(SPEEDWAY 1)

SHEFFIELD have confirmed agreement has been reached between owner Neil Machin and a consortium of business people to take the club over.The identity of the consortium remains private and confidential at this stage, but they are UK-based and will be fronted by current Tigers co-promoter David Hoggart – as Machin bows out after 21 years at the helm.Hoggart said: “The immediate tasks facing the consortium are to finalise a team which can entertain and be successful as well as securing a new air fence. We will be calling on the help of supporters to raise the necessary funds for the new air fence.“There is a lot of work ahead and I would also say the consortium would not be against the idea of taking Sheffield to a higher level if they feel the circumstances are right.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

NICOLAI Klindt is on his way back to Swindon for a second spell with the club.The Danish star rode for the Robins in 2011 and has now been named as the final team member for the Blunsdon side having seen his average fall this year in tough spells with King’s Lynn and Peterborough.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “Nicolai has ridden for Swindon before when I was at Coventry, and he picked up the Rider of the Year award from racing in a hard position at No.5.“He’s had a difficult couple of years in the wilderness but he’s told me he’s invested heavily in equipment this winter, and he means business. I just think it’s the right move for both of us, and I feel his experience could be invaluable.”

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PLYMOUTH have made Danny Stoneman and James Shanes the first signings for their new National League side.The team will be known as the Devon Demons with Stoneman making a return to his parent club having represented them in the third tier in 2007-09, whilst Shanes joins after making his league debut with Coventry Storm this year.Plymouth co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “We look forward to welcoming Danny back to the Arena while James is a rider who has progressed from the grasstrack scene.“We have seen him in action at Plymouth when he attended one of our Saturday afternoon practice sessions in 2012. He is the kind of rider the National League is all about.”

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RYE House promoter Len Silver has confirmed the club will not be re-entering the National League next year.Silver had spoken of the possibility of resurrecting the Raiders, but a lack of sponsorship and a stable number of eight clubs in the league resulted in the decision – although the Hoddesdon venue will continue to stage the prestigious National League Riders’ Championship.Silver said: “The reason I had decided to try to re-introduce a Rye House team into the National League, which I did in November, was motivated by my personal wish to ensure that the National League had enough teams in it for it to be a worthwhile league to be a part of. “When, at the December meeting of National League promoters, Plymouth made an entry, the need for a Rye House team receded, and with no sponsor coming forward the decision not to go ahead was easy to make.”