Edinburgh finally have signed a rider to replace the long-term injury victim Stewart McDonald. Justin Elkins will be 25 next week and recently quit Reading after a toubled season plagued by mechanical problems.
Justin started out in 1990 with Poole who won the Division 2 championship and moved to Exeter in 1991. He stepped up to Division 1 in 1992 with Swindon before rejoining Poole for 1993 and 1994 collecting the Division 1 Championship. His best average came in 1993 with 5.14. That year, the eight-rider format in use made life much easier for reserves.
He stayed with Poole for 1995 in the combined British Premier League moving to Eastbourne in 1996 averaging around 3.00 in both years. The creation of the current Premier League in 1997 saw Justin move to Long Eaton and step up to second string with an average of 5.06. He picked up a Premier League Fours championship with the Invaders.
The closure of Long Eaton, in early 1998, left Justin without a team and he joined Reading. That year Reading lost their League Championship to Peterborough but did take the Cup. Justin averaged 4.79 and was an ever-present in their 1998 Premier League campaign.
Justin rejoined the Racers for 1999 but had a great burden placed on him by a team that was acknowledged to be a heat leader short of being championship contenders. Despite increasing his average to a career best 5.61 he quit after suffering a sequence of engine failures.
It is acknowledged that Justin is a cabable rider who should have a much higher average but who has been let down in the past by his pit organization. I am sure that all Monarchs supporters will wish Justin well in his spell with Edinburgh. His debut will come in the match at Glasgow at Ashfield on Sunday. Justin has already been there with Reading in the League and the Cup and been on the winning side twice. Some Glasgow riders have yet to manage that at Ashfield! With Monarchs due to travel to Reading to close their Premier League season, the presence of Justin should add a bit of edge to the meeting.
The inclusion of Justin in the team at Ashfield brings Monarchs up to full strength for the first time in recent weeks. With David McAllan back at number 6, the injury ridden spell that Monarchs have suffered may be at last about to end.
The return of McAllan means that James Birkinshaw's spell with Monarchs is now over. James seems poised to join Stoke, along with Paul Thorp, for a last gasp push to get the Potters into the playoffs. We all wish James well for the remainder of the season.