Cradley Heathens saved for another season
Cradley Heathens speedway club has been saved for another season after a return to Wolverhampton was agreed.
Fans have suffered weeks of uncertainty after club bosses announced they intended to bow out and were on the lookout for new management.
Last season the Heathens were based at Perry Barr but the club had yet to confirm its home for 2016.
The deal announced today will see the club race at Monmore Green Stadium, where it spent four seasons between 2011 and 2014.
Chairman Nigel Pearson said all thoughts of selling the club were ditched when the possibility of a switch to the city emerged.
He said: "I would like to thank everyone at the club who has helped make this a reality.
"We had private messages from supporters who said if Cradley did not run they would not go to any track. They simply would not watch speedway.
"So this has to be good news not only for the club but for speedway in the West Midlands and the whole country."
The Cradley Heathens have been thwarted by an on-going search for a permanent home after losing their home track in Dudley Wood two decades ago.
Mr Pearson and club partners Chris Van Straaten and Gary Patchett revived the club in 2010 after 15 years out of league speedway.
Under the new arrangement the Heathens will race on alternate weeks to the Wolves, who compete in a different league.
The team will be managed by Mr Patchett and manager Will Pottinger, with coach Graham Jones staying on for 2016.
Mr Pearson said the deal would operate on a 'year by year' basis and the search for a permanent home would go on.
He added: "As long as the supporters keep backing Cradley it enables us running the club to continue to talk with Dudley Council to explore potential new sites, but that is not proving easy.
"We have thousands of fans we do not want to let down and that is why we have gone the extra mile to keep the club going next year.
"Of course the dream remains to have our own stadium. I would appeal again to anybody or any organisations which know of or have land available to contact the club."
The club has also announced Dr Rod Brooks, a former track doctor at Wolverhampton, joins the Heathens as a partner.
Mr Pearson said he was joining on a 'financial' basis have made a contribution which enabled the deal to be brokered.
