Stars’ team boss likely to step aside for 2024 season

King’s Lynn manager David Hoggart accepts he’s likely to step aside as the club look to rebuild for the 2024 season.

Hoggart stepped into the Stars’ hot seat earlier this summer following the departure of Alex Brady, to offer them some experience and continuity at a time when their future was under threat.

Owner Keith Chapman turned to Hoggart to handle team affairs at a time when he was working on other aspects of the business, and with co-promoter Dale Allitt being absent for a substantial part of the campaign due to illness.

The Stars now have time to take stock and consider plans for next year, which seems likely to feature wholesale changes both on and off the track.

Hoggart said: “I came in to do a holding job really, to help Keith out until the end of the year, and I hope I’ve done a reasonable enough job.

“I know it’s been a disappointment as far as results have been concerned, but it’s all about the people and everyone deserves a significant thank you for sticking with us through to the end of the season.

“I have no criticism at all of the riders, even though we’ve been losing on a fairly regular basis. I can’t criticise the effort that has been put in by any of them.

“Losing Nicolai (Klindt) was a huge blow, losing Thomas (Jorgensen) as well, and Michael (Palm Toft) was still not 100 per cent fit when he came back at the end; so it’s been a tough season.

“But I’ve enjoyed working with the boys and it’s been rewarding in its own way.

“If I’m disappointed it’s not because we’ve lost meetings – and that sounds like I’ve got no ambition – it’s because they’ve put so much in and worked so hard for very little results in terms of league position.”

One name heavily rumoured for future involvement is former team boss Rob Lyon, who has spent the last three seasons in charge of A47 rivals Peterborough. The Panthers are highly unlikely to run in 2024 due to the loss of their Showground venue, but Lyon has already indicated he wants to remain in the sport.

The fit would appear to be perfect, but whether two plus two does equal four in this case remains to be seen.

Lyon said: “I want to continue, I still enjoy the sport and I want to continue in some way, shape or form somewhere. That’s my intention, so we’ll see where it takes us.

“You’d never say never (with Peterborough) and there’s a lot to happen before then. But we have to be realistic and say that’s potentially not going to happen.”

Meanwhile, Lynn’s Danish ace Tomas Jorgensen is continuing to make a good recovery from the horrific injury he suffered at the end of July.

Jorgensen broke vertebrae in his neck and back while riding for the Berwick Bandits.

Yesterday, the popular rider Tweeted: “I have got the neck brace off well ahead of schedule. My back is taking longer to heal but every day is progress.”