High Praise for ‘Shifting Shale’ by acclaimed speedway journalist in South London Press

‘SHIFTING SHALE’
Author: Jeff Scott (£20, softback).
Available at the website www.methanolpress.com

THIS latest book from prolific speedway author Jeff Scott is as quirky and as delightful as his previous mega-offering ‘Showered in Shale’.
It covers some more memories of his touring experiences at various tracks. More importantly, considering it is now nearly two years since Wimbledon were evicted from Plough Lane by the GRA, the Dons get plenty of mentions. There are controversial issues like the ill-fated relocation bid at Central Park, Sittingbourne, and how this was seen by the long-standing neighbouring Kent club Sittingbourne Crusaders.
There is one assessment by Steve Ribbons, who was linked with the Crusaders after initially masterminding Wimbledon’s return to Plough Lane after 11 years’ closure in 2002. Basically, Ribbons’ opinion was that a Central Park base for Wimbledon was a non-starter. His actual comments need to be read for appreciation on a thorny subject.
Author Scott has also chronicled a series of delightful quotations from ‘Speedway Star’ on topics affecting the sport as seen by the promoters, riders and others who keep speedway ticking over.
Many of them were made by the Dons’ last Plough Lane promoter Ian Perkin. They deal largely with the relocation happenings between late 2005 and into 2006. As read in the ‘Star’ on a week-to-week basis, their context appeared very different and less amusing than in the new collated form in ‘Shifting Shale.’
As befits a Jeff Scott book, this is another massive tome – it runs to 352 pages and you need time to assimilate its overall content. But, again, it is a winner in the speedway world where most books on the sport doing the
rounds are historical works.
The book reflects Jeff Scott’s unique appreciation of a dangerous sport. Scott is a talented author, the like of whom speedway has not seen before.
His ability to show appreciation, describe and narrate about speedway makes ‘Shifting Shale’ a must for all who claim to have an interest in this spectacular sport.
Jeff Scott will be selling copies of ‘Shifting Shale’ at Weymouth on Friday July 27 when the nomadic Wimbledon team are scheduled to race there.
JOHN HYAM