Flyin’ Ryan is back!

Dec 22nd, 2022
1793 Views

314770183_2959236504384795_7078725429099651604_n

SUPPORTERS of the Scunthorpe Scorpions have received the perfect early Christmas present, with the news that No 1 Ryan Douglas will return to the club. He becomes the seventh and final rider to be announced by Scorpions for next season.

The full side for the 2023 side is: Ryan Douglas, Michael Palm Toft, Jake Allen, Simon Lambert, Connor Mountain, Zaine Kennedy and Joe Thompson.

Douglas, who turned 29 in September, enjoyed a sensational season for Attis Insurance Scorpions in 2022. He ended the season with a Green Sheet Average of 9.38, the third highest in the entire Championship, behind fellow Australians Sam Masters and Nick Morris.

‘Flyin’ Ryan’ was also unlucky not to win the CLRC at Poole. He was emerging as the leader of the final race, when he was collected on the first band and unable to take his place in the re-run due to injury.

Douglas previously spent a five-year spell with Scunthorpe between 2013 and 2017, climbing through the ranks from reserve to heat-leader. He moved on loan to Leicester in 2019 and won the Championship with them, before spending another season with Lions in 2021.

After re-joining Scorpions in 2022, he started the season like a bomb, winning both the Josh Auty Testimonial at the Eddie Wright Raceway and the Ben Fund Bonanza at Peterborough, and continued in fine form all season, often coming up trumps for Scorpions in a last-heat decider.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Of course, we wanted Ryan back – he was an out-and-out No 1 for us and I think it’s going to be exactly the same again.

“He was absolute quality in 2022. He was banging in the points meeting-after-meeting and I knew we could rely on him if we needed a big result from the last race.

“Now our fans can see the whole team, I think they can see that we’re going to be contenders next season. We’ve got strength all the way down the side, as well as a great No 1 in Ryan who can see us home in tight situations.”

Godfrey added: “Ryan also has David Howe behind him, looking after his equipment. I don’t it’s any coincidence that we haven’t had such an accomplished No 1 at Scunthorpe since when David first joined us.

“The advice that David gives him is invaluable and David is Scunny through and through which is really good. David is good for our team as well, it’s not just Ryan who comes, it’s the package that comes with him in David Howe as well.”

The Attis Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions wish all our supporters a Merry Christmas and we hope to see you all at the Eddie Wright Raceway in the New Year.

© 2008 - 2024 Scunthorpe Speedway