Edinburgh Monarchs competed their team for the 2000 Premier League season with the signature of Brian Turner.
The twenty-one year old Brian Turner rode a handful of matches for the Monarchs in 1999 on loan from Glasgow before being injured in a fall at Newcastle on 8 September which resulted in a wrist injury. He bravely attempted a comeback in the Premier League Cup Final against Arena Essex but had to pull out after less than a lap.
He has since spent the winter nursing a scaphoid injury and has only declared himself fit for the 2000 season in the last week. The delay in completing the Monarchs teams is probably largely down to doubts about the fitness of Brian Turner and that of David McAllan who was also in the frame for the number seven race jacket. Monarchs are understood to have targeted Turner some months ago. He reported that the pain he was suffering from his injured wrist had made him consider sitting out the 2000 season. Having received confirmation last week that his wrist was not broken, he agreed to ride for Monarchs.
Said co-promoter John Campbell: "We are delighted to have Brian in the team. It gives us some vital experience in the reserve berth. We believe that Brian's true potential has still to shine through and we are hopeful that this will happen this season."
Brian Turner commented:
"I'm pleased to be at Armadale, indeed I'm pleased to be riding anywhere! Last year I just had such a bad year that I had to decide whether I wanted to go through it all again. I thought about sitting a year out, but eventually I decided to get a bike ready and wait to see if there were any injuries or people getting dropped, just to get a ride somewhere. Fortunately, Monarchs still had a team place going."
"I feel I should be able to get my average up to at least 5 if not a little bit more."
If Brian can reproduce the Armadale form he showed in his only injury-free meeting for Edinburgh against Arena Essex, then he will be a considerable asset to Monarchs this year. If he can show consistency away from home and repeat the devastating form shown at Newport last year, then Monarchs could be on their way to a long awaited first championship win.
"Before the meeting against Arena last year I was having a word with Peter Carr, and he told me exactly how to ride it, and that's exactly what I did. As long as I got out that gate I was guaranteed to stay in front if I didn't make a mistake. I'm looking for the same again this year!".
Glasgow also completed their team with the long-predicted signing of Sean Courtney. There were many suggestions that Courtney was thinking of retirement after a career spent riding for Edinburgh, Berwick and Glasgow. Given the points available to Glasgow he became the obvious candidate to complete the team.
Courtney said:
"I am looking forward to this new season. I was thinking about hanging up the leathers after a disappointing campaign last time around, but the make up of the team this season is good and has given me the impetus once again to get back on the bike. With my nephew Scott once again in the team, it helps to motivate me and I suppose with the new season just a couple of weeks away, it doesn't give me too much time to dwell on the past, just look to the future."
Glasgow Team Manager Ian Steel was pleased to see the team finally completed:
"Sean is a great team player and every side needs a Sean Courtney. Now we can get the boys together and decide on the riding order. We all know what Sean is capable of and if he does what is required, he will serve his worth to the side. The team is definitely stronger this season than last, and given a fair run of luck, we should be nearer the top end of the league this time around, but as has been said many times before, it is what happens on the track that counts."
Other movements have happened at Hull. It would appear that Berwick have loaned Wesley Waite to the Vikings for the coming season. Wealey Waite comes in on an average of 4.22. Assuming that reports of Mike Smith signing for Hull are confirmed, there would appear to be a shortfall of near to a point. Hull have probably asked for a average reduction for Smith in view of his two years out of speedway. This was because of work commitments rather than injury so it is far from sure that this will be granted.
It is not unknown for promoters to make signings that cannot be accommodated within the rules. For example, Swindon had signed a one-to-seven without a rider on four points or below as required by the rules. They then had to release Nick Simmons. Stoke were reputed to have signed Dean Felton but later found that he could not be fitted without disrupting the balance of the team.
Places for three to four-point riders remain at Swindon, Stoke, and Berwick.
Probable teams are listed below: