Stephens wants supporters to play key part at new-look Plymouth Devils
New Plymouth Devils' boss Seemond Stephens insists the club's fans have a big part to play in their new future.
Stephens is at the forefront of a consortium which is buying the Premier League club off former promoter Mike Bowden.
The Devils are being rebuilt by their new backers, who want the fans to play a significant role in the club's development.
Stephens, an ex-Devils captain and former Exeter Falcons rider, said: "Everything's going great.
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"The club's going to have new owners, but at the end of the day, the club doesn't belong to us, it's our club and that includes the supporters."
The new consortium are holding a meeting for fans tomorrow night, when the direction the club is going to take will be explained.
Stephens, who has been accepted by UK speedway officials as the club's joint promoter, along with track crew expert Ashley Taylor, said: "The fact is the fans are a very big part of the jigsaw for next year.
"Without that piece of the jigsaw in place, what we are trying to do will fail.
"We're aiming to promote the club and the best form of promotion is that the Devils is a fun place for the family to go.
"I think the Devils are a powerful club – we've got the support, but we've got to make people happy so they come back."
Tomorrow's meeting, being held at The Vale (formerly The Mermaid) at Eggbuckland (7.30pm), will unveil Stephens' blueprint for moving the club forward.
He started negotiations over buying the club from former promoter Bowden back in July. The deal is nearing completion and Stephens, who wants facilities for fans at the Devils' St Boniface Arena improved, said he expected work would begin in the new year. Season tickets will also be on sale shortly, he said.
The Devils' supporters' club is being revamped after a period in the wilderness. Members of the consortium taking over the Devils and other officials connected with the club have made it clear they want the supporters to be heavily involved next season.
The Devils' future seemed fragile just over a month ago when it seemed negotiations with the owners of the Marsh Mills circuit over a lease had broken down.
However, an 11th-hour deal was brokered which allowed the Devils to declare to speedway bosses they would be running next season.
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