TREVOR SWALES has done almost every job possible during a long association with Peterborough - now he tells MARK PLUMMER about his biggest-ever task . . .
Peterborough Panthers is more than just a speedway club to Trevor Swales. It’s been a huge part of his life four more than forty years.
Swales has probably spent as much time at the East of England Showground over the years as he has done in the marital home.
Just as well then that most of the family share his passion for racing and have been at Alwalton alongside him.
His father, his wife, two of his sons, his brother, his sister-in-law and his niece have also been involved at a club currently which has been a permanent fixture in the sport since 1970.
“I was thinking the other day and flag marshal is just about the only job I could come up with that I haven’t done at one point or another,” said Swales.
“I was first involved as a rider in the club’s second season in 1971 and have done so many things since.
“I’ve been on the gate, I’ve been in the bar, I’ve done the track, I’ve ridden, I’ve managed the team and I’m currently a promoter.
“But I would never have been able to justify putting in the sort of hours that I’ve done were it not for the family also loving speedway and being involved.”
After dabbling as a rider in the early days before moving onto moto-cross, Swales returned as a sponsor and official in the 1980s – even purchasing a rider for the club.
“I bought Wayne Bridgeford from Rye House,” added Swales. “He came in as a number eight for us in one meeting and won both his rides.
“Rye House were playing hard-ball at the time so I decided I would buy him. I’m not going to say what it cost me, but it was a not insignificant sum.”
In the 1990s he continued to fill a variety of roles off-track before departing at the end of the Peter Oakes promotion.
He returned early in the current century and became team manager ahead of the 2004 campaign – an appointment made by currently outgoing supremo Mick Horton.
It was a reign which featured an unforgettable Elite League title triumph and continued until the arrival of former World Cup-winning boss Jan Staechmann in 2012.
Swales settled into a supporting role with the former Danish chief and his replacement, club legend Ryan Sullivan, while becoming a co-promoter – a role he still occupies today at the end of a difficult campaign back at Premier League level for the first time since Panthers dominated the second tier in 1998.
“There have been some great times down there years,” continued Swales. “The racing at Peterborough is always second to none and I'll never forget the successes down the years.
"I’ve had offers to go to other clubs, but I’ve never even really considered them. Peterborough always has been my club and always will be – even when times are tough.
“There’s no denying that it has been tough lately. I described the current season as the most trying of my time at Peterborough in an interview the other day.
“Nothing went right for us on or off the track. We had injury problems that ripped our team apart and, combined with the other issues, probably stopped us winning trophies.
“It would have been brilliant to end the season on a high by winning the League Cup, but Edinburgh are an awfully strong team and we were relying on guests.”
Now Swales is taking on arguably his biggest challenge yet as he plots Peterborough’s survival.
Swales has joined forces with Ged Rathbone (the mechanic of skipper Ulrich Ostergaard and a man who joined the club’s management team during this year) to front a rescue package for the club after current supremo Mick Horton pulled out halfway through a two-year leasehold deal.
Swales and Rathbone, a businessman in the North-East, are currently finalising the date and details of a major fans event expected to be staged before the end of the month as they explore all avenues in a bid to ensure Panthers race on into a 45th year.
Swales admitted: “The problems Mick has encountered this year have been well documented.
“People shouldn't be too critical as he stepped in last winter to keep speedway going in Peterborough and it has clearly cost him a lot of money to do so.
“Mick has made it clear he won’t be around next year, but we need to everything we possibly can to ensure the club is still around.
“We can’t change the past, but we can influence the future and myself and Ged have some ideas.
"If successful we will avoid racing on Tuesday nights like the plague as they just haven’t taken off.
“We need to look at running on weekend dates – Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays – to make ourselves as accessible as possible to families.
“But we will need as much backing and expertise as possible to help us. We’ve already had some promises of financial backing through sponsorship and we will need plenty more as we are well aware the club cannot operate on admission money alone.
“Commercial revenue is vital and I would urge anyone who is in a position to help us in any way to get along to our big fans’ event once we’ve got the date finalised.
“It is going to be a huge night in the history of the club.”
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UPCOMING FIXTURES...
2021 fixture information to follow when available...
LATEST RESULTS...
