Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey has refuted claims Scunthorpe have 'ignored protocol' over the signing of Josh Auty.

Auty was announced as part of the 2012 line-up last Wednesday after two seasons with Sheffield.

But the Tigers have since hit back, saying they are still in talks with the rider and their Premier League rivals did not have permission from parent club Coventry to speak to him.

Sheffield promoter Neil Machin said: "There is a protocol and Scunthorpe have completely disregarded it, purely because they are desperate."

Godfrey however, insists that is not the case.

"I have been totally transparent with Neil throughout this whole process and I want to totally refute the fact that I did not have permission to speak to Josh," he said in a statement.

"I made Neil aware straight away when Josh started to make suggestions to me that he would like to come to Scunthorpe in 2012.

"At the AGM of the BSPA (British Speedway Promoters' Association) last week, I got permission from Coventry promoter Colin Pratt, Josh's parent club, to speak to Josh and put a deal together for him to come to Scunthorpe.

"We subsequently agreed a deal with Josh and we have absolutely no worries at all about 'protocol being ignored' because we have followed it to the letter of the law.

"Unfortunately, it seems that Neil just doesn't want to accept the fact that Josh wants to come to Scunthorpe.

"I am very unhappy with the way this has been portrayed by Sheffield because in the first place it should have been kept as a private matter between the two clubs.

"We have always enjoyed a very positive and harmonious relationship with Sheffield and I very much hope that will be allowed to continue because we do not want to become involved in a war of words."