Best of British can carry Eagles to success

Eastbourne Speedway have spent the Covid-19 pandemic building the ‘A Team’, both on and off the track.

The HG Aerospace Eagles’ 2021 season begins on May 22 with everyone connected with the club ready for the green light to go on and the tapes to fly up.

Eastbourne are the only club in the top two divisions with an all-British team, which the club strongly believes will challenge for honours.

Team manager Trevor Geer said: “We believe we have an exceptionally talented and experienced top three in Edward Kennett, Richard Lawson and Lewi Kerr, real strength in Kyle Newman and Tom Brennan, who will start as second strings, and outstanding potential starting at reserve with Drew Kemp and Jason Edwards.

“If someone asked me to name who would be where in the averages at the end of the season, I frankly wouldn’t have a clue and that can only back up the huge potential the squad has and the excitement we all feel.

“We have a team of seven totally committed guys and a degree of intensity we sometimes lacked in 2019.

“We looked at the likes of Leicester and Glasgow in 2019 and saw that on and off the track they were a level above us.

“That’s not surprising, as it was our first season back and one of transition on and off the track and then we have had to wait a year to take the next step forwards.”

The team have now all had at least one practice session at Arlington and are looking forward to the first meeting against Newcastle on Saturday, May 22, which will be all-ticket because of Covid-19 regulations. There will no ‘walk-up’ admissions.

Tickets are on sale via the club’s website. Director Ian Jordan reiterated the issue of online ticketing: “We will have to operate an online ticketing system for the foreseeable future to comply with national and local government restrictions.

The online pre-purchased format is being seen across all sports and also theatre, music and the arts.

“We are acutely aware that there is a small but important percentage of our supporter base for whom this is difficult and at times impossible to access.

“We are exploring other Covid-19 legal avenues to assist those who cannot use online booking and will announce these, together with news of a limited number of new 2021 season and ten-match ticket offers being made available for purchase up to Sunday, May 16, following significant interest from supporters.

“Being 100 per cent transparent, as we always try to be, it is difficult to see the regulations changing to allow the normal ‘walk up on the day’ access before late summer at the earliest and possibly not in the 2021 season, so we will do our utmost to make the allowable options as simple as possible.

“One Covid-19 related rumour that I am happy to squash and clarify is that no-one will require or be asked to provide or evidence the so-called Covid passport or proof of vaccination or immunity at Arlington for any speedway meeting under the current online entry processes.

“I am not sure where this rumour has started but it is entirely false and has no foundation in fact.

“It should not therefore put anyone off or scare them in to not purchasing match tickets.

“Sadly, and in line with other speedway clubs, we will not be able to open the Track Shop, which we are relocating to The Speedway Hub in the club room behind the pits in 2021, because of social distancing and indoor space concerns and restrictions.

“We will review this after June 21 when final easements are due.

“We would remind everyone of the extensive range of items available online at www.eastbourne-speedway.com/merchandise”

Eastbourne Speedway is delighted with online ticket sales and suggest that anyone who hasn’t yet purchased match tickets for the opening two fixtures in May does so as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Jordan concluded by saying that on and off-track the club was growing stronger all the time, with the appointment of Lee Kilby as co-promoter alongside Geer the latest indication of how the Eastbourne Project is continually being developed, and more appointments and enhancements would be announced soon.