In 1986, Wally Mawdsley retired and the Kingsmead Stadium and Canterbury Crusaders, lease was taken over by Chris Galvin.
[5] Galvin would allow the Canterbury riders to practice on the Iwade training track but unfortunately the team was forced to disband on 31 October 1987, when the Canterbury Council refused to renew the Kingsmead Stadium lease.
[6] When the Canterbury Crusaders closed in 1987, the supporters club remained active in attempts to bring back speedway to Kent.
[8] However, the year was a disaster, in January a young rider called Karl Nicholls was tragically killed in practice and at the end of July, Whibberley pulled out due to poor health and put the track up for sale, resulting in the team withdrawing from the league.
[11] The 1996 season then saw the club suffer problems when Swale Council stated that the planning permission given in 1971 was a 25-year temporary agreement.