SO common sense prevailed in the end.

Gary Havelock, backed by his Twitter army and respected figures from the world of speedway, forced the BSPA back to the drawing board with a non-stop campaign which captured the imagination beyond the realms of his sport.

It would appear those running the show were guilty of a thoughtless rather than malicious decision, but supporters would argue - with some justification - that a careless action was just as unforgivable in this case.

To switch the Elite Riders Championship without considering the impact on a true legend's evening was foolhardy and gave those already disillusioned with speedway chiefs yet another stick to beat them with.

Credit must go BSPA vice-chairman Jon Cook for his attempt at handling the situation. He was shot down for saying things nobody wanted to hear and stood to gain little from his honesty over where the BSPA went wrong.

But whether or not people agreed with what Cook had to say, at least he put his head above the parapet and offered some kind of explanation. Those who hid behind meaningless press releases should take note.

Eventually, the right call was made and, to an extent, the sorry episode should be left in the past.

However, lessons must be learnt and Cook's colleagues at the top table could take a lot from this.

Unwittingly, British speedway came dangerously close to telling the wider sporting world that it held little regard for one of its own.

Thankfully, the fans defiantly declared otherwise.