Edinburgh Monarchs have named their fifth rider for the new speedway season with the signing of Ross Brady on a full transfer from Peterborough. A substantial, although not a Scottish record, fee has been paid by the Monarchs to secure one of the hottest prospects in British Speedway.
Monarchs Chairman Alex Harkess said of the move:
"We have known since the end of last season that Ross wished to remain with us and we have proceeded in a business like manner to secure a transfer deal that is acceptable to us. We are delighted to have Ross on board and I am sure that he will improve on what was an excellent first season for us last year."
Brady, who rode on loan to the Monarchs from Peterborough last year was equally enthusiastic about the move:
"I'm grateful to Peter Oakes for giving me the chance to really launch my speedway career at Peterborough but they were hardly in touch last year to see how I was getting on at Armadale. It's an obvious move for me to go to a track that is local to me and where I can meet face to face with my bosses. I'm very ambitious and I'm sure that the Monarchs will help me up the ladder to my target of Elite League racing but I'm only going to go there when I feel I'm ready for it. At the moment I'm looking to progress to heat leader standard in 2000."
Brady joins Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, Blair Scott and new Australian Christian Henry in the Monarchs line up who now have two berths to fill before the season opens at Armadale on 24 March. Significantly, all signings to date are now contracted Monarchs assets. Indeed, should Peter Carr and David McAllan fill the two vacant places, Edinburgh will have a complete team of their own assets. By contrast the starting seven for 1999, only two were Monarchs' assets, Blair Scott and Peter Carr who had only just been signed from Belle Vue. Since then Kevin Little and David McAllan have been transferred from Berwick, Robert Eriksson, and Christian Henry has replaced Wolves loanees James Grieves and Stewart McDonald. The signing of Ross Brady that completes the picture could prove to be one of the best moves that Monarchs have ever made.
Ross picked up a couple of awards over the last week from Speedway Star magazine. He was made Monarchs' rider of the year in the Edinburgh track review in the January 8th edition. In the current edition, he was included in team of the year alongside Jason Crump, Simon Stead, Sean Wilson, Lee Richardson, Antonin Svaab, and Lawrence Hare. He was described as "no doubt the shrewdest signing of the season - in either League..". He missed out on the newcomer of the year award because his five Premier League appearances for Peterborough and Berwick, in 1998, meant he was not qualified.
Monarchs will now wait on the signature of Peter Carr before proceding to fill the final reserve place.