to the exciting medium and long term scope of the PACE Project in ensuring the long-term security and stability of The Coliseum Stadium and Plymouth Speedway, Ian Jordan (who is a director of the PACE Project Company) will now leave his speedway role at the Gladiators to focus his time and commercial expertise solely on the PACE project.”
One rider that will not be in the Gladiators’ side in 2021 is former favourite Ben Barker. The Cornishman has signed for Newcastle Diamonds for this summer.