New era dawns for FluidAir Power Scorpions in 30-heat feast of speedway
THE SCUNTHORPE SCOPRIONS take to the track for the first time in 2014 on Sunday… with a brand new team sponsor, FLUID-AIR POWER LTD.
It’s the first of six successive double-headers at the Eddie Wright Raceway, featuring both the FluidAir Power Scorpions and the National League Scunthorpe Stags, the latter being a team packed with potential Scorpions of the future.
The action starts at 3pm, with the Scorpions taking on local rivals, the Sheffield Tigers, with League Cup points up for stake. It will be followed, at approximately 4.30-5pm, by a National League clash between the Stags and Kent Kings.
“With a new team sponsor, it feels a bit like a new era”, said Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey.
“Hopefully it will be the beginning of a very successful and very fruitful partnership between the club and FluidAir Power Ltd.
“Although having said that, they’ve always sponsored us right from the beginning – it’s just that now, as a growing company, they’ve decided to take it to the next step and become our team sponsors.
“FluidAir Power have certainly come in as team sponsors at a good time, because we feel we have a very good side this season. Our main aim this season is simple: to regain the Premier League championship that we won in 2012.”
Local firm FluidAir Power Ltd are based on Foxhills Industrial Estate in Scunthorpe and supply hydraulic and pneumatic components.
There’s a strong chance that Scunthorpe’s Australian reserve, Ryan Douglas, will miss Sunday’s meeting. Both the management and fans have been on tenterhooks all winter, hoping that Douglas – in sensational form in the closing months of 2013 – would be granted the visa he required to resume racing with the Scorpions in 2014.
The good news earlier this week was that the visa has been granted and despatched to 20-year-old Douglas. He is waiting for it to arrive, and the moment it does, he can hop on a plane from Australia to the UK.
Godfrey conceded: “We have to realistic, and admit the chances are that Ryan won’t be over here in time for Sunday’s meeting.
“There’s no point in re-declaring our line-up for one meeting, so we’ll have to use a National League guest.
“So we have James Sarjeant on standby to guest against Sheffield – he’s got off to a flying start to the season and I’m sure he will do a fine job for us, if we do require him to ride in Ryan’s place.
“Anything can happen on Sunday – we have a couple of riders in their first meeting back from injury. But David Howe (pictured) is back to the old David; he’s fitting fit and cannot wait for the season to start. And our captain Ashley Birks is also keen to resume racing; no-one should under-estimate Ash’s determination.
“Should we be without Ryan on Sunday, and it looks like we will, I’m sure the rest of the team will rise to the challenge of overcoming a new-look Sheffield side.
“In the meantime, I’m looking at the bigger picture, which is that we will have Ryan over here this season. That’s a huge plus for us, and a huge minus for every other side in the Premier League!
“One rider does not make a side, but a strong reserve can make such a difference. Given that, in my opinion, all our top five are also of heat-leader standard, it makes us very strong and solid indeed.”
Swede Anders Mellgren, the club’s new No 1, and Lancastrian Matt Williamson both make their debuts for the Scorpions on Sunday.
One change on Sunday is to the cut-off point for admission prices for children, which has been raised so that all those under 18 are now regarded as children in terms of admission.
Godfrey said: “I think we might be the first club to do it. The cut-off point is normally 16, but we’re going to raise that to 18.
“It’s the sensible thing to do. I suppose we might lose a few quid from those already coming in; but I prefer to see it as an opportunity of encouraging a few more younger people along.
“16 and 17-year-olds don’t have a lot of money and these days they have to still be in some form of education. By the time they are 18, they can leave education and are subject to a higher minimum wage.
“The school-leaving age has been raised, and it makes sense to move with the times. It was a suggestion on our forum. I take people up on the things they suggest sometimes; there are some good suggestions on there. We are a club that listens to its supporters.
“I think it will benefit us in the long-term. We’ll monitor it and see what it brings in.”
Sunday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action.
The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting day of racing is ahead.
Adult: £17.00
Student/OAP: £15.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00
Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated):
FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Anders Mellgren (Sweden), 2. David Howe, 3. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark), 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Josh Auty, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Ryan Douglas (Australia) or James Sarjeant.
Sheffield Tigers: 1. Simon Stead, 2. Simon Nielsen (Denmark), 3. Leigh Lanham, 4. Taylor Poole (Australia), 5. Adam Roynon, 6. Andre Compton, 7. Josh Bates.
Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Steve Jones, 2. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland), 3. Danno Verge, 4. Tyler Govier, 5. Arron Mogridge, 6. Liam Sanderson, 7. Reece Downes.
Kent Kings: 1. Simon Lambert, 2. Luke Chessell, 3. Ben Morley, 4. Benji Compton, 5. David Mason, 6. Daniel Blake, 7. Brandon Freemantle.
