This in from Bryn on behalf of the Wightlink Islanders. Ed
Having had their hopes of speedway racing continuing at Smallbrook in 2014 built up following mention of a potential outside investor in the club being made at a meeting of both shareholders and non-shareholders on Tuesday, alas those hopes could have been well and truly dashed.
Since Tuesday’s meeting our club chairman has stated that talks have taken place between himself and that un-named third party who confirmed to him that such a potential investment will not be forthcoming.
Back to square one
And so it seems that it’s very much back to square one regarding the hopes of the Wightlink Islanders being part of next summer’s National Development League and whether or not they will be able to be should be decided by way of a shareholders’ vote at a further meeting scheduled to take place in the Premier Lounge at the stadium on January 21st 2014.
It does appear that unless an extremely major financial injection into club funds is forthcoming from one or more sources before that date, or perhaps an alternative viable solution to the club’s current short term problems, shareholders may well have to vote to opt out of the League at this stage and most certainly in 2014 for quite simply a decision one way or the other must be given to the sports authorities on that by the end of January.
Licence ‘on ice’?
Should the club’s shareholders vote that their fight to stage league racing next year is one that cannot be won, one possibility for them to consider and vote upon, as mentioned at this week’s meeting, is for a request to be submitted to the sport’s governing authorities for them to place our licence “on ice” for a period of up to three years.
If such a request were to be approved then the hope would be that the financial climate improves enough within that period to allow the club to re-apply to have their licence restored in full at the appropriate time.
Image: Lee Jordan under CC BY 2.0
