FACHER, Frank
DATE OF BIRTH: 11 June 1989, Olching, Germany.
BRITISH CAREER: (2009) Berwick.
MAJOR HONOUR: German Under-21 Champion: 2009.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The young German was introduced to the Berwick side at the beginning of August 2009, when he replaced locally-based Greg Blair. His first taste of domestic British racing came after he had impressed in the German Championship at Diedenbergen on 14 September 2008, when he occupied fourth position. However, because of enforced changes to fixtures in his homeland, Facher's future unavailability meant a revision of the Bandits' team plans towards the end of August, when Tamas Sike was drafted in to replace him. Facher went on to achieve glory at Norden on 13 September, when he won the German Under-21 Championship ahead of Kevin Wölbert and Max Dilger.

FELTON, Dean Graham
DATE OF BIRTH: 18 August 1969, Wolverhampton, West Midlands.
BRITISH CAREER: (1994) Buxton, Oxford, Ipswich; (1995-96) Buxton; (1997) Buxton, Stoke, Edinburgh, Skegness, Long Eaton, Shuttle Cubs; (1998) Stoke; (1999) Berwick, Glasgow; (2000) Buxton, Berwick; (2001) Stoke, Buxton; (2002-03) Carmarthen; (2004) Carmarthen, King's Lynn II; (2005) Buxton; (2006-08) Sittingbourne; (2009) Mildenhall, Isle of Wight.
RIDER LINKS: Nephew of Dave Harvey (born: 13 October 1950, Birmingham, West Midlands).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Felton first rode in the Reserve League for his hometown track, Wolverhampton, in 1993. He is a vastly experienced competitor, particularly in British speedway's third tier of operations. Although linked with Buxton more than anyone else, the West Midlander has also ridden for a variety of clubs on his way to being the highest all-time appearance-maker at National League level, with well over 200 matches under his belt. In 2009, he joined Mildenhall after being identified with Sittingbourne for the previous three seasons, but lost his place in the Fen Tigers' line-up towards the end of August, when Taylor Poole was drafted into the side. Almost immediately, though, Felton was signed by the Isle of Wight following the injuries suffered by Brendan Johnson in a frightening track crash at Smallbrook Stadium.

FISHER, Ryan Scott
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 September 1983, Riverside, California, USA.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002-03) Coventry; (2004) Oxford; (2007) Belle Vue; (2008) Edinburgh; (2009) Edinburgh, Swindon.
CLUB HONOURS: Premier Trophy winner: 2008 [Edinburgh]; League Championship winner: 2008 [Edinburgh]; Play-Off winner: 2008, 2009 [both Edinburgh].
RIDER LINKS: Son-in-law of Gene Woods (born: 27 March 1958, Long Beach, California, USA).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The uncle of Fisher's wife, Daelyn, is Rick Woods (born: 11 June 1948, Newport Beach, California, USA). In another speedway tie-up, her step-father is Mike Faria (born: 4 March 1957, Richmond, California, USA). The hugely talented American rider began his British career at Coventry in 2002 and was to spend two terms with the Brandon-based club, before a switch to Oxford in 2004. He didn't return to these shores until 2007, when he linked with Belle Vue for what turned into a frustrating spell for both rider and club, being eventually dropped in June and subsequently replaced by Billy Forsberg. The Californian was offered a lifeline by Premier League Edinburgh in 2008 and he grabbed it with both hands to play a leading role in the Monarchs' League Championship and Premier Trophy double success. His tenacious and energetic brand of racing guaranteed ‘Fish' a return to Edinburgh this term, and he also joined Swindon as a ‘doubling-up' rider alongside Cory Gathercole and, in the latter part of the campaign, Mark Lemon.

FORSBERG, Billy Sven
DATE OF BIRTH: 13 May 1988, Norrkoping, Sweden.
BRITISH CAREER: (2007-09) Belle Vue.
RIDER LINKS: Grandson of former rider Dan Forsberg (born: 25 March 1934, Vaageryd, Sweden).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having first linked up with Belle Vue in 2007, Forsberg was due to again resume in the colours of the Aces in 2009, but sustained a broken wrist while training on a moto-cross bike just prior to the beginning of the campaign. Henning Bager was brought into the Aces' line-up as a short-term replacement whilst the Swede recovered, with Forsberg subsequently recalled to the Manchester-side late in April, having fully recuperated. However, not long after returning, the lad from Norrkoping suffered severe bruising and a broken thumb when he fell heavily and was then collected by team-mate Ulrich Ostergaard during the Aces' away match at Peterborough on 7 May. The Swede returned to racing in his homeland in July, but was unwilling to resume in the UK with Belle Vue. As such, the Manchester club was granted a 28-day facility to cover his absence. Having scoured the globe for riders, the Aces finally reinforced their line-up in August, when Tomasz Chrzanowski was introduced as a replacement for Forsberg.

