Interview - Jon Cook

Jon Cook Interview

“If a light bulb lit up on a map to represent every speedway fan, the whole country would light up. People don’t realise how popular it is.” If a light bulb went off at Eastbourne Eagles, Jon Cook would probably fix it.

The speedway club’s co-promoter also manages, picks the team, signs the riders, deals with the press, arranges the program, liaises with the authorities and looks after the stadium. There is little Mr. Cook doesn’t know about Eastbourne speedway.

Yet change is afoot at the Arlington Stadium. A new owner from the world of entertainment has taken over and a brave new era has begun. “I’ve got a gut feeling this is an extremely positive move for the club” said Cook.

Bob Brimson has taken over from Terry Russell as owner. His background is with a media consultation company, who work with music labels including Sony. “He has more flair than myself, and will be 100% involved. He will take a share of the burden from me; many decisions will be Bob’s to make, and he is full of ideas.”

After 15 years of involvement, Mr Cook could be forgiven for being relieved at this release. Yet he is keener than ever to move his club forward. “We regard ourselves as the top sport team in the area. We’re not big-headed, but we have national exposure and are one of the top ten teams in the country. But we don’t want to rest on our laurels.”

When considering exactly how improve the club, Mr Cook speaks animatedly. “We are working on an idea to increase our fan-base through a new bus service with all-inclusive travel, entry and programmes.” He is keen for both attendances and community spirit to grow.

Yet it is the advertising of the sport that Mr Cook thinks is vital. “We need to make speedway a great night out. A family night out. Speedway has been guilty of concentrating too much on results, not on the event itself.”

This notion encourages Mr Cook to reminisce about how he became involved in the sport. “My first meeting was in 1978, it was something the family did all together – like sitting in the pub on a Sunday afternoon with a bag of crisps. By ’84 though, I’d discovered girls and going out.”

A familiar tale of losing interest in sport once drinking age was reached could have commenced. Yet it had the opposite effect. “I met Martin Dugard (an England international speedway rider) in a nightclub, and within months was riding for Eastbourne’s second string. In 1990 I became Martin’s his mechanic. By 1992, I was promoter of the club.”

Mr Cook, from Hove, has been involved ever since. He dismays at how many people have moved away from the sport. “In the 1950s, people went to football in the winter, speedway in the summer. Bobby Moore talked about how he used to spend the off-season at speedway tracks around the East End. Now we’re a minority sport; it’s time we moved back into the majority.”

There has been much progress in this respect, from a five-year television deal with Sky Sports, to the success of the individual world championship Grand Prix series. However, Mr Cook is lukewarm towards these events. “The Grand Prix are the emperor’s new clothes. Too much money has come in. It is a thorn in the side of British speedway.”

The reasons behind Mr Cook’s disdain for an influx of money into speedway lie in another sport – football. “The Abramovich effect happening in speedway would be the end of it. Why doesn’t he just buy himself the biggest trophy in the world? There is no real achievement unless the whole club is built up. Then it matters more to everyone: from promoters, to riders, to fans.”

It is clear that professional fulfilment is Mr Cook’s main motivation. “I get more joy when I spot something in a rider nobody else did, and help nurture them to success. You have to have guts and determination like the riders, and for every kick in the teeth the satisfaction will follow.”

While speaking, Mr Cook’s mobile rings twice. Both times he politely asks to speak at another time – when talking speedway he transmits a passion it would be difficult to extinguish.

This extends to speedway riders. “They put their life on the line day after day. Prima-donnas are few and far between, they are generally some of the nicest people you could meet.”

There is clearly a respect held by Mr Cook here. For the sport as a whole, this also rings true. “We are custodians of speedway. Sport is always only a whisker away from the winter of discontent.” With this man in a position to help ensure this doesn’t happen to Eastbourne Eagles, the club’s future looks bright.

Greg Rose