Sheffield Tigers at EWR
Ave Ave Best
Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance
Josh Bates PL 5 29 8 2 1.10 1.38 4 from 5 rides (2013)
Andre Compton PL 11 48 80 7 6.67 7.25 13 from 5 rides (2005)
Leigh Lanham PL 6 29 53 3 7.31 7.72 14 from 5 rides (inc 4 pts T/R (2011))
Simon Nielsen PL 2 8 7 3 3.50 5.00 4 + 1 from 4 rides (2013)
Taylor Poole PL 4 19 30 4 6.32 7.16 18 from 7 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2010))
Adam Roynon PL 4 17 18 3 4.24 4.94 8 + 1 from 5 rides (2012)
Simon Stead PL 2 10 19 0 7.60 7.60 14 from 5 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2013))
Other Notes
Josh Bates
Began the 2013 season in the Scunthorpe Scorpions Premier League side.
Member of Mildenhall’s National League Championship, KO Cup and Trophy Winning Teams in 2012.
Will be making his Sheffield debut.
Andre Compton
2004 Premier League Riders’ Champion.
Member of Sheffield’s 1999 Premier League Championship Winning Team.
Member of Newcastle’s 2001 Premier League Championship Winning Team.
Member of Sheffield’s Premier League Four-Team Championship Winning Team in 1999.
Member of Workington’s Young Shield Winning Team in 2009.
Leigh Lanham
1997 British Under-21 Champion.
Member of Exeter’s Young Shield Winning Team in 1997.
Member of Newport’s Premier League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011.
Will be making his Sheffield debut.
Simon Nielsen
Has previously rode in the Premier League with Workington, Leicester and Plymouth.
Winner of the 2005 Individual FIM Youth Gold Trophy (80cc), unofficial Under-16 World Championship.
Will be making his Sheffield debut.
Taylor Poole
Returning to British speedway after a year’s absence.
2012 Australian Under-21 Champion.
Will be making his Sheffield debut.
Adam Roynon
2006 Conference League Riders Champion.
Member of Mildenhall’s Conference League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams in 2004.
Member of Rye House’s Premier League Championship Winning Team in 2007.
Member of Dudley’s National League Shield and Four-Team Championship Winning Teams in 2011.
Member of Dudley’s National League Shield Winning Team in 2012.
Member of Workington’s Premier League Pairs Winning duo in 2012.
Simon Stead
Three times British Under-21 Champion (2001 to 2003).
Youth Development League Riders Champion 1998.
Has ridden in 4 Speedway GPs and 5 World Cup Tournaments.
Member of Peterborough’s Premier League Championship Winning Team in 1998.
Member of Sheffield’s Premier League Championship and Young Shield Winning Teams in 1999 and 2002.
Member of Sheffield’s Premier Trophy Winning Team in 2001 and KO Cup Winning Team in 2002.
Three times Premier League Fours Winner (1999/2000 with Sheffield and 2004 with Workington).
Member of Workington’s Premier League Pairs Winning Duo in 2003.
Member of Belle Vue’s Elite League Pairs Winning Duo in 2006.
Member of Belle Vue’s Elite League KO Cup Winning Team in 2005.
Member of Coventry’s Elite League Craven Shield Winning Team in 2008.
Member of Swindon’s Elite League Winning Team in 2012.
Named as a ‘doubling-up’ rider with Leicester for the 2014 Elite League season.
Sheffield Tigers’ Results at EWR
23 October 2005 CH L Scunthorpe 47 Sheffield 43
30 October 2007 CH W Scunthorpe 44 Sheffield 45
21 March 2008 PT W Scunthorpe 41 Sheffield 48
11 April 2008 KOC W Scunthorpe 44 Sheffield 48
15 August 2008 PL W Scunthorpe 43 Sheffield 47
20 March 2009 CH L Scunthorpe 60 Sheffield 32
05 May 2009 PL L Scunthorpe 57 Sheffield 38
19 March 2010 PT L Scunthorpe 43 Sheffield 33
30 August 2010 PL W Scunthorpe 41 Sheffield 51
18 March 2011 CH W Scunthorpe 43 Sheffield 47
10 June 2011 PL L Scunthorpe 46 Sheffield 43
04 June 2012 LC W Scunthorpe 40 Sheffield 50
17 August 2012 PL L Scunthorpe 51 Sheffield 42
05 April 2013 LC L Scunthorpe 50 Sheffield 38
21 June 2013 PL L Scunthorpe 63 Sheffield 31
29 September 2013 RC L Scunthorpe 54 Sheffield 24
Scunthorpe Scorpions Team sponsors:
FluidAir Power Ltd:
http://www.fluidair-power.co.uk
