Peterborough Panthers adamant they will bounce back in style following the cancellation of the 2020 season

British Speedway bosses were left with no choice but to pull the plug this week following UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that spectators would only be allowed back into stadia from October.

No league racing has taken place anywhere in the UK because of the coronavirus crisis, but there remains the prospect of youth racing and open meetings when fans are allowed in the final month of the season.

Plans are also in place for the British Final to go ahead with Belle Vue keen to host it when possible.

Chapman said: “It’s a disappointment, of course it is, but we have no option now but to bounce back in 2021 with hungry fans starved of this wonderful sport.

“Every effort was made by promoters up and down the country to stage league racing, but it’s just not possible and it’s great news for the sport that the TV broadcast deal remains in place going forward.

“I’d also like to think we can keep the same team, if the riders are keen to remain for 2021.

“I liked the look of the Peterborough team and was very keen to see them on the track, so let’s see if we can pull them all back together for next spring.”

Chapman has also revealed he enjoys a good relationship with his landlords at the East of England Arena.

“We get on very well,” he added. “In fact through all this they were working with us to facilitate new dates for an amended fixture list should we have got the green light to start in August.

“For now we have to thank our riders, our sponsors and our fans for their patience and understanding throughout a very difficult time for the sport, and life in general.”

Panthers had assembled a team of golden oldies in an attempt to wipe away the memories of a terrible 2019 campaign.

Niels-Kristian Iversen would have raced at number one while Scott Nicholls, Hans Andersen, Chris Harris, Ulrich Ostergaard, Michael Palm Toft and Rohan Tungate had all agreed to race at the East of England Arena in 2020.

Rob Godfrey, the chairman of British Speedway Promoters Ltd praised Chapman and the other British League owners and promoters for doing all they could to get racing on in 2020 and praised the riders for their patience during a tough time.

Godfrey said: “The riders have remained patient throughout all of this and they have been left in an extremely difficult situation so our thoughts are with them all.

“The promoters did all they could to get racing on.”