Speedway clubs agree to change in title race format

Promoters' at their annual agm voted to scrap the Premier Trophy and Young Shield competitions in 2011 in favour of introducing an expanded league programme which in most cases will start in the first week of April.

Under proposals submitted by Sheffield Tigers, the 14-strong division, which includes a reborn Leicester Lions side and Ipswich Witches, who have dropped down from the Elite League, will race each other once home and away before splitting into two self-contained groups of seven.

The points won from these additional home and away clashes will be added to a side's total carried forward from the first round of fixtures to decide the eventual champions.

It means a 38-match programme for all teams and doing away with meaningless meetings which supporters had made clear they were not interested in turning out for.

Monarchs' co-boss and Promoters' chairman Alex Harkess today told the Evening News: "I'm not saying I'm in favour of the changes but it's what the teams have voted for.

"Where teams are placed in the two split-off groups will depend on their league placing after ten matches of the opening programme.

" For instance, one group will comprise teams who are first, third, fifth, etc, and the second group will be teams second, fourth, and so on.

"But the side who is top of the table before the split-off will not face the side who is in second place and I'm not sure if I agree with this or not."

But Harkess did emphasise that Monarchs will need to hit the ground running and ensure their starting line-up is one they are completely happy with.

"Obviously, if you were to lose your opening matches you could be bottom of the table and a long season would await you.

"In scrapping the Premier Trophy, the manipulation of averages, which has been a constant complaint for a long time, has also been removed. Averages next season will roll-on from this season."

In the retained the Premier League Knockout Cup, Monarchs face Sheffield in the first round.