THURSDAY OCTOBER 22:
PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL – at Belle Vue
1. Jason Doyle
2. Dan Bewley
3. Brady Kurtz
4. Richard Lawson
5. Rory Schlein
6. Sam Masters
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL, Berwick 1 Dan Bewley (Belle Vue) 15 2 Leon Flint (Berwick/Armadale) 14 3 Anders Rowe (Swindon/Somerset) 13
Abandoned - Curfew - Result declared after heat 20
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, Lublin, Poland 1 RUSSIA 23 (Emil Sayfutdinov 15, Artem Laguta 8) 2 POLAND 23 (Barosz Zmarzlik 15, Szymon Wozniak 8) 3 DENMARK 19 (Leon Madsen 10, Marcus Birkemose 5, Anders Thomsen 4) 4 SWEDEN 19 (Fredrik Lindgren 14, Oilver Berntzon 5) 5 AUSTRALIA 17 (Max Fricke 12, Jason Doyle 5, Jaimon Lidsey 0) 6 GREAT BRITAIN 12 (Robert Lambert 6, Dan Bewley 6, Drew Kemp 0) 7 CZECH REPUBLIC 11 (Vacliv Milik 11, Eduard Krcmar 0, Petr Chlupac 0) Abandoned after 14 Heats - Result stands (Russia crowned 2020 FIM Speedway of Nations Champions)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16:
FIM MONSTER ENERGY SPEEDWAY OF NATIONS - FINAL, 1st leg, Lublin, Poland OFF - Track Waterlogged The Final will now be a one-legged event (Saturday October 17)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 10:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 5, Belle Vue 500cc (a) 1 Dan Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Jake Mulford 4 Elliot Kelly Dan Thompson is 500cc Champion
500cc (b - support class) 1 Danny Smith 2 Alex Goldsbrough 3 Sam Peters 4 Katie Gordon
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Cameron Taylor 4 Ashton Vale Luke Harrison is 250cc Champion
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Ace Pijper 3 William Cairns 4 Ben Trigger Sonny Springer is 125cc Champion
125cc (b - support class) 1 Stene Pijper 2 Oliver Bovingdon 3 Owen Booth 4 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 8 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Artem Laguta (Rus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
FINAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 8 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 133 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 117 - after run-off 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 117 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 107 Bartosz Zmarzlik crowned 2020 World Champion
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 7 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Torun 1 Max Fricke (Aus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 16 4 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 7 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarslik (Pol) 113 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 105 3 Fredrik Lindgren 103 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 89
CALEDONIAN RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
1. William Lawson
2. Kyle Bickley
3. Leon Flint
4. Elliot Kelly
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29:
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select v Leicester Select - OFF
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28:
BRITISH FINAL, Belle Vue 1 Rory Schlein (Wolverhampton/Somerset) 2 Richard Lawson (Sheffield/Eastbourne) 3 Jason Crump (Ipswich) 4 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26:
BRITISH FINAL, Ipswich - OFF Re-staging date: Monday September 28 @ BELLE VUE
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:
CHALLENGE
Belle Vue Select 49 – Dan Bewley 13+1
ATPI All Stars 41 – Rory Schlein 11+1
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22:
CHALLENGE
Plymouth Select 51 – Henry Atkins 18
British Young Lions 39 – Dan Thompson 10
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21:
BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP, Scunthorpe 1 Drew Kemp (Ipswich/Eastbourne) 15 2 Dan Gilkes (Kent) 14 3 Jordan Palin (Scunthorpe/Belle Vue) 10 (after run-off)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4, Edinburgh
500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Dan Thompson 3 Harry McGurk 4 Archie Freeman
250cc 1 Max James 2 Ashton Vale (Two riders only in Final)
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 William Cairns 3 Sonny Springer 4 Ben Trigger
125cc (b) – Support class 1 Stene Pijper 2 Owen Booth 3 Rebecca Weston 4 Harry Fletcher
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) 20
2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18
3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 6 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 99 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 92 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 89 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 71
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 5 CZECH REPUBLIC GRAND PRIX, Prague 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Martin Vaculik (Slk) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdinov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 5 of 8) 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 79 2 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 78 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 71 4 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 62
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 20 2 Leon Madsen (Den) 18 3 Jason Doyle (Aus) 16 4 Emil Sayfutdnov (Rus) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 4 of 8) 1 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 66 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 59 3 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 57 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 53
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Gorzow 1 Bartosz Zamarzlik (Pol) 20 2 Jason Doyle (Aus) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Leon Madsen (Den) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 3 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 48 2 Bartisz Zmarzlik (Pol) 47 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 46 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 43
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Leicester Select v Scunthorpe Select - OFF
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
THREE TEAM TOURNAMENT, Plymouth
Eastbourne 31 – Tom Brennan 10, Jason Edwards 10
Isle of Wight 30 – Ben Morley 13
Plymouth 28- Alfie Bowtell 12
MONDAY AUGUST 31:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHALLENGE Scunthorpe Select 53 (Jordan Palin 14+1) Leicester Select 61 (Dan Thompson 13+1)
SUNDAY AUGUST 30:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 3, King’s Lynn 500cc 1 Joe Thompson 2 Harry McGurk 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Dan Thompson
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Jody Scott
125cc (a) 1 Sonny Springer 2 Billy Budd 3 Jamie Etherington 4 Jack Shimelt
125cc (b - support class) 1 Rico Joyce 2 Becky Weston 3 Caydin Martin
SATURDAY AUGUST 29:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 20 2 Tai Woffinden (GB) 18 3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Pol) 16 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 14
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 2 of 8) 1 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 38 2 Artem Laguta (Rus) 32 3 Tai Woffinden (GB) 32 4 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 30
FRIDAY AUGUST 28:
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 POLISH GRAND PRIX, Wroclaw 1 Artem Laguta (Rus) 20 2 Maciej Janowski (Pol) 18 3 Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 16 4 Tai Woffinden (GB) 14
SATURDAY AUGUST 22:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 2, Leicester 500cc 1 Dan Thompson 2 Joe Thompson 3 Elliot Kelly 4 Harry McGurk
250cc 1 Luke Harrison 2 Max James 3 Ashton Vale 4 Cameron Taylor
125cc (a) 1 Max Perry 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Ace Pijper
125cc (b) - support class 1 Charlie Wood 2 Caydin Martin 3 Rico Joyce 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY AUGUST 9:
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP - Round 1, Scunthorpe 500cc 1 Jordan Palin 2 Dan Thompson 3 Archie Freeman 4 Joe Thompson
250cc 1 Max James 2 Luke Harrison 3 Ashton Vale 4 William Hocaniuk
125cc (class A) 1 William Cairns 2 Sonny Springer 3 Ben Trigger 4 Max Perry
125cc (class B - support class) 1 Billy Budd 2 Stene Pijper 3 Jake Lee 4 Owen Booth
SUNDAY MARCH 15:
50TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING, Peterborough - OFF
SATURDAY MARCH 14:
BEN FUND BONANZA, Scunthorpe 1 Danny King (Ipswich/Poole) 2 Steve Worrall (Belle Vue/Poole) 3 Josh Auty (Scunthorpe) 4 Lewis Kerr (King’s Lynn/Eastbourne)
