BACH, René
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 June 1990, Hjordkaer, Rødekro, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (2009) Peterborough, Newcastle; (2010) Newcastle.
MAJOR HONOUR: World Under-21 Team Cup Champion: 2010.
CLUB HONOURS: Premier Trophy winner: 2010 [Newcastle]; Play-Off winner: 2010 [Newcastle]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2010 [Newcastle].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.02 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The young Dane linked with Peterborough as a short-term replacement for Karol ZÄ…bik at the start of the 2009 campaign. He was subsequently replaced in the Panthers team in April by Kenneth Hansen, in order to return to Denmark to complete his studies. Bach, however, returned to the British scene in June, when he took the place of Steve Boxall at Newcastle. He did exceptionally well for the Diamonds to post a real-time average in excess of 8 points per match and, in early November, was named as a definite starter for the Geordie side in 2010.

He was to enjoy a terrific season, as he helped Newcastle secure an aggregate victory over Birmingham in the Premier Trophy final. Bach also romped to a 15-point maximum to help Denmark lift the World Under-21 Team Cup at Rye House on 5 September, as Poland’s monopoly on the competition was finally broken. Then, in October, he was again a key component of the Diamonds’ line-up as they took victory in the Play-Offs, defeating Sheffield in the final.

Closing the season in style, the Dane helped Newcastle to win their third piece of silverware for the season, as they overcame League Champions Edinburgh in the Knock-Out Cup final. Bach notched 11 points in the first leg at Armadale on 29 October and followed it up with a tally of 13 in the return match two days later, as the Diamonds claimed a hard-fought 91-88 success on aggregate. He ended the season holding sixth position in the entire Premier League averages, his total of 479 points from forty-five official appearances equating to a wonderful 9.54 figure.

BAGER, Henning
DATE OF BIRTH: 18 February 1981, Esbjerg, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (2001) Glasgow; (2002) Peterborough, Isle of Wight; (2003) Arena-Essex; (2004-05) Peterborough; (2006) Arena-Essex; (2007) Lakeside, Birmingham; (2008) Berwick, Birmingham, Peterborough; (2009) Belle Vue, Peterborough; (2010) Redcar.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 9.16 (PL).
BRITISH CAREER: (2001) Glasgow; (2002) Peterborough, Isle of Wight; (2003) Arena-Essex; (2004-05) Peterborough; (2006) Arena-Essex; (2007) Lakeside, Birmingham; (2008) Berwick, Birmingham, Peterborough; (2009) Belle Vue, Peterborough; (2010) Redcar, Stoke.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Dane joined Belle Vue just prior to the start of the 2009 campaign as cover for Billy Forsberg, who had sustained a wrist injury whilst training on a moto-cross machine. His stint in the side lasted until the third week of April, before Forsberg was declared fit to return. Shortly afterwards, Bager was snapped-up by Peterborough as a direct replacement for the dropped Aleš Dryml. That represented his fourth spell with the Panthers, with whom he has been a dependable rider since first joining them in 2002.

Regrettably, his season ended prematurely on 8 October, when he broke his left leg in three places whilst representing Peterborough in a Midland League fixture versus Wolverhampton at the East of England Showground. This occurred in heat twelve of the encounter, when visiting rider Chris Kerr fell on the first bend of lap two, leaving the closely following Dane with nowhere to go. The meeting was subsequently abandoned when the paramedic accompanied Bager to the Edith Cavell Hospital in Peterborough.

His injuries included fracturing both the tibia and fibula, whilst there was also nerve damage. There were serious doubts as to whether he would be fit to race at all in 2010; however, he made a remarkable recovery and was passed fit to ride again in March. He had to wait until a couple of months into the campaign, though, before he was brought into Redcar's Premier League side as a replacement for injured Slovenian Maks Gregorič.

He marked his debut with 6+1 points versus Somerset in a league fixture at the South Tees Motorsports Park on 20 May but, after a less than auspicious stay in the Bears' colours, the club took the opportunity to sign James Grieves and dispense with the Danish rider in mid-June. Bager looked set to return to action with Stoke in early July, though, when he took the place of compatriot Claus Vissing. However, it transpired that he would only be available to ride for the Potteries club until 7 August so, after further discussions with the rider, promoter Dave Tattum looked at other options and signed Luboš Tomíček instead.

Bager was banned by the Danish Federation from 16 August until the end of the season. The ban, which also applied in the UK, was meted out following a fight during a Division One meeting in his own country at Holstebro nine days previously, on 7 August. Fellow riders Claus Vissing and Henrik Møller also received the same punishment.

