John with son Gordon who will be busy this season Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

WHAT WILL JOHN DO THIS SEASON?

NEWS Wednesday 27th March 2013, 6:49pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

At the end of last season, John Campbell announced that he didn’t see a way forward at Armadale and would not be promoting there again. Since the club’s fortunes were turned round, many people have asked what his position will be now, and had Friday’s programme been printed you could have read his answer there.

He says “In those early days after 19th October I thought that I’d had enough of speedway. Twenty nine unbroken years as a promoter. It was time for a rest. Let someone get on and do it instead.

“I had many messages of support at that time and I was grateful for them all. Some certainly had me very emotional. Some people also said that I couldn’t give up, I’d have to keep going to the thirtieth year. My fellow directors asked if I could help out with this and that. I could have said no and been at the cinema but I said I’ll help and the more I helped the more I got involved again.

“So how do I see my position at the moment? Well I have renewed my promoter’s licence for the thirtieth season. I’m pleased that the Club is in a better financial position today than it has been for many years so the worry of what happens next when (if) we have a rain off should not be a concern this year. I’m pleased that we have an Ideas Committee and they’ve already taken on board a couple of things that I may have got involved in, in the past. My two sons are at an age where they are telling Old Dad, hey less of that old, to move over we want to do that, so I have, to an extent.

“I do enjoy being with the team and I’m going to continue being the team manager at most of the away matches. I’ll keep busy at other things that may not be so visible but have taken time in the past.”

There’s no doubt that the financial position was the primary reason for John wanting to quit, and of course that is now totally different. Like everyone else connected with the club, John Campbell will be forever grateful to the people who turned things round for us.

“Just over three weeks after our last meeting was called off, Alex was able to announce that the Monarchs would race on into 2013 following an overwhelming vote of financial support from you, our marvellous supporters. It was a truly humbling experience as daily I became aware of another pledge from one of our supporters. Laura Morgan of Workington, Brian Gray and Alan Hartley were particularly generous benefactors but everyone involved deserves the utmost praise for getting us where we are today.”