NEIL Middleditch admitted he had been saddened to see Rye House forced out of the SGB Premiership due to financial problems.

Britain’s top tier is now a seven-team league following the demise of the Rockets, which was confirmed last week.

Poole team boss Middleditch said: “British speedway is not in the best state it’s ever been in and the Rye House situation was on the cards.

“They put a motocross track in the middle of the circuit and that obscured people’s views and they were only getting crowds of 200 or 250 and you can’t make money on that and pay the riders.

“Warren Scott, who owns it, is a very wealthy man but he is also a businessman and he had to make the right decision as a businessman.

“It’s a shame for the riders who are out of jobs and for British speedway in general.”