FRAMPTON, Jordan John
DATE OF BIRTH: 8 March 1985, Poole, Dorset.
BRITISH CAREER: (2004) Swindon II, King's Lynn II, Sheffield II; (2005) Sittingbourne; (2006) Plymouth, Mildenhall, Weymouth II; (2007) Somerset, Oxford II; (2008) Somerset, Poole; (2009) Newport, Coventry.
CLUB HONOUR: Knock-Out Cup winner: 2008 [Somerset]
ADDITIONAL INFO: Since initially representing Swindon Sprockets at Conference-level in 2004, the talented youngster has made solid progress in recent seasons and established himself as a consistent performer in Premier League circles. He assumed a ‘doubling-up' position with Coventry in 2009 and, at the beginning of May, the club announced that they had completed the signing of Frampton as a full asset after a series of eye-catching early displays in the Elite League. The Poole-born rider was purchased from the former Somerset promotion, and continued to race for Premier League Newport while also ‘doubling-up' with the Bees. However, following Coventry's decision to sign Scott Nicholls as an interim replacement for the injured Olly Allen and negotiations with the BSPA over the re-declaration of their team line-up, the Bees agreed that Frampton would stand down from the side until Allen was fit to return to the saddle. His place in the squad was therefore filled in the interim period by Robert Ksiezak. When Allen was fit to resume in the Coventry side in July, this saw the release of Nicholls and meant that Frampton was permitted to return to his ‘doubling-up' role alongside Josh Auty. Unluckily, the rider from Dorset crashed in his first ride (heat three) for the Bees at Wolverhampton in an Elite League fixture on 20 July, sustaining a broken scaphoid and medial bone in his wrist. As a result, Coventry temporarily dispensed with using the ‘doubling-up' facility and this meant an extended run in the side for Filip Sitera, who had previously been covering for the injured Ben Barker. Both Frampton and Auty were recalled to the ‘doubling-up' position with Coventry at the end of August, though, upon the release of Sitera.

FRANC, Josef (Pepe)
DATE OF BIRTH: 18 January 1979, Caslav, Czech Republic.
BRITISH CAREER: (2001) Berwick; (2003-04) Berwick; (2005-08) Newcastle; (2009) Berwick.
MAJOR HONOURS: Czech Republic Under-21 Champion: 1998, 1999, 2000.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Franc first rode at the famous Marketa Stadium in Prague - home of the Czech Republic Grand Prix - in 1994, when aged fifteen. Prior to journeying to the UK, he brilliantly posted three successive wins in his country's Under-21 Championship, taking victory in 1998, 1999 and 2000. He was signed by Berwick in 2001 and his cheerful demeanour made him an instant hit with the Bandits' supporters. The Czech star didn't reappear on these shores the following year, but resumed with the Borders club for a two-year stint starting in 2003. He travelled down the A1 to link with Newcastle in 2005 and enjoyed four seasons with the Geordies, with whom he was renowned for his electric starts and prolific scoring ability. In a move that was very well received by the fans, the diminutive rider made a return to the ranks at Berwick this term and continues to hold down a heat-leader berth, together with his long-term association with the North-East. Capped by his country on a number of occasions since making his international debut in 2003, Franc was a member of the Czech team that contested Event One of the Speedway World Cup at Vojens, Denmark, on 11 July.

FRANCHETTI, Guglielmo (Gino)
DATE OF BIRTH: 5 October 1985, Terenzano, Italy.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008-09) Berwick.
MAJOR HONOUR: Italian Champion: 2009.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Prior to appearing in British speedway, Franchetti represented his country in the Speedway World Cup qualifying rounds of both 2006 and 2007. He was subsequently signed by then Berwick promoter Peter Waite for the start of the 2008 campaign. However, after colliding with team-mate Adrian Rymel, the Italian sustained a broken collarbone on the first corner of heat one in Berwick's Premier Trophy match at Edinburgh on 21 March. Unluckily, ‘Gino' re-broke the collarbone on his return to action, ironically again at Edinburgh, in a Knock-Out Cup fixture a little over a month later on 25 April. This occurred in heat fourteen, when Monarchs' guest Lee Dicken spun on the first corner of heat fourteen, collecting the unlucky Franchetti as he fell. Despite his injury problems, he went on to make twenty-one official appearances for the club and his thrilling style made him popular with the Bandits' supporters. The year also saw him drafted into the Italian Grand Prix as the wildcard rider at Santa Marina Stadium, Lonigo, on 27 September. Although he failed to score in a meeting that was won by Denmark's Hans Andersen, clearly the experience of competing against the cream of the world's riders was invaluable. Franchetti again lined-up with Berwick in 2009, but was sidelined for a spell after sustaining burns to his left arm in a frightening heat fourteen crash with Newcastle's Adam McKinna in a Premier League fixture at Brough Park on 12 July. Prior to the injury, he had again ridden for Italy in the World Cup qualifying event. Mega-popular with the Bandits' supporters, Franchetti went on to seal his first Italian Championship success at Lonigo on 10 October, finishing on top of the pile with 111 points from the five-round series.

