WEYMOUTH Wildcats have been refused entry to the Midland & Southern Development League (MSDL) this season, Echosport can reveal.

Wildcats have also been forbidden from using the Weymouth name – even in non-league meetings.

The British Speedway Promoters’ Association (BSPA) has opted to ban nomadic clubs operating at a host track.

Clubs that could prove work is being undertaken to find a new home circuit would, under a BSPA directive, be allowed to compete in 2020.

However, five of the seven clubs from the 2019 MSDL – Reading, Carmarthen, Exeter, Milton Keynes and Weymouth – have fallen short of that criteria.

Only Birmingham, who race at Perry Barr, and the Isle of Wight, who operate in Ryde, are compliant with the ruling.

In a bid to remain in the MSDL, which is being restructured, Wildcats offered to change their name to Wimborne Wildcats or Bournemouth Wildcats.

In a statement, Weymouth, who are hosted by Poole Pirates at their Wimborne Road base, confirmed both suggestions were turned down by the BSPA and the Speedway Control Bureau (SCB).

It read: “Weymouth Wildcats will not be entering the 2020 MSDL.

“As a nomadic club, we have been refused entry into the league by the BSPA and SCB.

“We have tried to enter using the names Wimborne Wildcats and Bournemouth Wildcats but we have been turned down on both names.

“We have been in constant contact with Poole with regards to all the name issues and we had an agreement in place NOT to use the Poole name. That was our decision with consultation with Poole promotion.

“It is with huge sadness that after all the work put into the club, by everyone, that we have had to come to this decision, and until we have a home of our own, we can’t see what will happen in the future at the minute.

“But as you are aware, everyone at Weymouth Wildcats always finds a way to get on track, so we will hopefully be running some meetings at Poole involving Weymouth Wildcat riders in an individual capacity.

“Weymouth Wildcats would like to place on record that the help and effort from the Poole promotion has been brilliant, they have helped us so much in time and effort in helping try to resolve the situation.”

Weymouth will continue with sponsored individual meetings, likely to be staged at Poole.

Speaking to Echosport, Wildcats’ co-promoter James Tresadern feels his team’s good work since their revival has “ground to a halt”.

He said: “Apparently we were told last season at the AGM that this would be our last season. Nobody’s got that in their notes.

“The only way we can continue is by taking a home track’s name. We’d already agreed with Danny and Matt Ford (Pirates’ promoters) we would never use the name Poole.

“It’s their selling point and brand name. We tried to use Wimborne, (the BSPA) turned that down, Bournemouth, they’ve turned that down.

“What we’ve had to do is not ride this season due to the fact we’re a nomadic club. All the work we’ve put in over the last three or four years has ground to a halt slightly.”

Wildcats had kept the same roster as 2019 barring the loss of Andrew Palmer, who is taking time out of the sport.

Max Pankhurst is due to replace Palmer, linking up with captain Cesca Wright, James Jessop, James Laker, Jacob Clouting and Sam Peters.

Meanwhile, the BSPA are yet to announce the new structure of their development leagues.

In a statement, the governing body said: “The BSPA would also like to clarify the position regarding the existing Development Leagues which operate on a regional basis as second halves at various Championship and National League tracks.

“Several teams have raced under the names of defunct clubs and notice was given prior to the 2019 campaign that their future participation beyond last year would be based on the production of firm evidence that significant progress was being made towards establishing a venue to race back in their own area.

“This is part of an overall tidying-up of our league structure which will continue to develop over future seasons.

“The BSPA are fully supportive of all efforts being made to return the sport to traditional, established areas and continue to pay careful attention to events regarding Rye House, Coventry and Oxford – venues where speedway tracks do currently exist – as well as looking to safeguard all currently operating clubs.

“Full arrangements and line-ups for the development leagues will be confirmed in due course.”