BARKER, Benjamin (Ben) John
DATE OF BIRTH: 10 March 1988, Truro, Cornwall.
BRITISH CAREER: (2003) Oxford II, Trelawny II; (2004) Oxford II, Coventry II; (2005) Oxford II, Exeter; (2006) Somerset, Stoke II; (2007) Stoke; (2008) Stoke, Coventry; (2009-10) Coventry.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2005 [Oxford II], 2010 [Coventry]; Four-Team Championship winner: 2006 [Stoke II]; Craven Shield winner: 2008 [Coventry].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.66 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Barker started riding at the age of seven, when he first took up youth grass-track racing. He made his speedway debut for Oxford Silver Machine Academy in 2003, going on to attain an impressive first-season real-time average of 8.34 from twenty-two Conference League appearances for the side. The year also saw him make thirteen appearances for Trelawny Pitbulls in the Conference Trophy, from which he yielded a 6.28 average. In 2004, Barker again represented Oxford at Conference level and also rode for Coventry Cougars in the Conference Trophy. Significantly, the year saw him make his international debut for the Great Britain Under-21 side and he was to go on and make five appearances for them.

Barker’s 2005 campaign with Oxford Academy was prematurely curtailed by a broken leg, which he suffered in a Conference League encounter at Stoke on 3 August. Still, he had played his part and Oxford went on to win the Championship, finishing just a single point ahead of Wimbledon in a very tight finish. Prior to his injury, he had also broken into Exeter’s Premier League side, making thirteen domestic appearances for the Falcons in their last year of activity. Oxford’s Conference League assets were purchased by the then Reading promotion, BSI, in 2006 and fit again, Barker subsequently linked with Somerset on loan for a first full term at PL level, whilst also racing for Stoke Spitfires in the CL.

The talented throttle-jockey hails from Truro in Cornwall – just like Chris Harris – and saw his career take a major step forward during 2007 and 2008, initially in the Premier League. Indeed, his scoring increased substantially having joined Stoke in the first of those years, and Barker subsequently became a full asset of Coventry mid-way through the 2008 campaign after some sterling performances in the No. 8 role. He picked up a large number of bookings due to injuries and unavailability in the lower-order.

And it would not be stretching a point to say that the Bees looked a much stronger unit when he was present. GP riders Fredrik Lindgren and Lukáš Dryml were amongst his notable scalps at Brandon, whilst at Belle Vue he astonishingly defeated double World Champion Jason Crump on merit. He saved his best for last by scoring a remarkable 14 points at Lakeside in the first leg of the Craven Shield Final – followed by a 12-point maximum in the Brandon return!

Having made a bright start to his first full term of top-flight racing with the Bees in 2009, the Cornishman regrettably sustained a broken right fibula when he crashed with Italian Mattia Tadiello in heat sixteen of the World Under-21 Championship qualifying round at Neustadt, Germany, on 26 April. His injury meant a recall to the Coventry side for Filip Šitera. After three months on the sidelines with his broken leg, Barker was deemed fit to resume for the Bees towards the end of July and he went on to complete the campaign with an excellent real-time average in excess of 7.5 per match. Deservedly, he scooped the club’s Rider of the Year award and, in December, he was named in the team’s starting line-up for 2010.

Barker enjoyed one of the best nights of his career to secure an excellent third place in the British Final at Wolverhampton on 14 June. And even better came at the season’s sharp end, as he was part of a stunning late-season revival that saw Coventry grab the last spot in the Play-Offs. They then defeated Peterborough at the semi-final stage, before facing runaway table-toppers Poole to decide the title. After winning 51-39 in the first leg at Brandon on 27 September, Coventry journeyed to Wimborne Road for the return fixture seven days later. And they completed an astonishing transformation from early-term relegation candidates to Championship material on a stunning night when they overturned the overwhelming favourites – not only by defending their 12-point first leg lead, but also by winning the away leg, 50-40, as well.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Barker has signed on as a reserve for one Grand Prix, at Cardiff, Wales, for the 2010 FIM British Speedway Grand Prix, but did not get a ride and is still waiting to make his SGP debut.

BASEBY, Aaron Henry
DATE OF BIRTH: 31 May 1990, Pembury, Kent.
BRITISH CAREER: (2005-08) Sittingbourne; (2009-10) Bournemouth.
CLUB HONOUR: Knock-Out Cup winner: 2009 (Bournemouth); League Championship winner: 2009 [Bournemouth].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Mark Baseby (born: 28 February 1988, Pembury, Kent).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.76 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: A keen carpenter, the younger of the two racing siblings set out on his speedway career with Sittingbourne at Conference level and eventually moved from a reserve berth to a second-string role at the Kent club in 2008 as he continued to improve. The formation of the National League in 2009 gave him the opportunity to again ride alongside his brother – as he had done previously with the Crusaders – in the highly successful Bournemouth team, based at Poole’s Wimborne Road venue.