FRANKLIN, Richard (Ritchie)
DATE OF BIRTH: 30 October 1992, Coventry, Warwickshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Rye House II; (2009) Scunthorpe II.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Franklin, a former Coventry mascot, regrettably sustained injuries to his back and pelvis whilst representing Great Britain in an Under-21 Test match versus Australasia at King's Lynn on 11 July 2009. The accident, in heat four, saw the Coventry-born racer catapult over his handlebars and into the fence after opposing rider Shelby Rutherford had locked-up on the fourth corner of the initial lap. The injury meant a spell on the sidelines and he was replaced in Scunthorpe's National League team by Sean Stoddart. However, he returned to the Scorpions' declared line-up near the end of the same month, when he took the place of John MacPhail. The youngster was subsequently forced to miss another sector of the season in August, when he had to have an operation to remove his appendix.

FRY, Paul David
DATE OF BIRTH: 25 October 1964, Hereford, Herefordshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (1984) Newcastle, Cradley Heath, Arena-Essex; (1986-87) Cradley Heath; (1988) Stoke; (1989-90) Long Eaton; (1991) King's Lynn; (1992-96) Exeter; (1997-98) Newport; (1999) Stoke; (2000-02) Swindon; (2003) Swindon, Peterborough; (2004) Somerset, Belle Vue; (2005-06) Somerset; (2007) Mildenhall; (2008) Isle of Wight; (2009) Newport, Poole.
CLUB HONOURS: League Cup winner: 1986 [Cradley Heath]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 1986, 1987 [both Cradley Heath]; Four-Team Championship winner: 2003 [Swindon], 2005 [Somerset].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Mark Fry (born: 4 July 1972, Hereford, Herefordshire).
ADDITIONAL INFO: (1) In 1992, ‘Fryer' was involved in four serious track accidents, sustaining several injuries including a painful broken scaphoid; (2) The 1999 season wasn't a happy one for the Hereford-born rider since he spent much of it on the injured list with a broken ankle, sustained at the Isle of Wight while making a guest appearance for Exeter on 1 June; (3) There was more misfortune in 2001, when he endured a spell on the sidelines after breaking a knuckle in a home league match for Swindon versus Hull on 12 July; (4) His 2002 campaign for Swindon ended abruptly at Berwick on 15 June, when a freak heat three accident saw him crash awkwardly and suffer a double leg fracture, rendering him out of action for the remainder of the term; (5) In 2006, Fry was unfortunately struck by the injury bug yet again, sustaining a broken leg in a home league fixture for Somerset, ironically against Berwick, on 2 June, which prematurely spelt the end of his season; (6) Somerset hosted a testimonial meeting for Fry on 23 March 2007, when Leigh Adams took victory in an individual event; (7) The popular speedster was again in the wars whilst representing the Isle of Wight in a Premier League match at Berwick on 10 May 2008. Regrettably, the meeting came to shocking end due to an horrific crash that also injured some supporters. As the tapes went up on heat seven, Fry locked machines with home rider Scott Smith going into the first bend, leaving the duo unable to control the outcome. With both bikes going at full-bore, the pair smashed head-long into the fencing, shattering the barrier to smithereens and sending Smith deep into the no-man's-land, but Fry and the machines kept on going, flying over the remains of the fence and into the supporters' area. The IOW rider ended up against the stadium's perimeter wall, some fifty feet from the track, while the flying bikes struck three very unlucky supporters who were walking past. The long servant to British speedway sustained knee ligament damage and a couple of broken toes, and Smith, like Fry, was both shaken-up and shocked at the severity of the incident. The local police subsequently treated the incident as they would a regular accident scene and the meeting was abandoned; (8) Fry looked to be lost to the sport in 2009 after his long racing career, but was signed by Newport following the injury to Craig Watson in their re-opening meeting. In May, he also joined Poole in a ‘doubling-up' capacity alongside Ben Wilson, when the Pirates released Carl Stonehewer and Tomasz Piszcz. Having shown good form for the Wasps, Fry took over the club captaincy when Mark Lemon was axed at the start of July. At 44 years-of-age, he is the second oldest rider competing in British speedway, behind Mark Burrows.