While a lot of attention has been focussed on ex-Monarch James Grieves on his return to Armadale, ex-Tiger Brian Turner also has a point to prove. He had been with Glasgow for two and a half years when he was dumped last year in to make way for Dean Felton.
While Turner has no complaints about being axed by Glasgow, he does resent being 'cold shouldered' by the Ashfield outfit over the winter.
"I don't blame Glasgow for dropping me. It was only now and again that I did the scoring job they wanted. Last year was a total disaster fro me everything went wrong. If it was injuries which forced me to miss matches. Things couldn't have been worse."
"Glasgow never had any intention of using me this season. I had to keep phoning them to find out what was happening. To this day I wouldn't have had a team place until Edinburgh stepped in, because Glasgow made no attempt to get in touch."
"They tried to stop other clubs talking to me, and also claimed that I was going into hospital to have an operation on my wrist. This was completely untrue. It was never going to stop me riding as some have suggested."
However, the early part of the season looked to be a problem. The hospital still cannot tell if it's broken and intend to insert a mini camera in my arm to find out. It's apparently a very strange bone which can take years to detect if it's broken or not."
Brian was prepared to play a waiting game to secure a place and was happy to accept an invitation to return to Edinburgh this year. He is happy to be back at reserve because there is less pressure.
"All the heat leaders say the reserves are very important to the team. And if you go out and score five or six points that's your job done. Score more, and it's even better because it removes some of the pressure from the top boys. All the promoters expect is for you to get a 5-1 in heat two, therfore beating the visiting reserves."
"Being a reserve means I won't feel under so much pressure. When I rode for Newcastle in 1997 I was put in at second string. It was too much for me and everything went wrong. I just like to get on my bike and relax and watch the track in front of me. You cannot do that if you're under pressure."
Monarch hope that Brian can add one or two points to his average. This could be just what is needed to boost Monarchs' championship hopes.
"I'm certainly aiming to improve my average. But I always tend to lose it away from home because I've never had a bike fast enough around places like Sheffield and the Isle of Wight. But I'm getting a bike prepared for the bigger tracks. And I'm having one rebuilt to suit the Armadale track. I find Armadale easy to ride. It's also got a good home advantage. You can see that if you watch Peter Carr or Kevin Little. If they're at the back they can always squeeze through."
"I've definately got a point to prove. I've got to go out on Friday and show I can beat Glasgow's riders. They didn't give me a chance. They expected too much from me."
After the James Grieves situation and also the attempt by Glasgow to attract Robert Eriksson and Ross Brady, Edinburgh announced they were going to build a team from their own assets. This would ensure that they could not be 'tapped' by other teams including Glasgow! In the 1999 starting team only Blair Scott was a Monarchs' asset, although first Pete Carr and later Kevin Little and David McAllan were transfered. Monarchs asset, Robert Eriksson was brought in alongside new signing Christian Henry and the recent full transfer Ross Brady to join Carr, Little, and Scott. This means that six of this years' team are Monarchs' assets. Ironically, the exception, Brian Turner is on loan from Glasgow!