Club legend Josh Auty quits Scorpions
HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions have been left reeling by the news that the club’s all-time top-scorer Josh Auty has retired from speedway.
It comes less than 24 hours after the news that reserve Josh Bailey is ‘taking time out’ of the sport, and leaves Scorpions’ management searching for two new riders.
26-year-old Auty first made his debut for the club at Conference League (third-tier) level in September 2005, shortly after his 15th birthday. He has spent nine years riding for Scorpions in two separate spells with the club (2005-2007 and 2012-2017).
The Yorkshireman was No 1 for the club when Scunthorpe won the 2012 Premier League championship – the biggest honour achieved in the 45-year-history of Scunthorpe Speedway. He was involved, alongside team-mate Nick Morris, in the 3-3 in the final race at the Eddie Wright Raceway which secured a dramatic 92-91 victory for Scorpions over Somerset Rebels.
He also won two Conference League titles with the club in 2006 and 2007, along with a host of the other trophies during these two years.
Josh was twice British Under-15 Champion, in 2004 and 2005, and won the 2010 Premier League Pairs at Somerset for Sheffield alongside Ricky Ashworth. He also took Scunthorpe twice to the final of the latter competition, alongside Thomas Jorgensen (2012) and David Howe (2013).
He took a ride as a reserve at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in the 2013 British Grand Prix, and headed home Sweden’s Antonio Lindback.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey has been left shell-shocked by the news.
He says: “I’m just devastated by the news that Josh has quit, because he has been Mr Scunthorpe Speedway.
“Josh has been such a big part of this club, right from our very first season at the Eddie Wright Raceway in 2005.
“He’s obviously had a frustrating season, and not been scoring the points he knows he’s capable of, and he’s told me he’s just not enjoying his speedway any more.
“Josh has apologised for quitting and letting us down. But I want to thank him for all he’s done in a Scorpions’ race-jacket. He’s played such a big part in our successes, and provided some brilliant entertainment down the years.
“Who knows one day we may see a refreshed Josh Auty riding for us once more.
“I’m finding it hard to take in at the moment, because I love Josh to bits.”
Scorpions will use rider replacement for Auty for the two meetings against Newcastle Diamonds – at Newcastle tonight (Sunday) and the Eddie Wright Raceway tomorrow (Bank Holiday Monday, 3pm).
Scorpions’ line-up at Newcastle tonight: 1. Michael Palm Toft, 2. Carl Wilkinson, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Ryan Douglas, 5. Rider replacement for Josh Auty, 6. Tero Aarnio, 7. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (guest).