Indeed, in a great year, the Buccaneers completed a wonderful double, winning firstly the Knock-Out Cup and then the League Championship. Late in November, Bournemouth announced that Baseby would remain with them for the 2010 campaign but, after a solid term at reserve the previous term, he found life difficult in a second-string role. This was fully illustrated by an average of little over 4 points per match compared to his figure of close on 6 points a match in 2009. In September, the club’s management acted by replacing him with Nick Laurence.  

BASEBY, Mark Charles
DATE OF BIRTH: 28 February 1988, Pembury, Kent.
BRITISH CAREER: (2003) Stoke II, Swindon II; (2004) Rye House II, Sittingbourne; (2005) Sittingbourne; (2006) Mildenhall II; (2007) Sittingbourne, Mildenhall; (2008) Mildenhall, Sittingbourne; (2009) Bournemouth; (2010) Bournemouth, Somerset.
CLUB HONOURS: Knock-Out Cup winner: 2009 [Bournemouth]; League Championship winner: 2009 [Bournemouth].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Aaron Baseby (born: 31 May 1990, Pembury, Kent).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE:  7.00 (NL), 3.04 (PL)
ADDITIONAL INFO: Baseby sustained a shoulder injury that brought his 2007 season to a premature end, when he spun and fell awkwardly on the third bend during heat fourteen of Mildenhall’s home league match versus Newport on 4 September. Then, in 2008, the Pembury-born rider aggravated an ankle ligament injury when he fell on the first corner during the initial running of heat five in Mildenhall’s home league match versus the Isle of Wight on 20 April.

That occurred after team-mate Jan Graversen had almost run into him, the Dane having initially tangled with visiting rider Cory Gathercole as they left the gate. Having returned to the saddle, Baseby regrettably suffered a crushed vertebra when he crashed heavily in heat nine of Mildenhall’s away league fixture at Sheffield on 3 July.

Fully fit, he joined the Poole-based Bournemouth team for their inaugural season of activity in 2009 and, after some impressive performances for the Buccaneers in the new National League, he was named in a re-declared Pirates’ line-up late in May, when he replaced Paul Hurry. However, prior to turning a wheel for Poole, another change saw Baseby replaced by Karol Baran. Along with his younger brother, Aaron, the siblings played a full part as Bournemouth went on to win the Knock-Out Cup, before completing a wonderful double by defeating Plymouth in the Play-Off final to scoop the League Championship.

Baseby again represented the Buccaneers in 2010 and took the role of club skipper on a full-time basis following the early-season back injury sustained by Jay Herne. He had actually been Bournemouth’s stand-in skipper in 2009 – when the Aussie wasn’t available – so this was a natural step for both rider and club. And, continuing his progress, Somerset announced on 4 May that they had also acquired his services as a replacement for the recently-retired American, Brent Werner. He was to lose his spot in the Rebels’ team declaration at the end of June, though, when Aussie Jake Anderson was drafted into the side.

Baseby went on to total 162 points from twenty-one appearances for the Buccaneers, which equated to an average of 7.74. However, at the season’s end, he admitted that he had become disheartened with the sport and would spend the winter contemplating his future. That came after an alarming crash during his last race of the campaign, in heat nineteen of the National League Riders’ Championship at Rye House on 30 October, when King’s Lynn’s Simon Lambert lost control in front of him and fell. Baseby struck the stricken rider and then ploughed into the safety fence, sustaining hefty knocks to his shoulder and hands.    

BATCHELOR, Troy Matthew
DATE OF BIRTH: 29 August 1987, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2005) King’s Lynn, Eastbourne; (2006) King’s Lynn, Coventry; (2007) Poole; (2008) Swindon; (2009) Swindon, Ipswich; (2010) Peterborough.
MAJOR HONOURS: Australian Under-16 Champion: 2003; Queensland State Champion: 2007; South Australia State Champion: 2008, 2009, 2010.
CLUB HONOURS: Knock-Out Cup winner: 2005, [King’s Lynn], 2006 [King’s Lynn and Coventry];
Young Shield winner: 2005 [King’s Lynn]; League Championship winner: 2006 [King’s Lynn]; Premier Trophy winner: 2006 [King’s Lynn]; Elite Shield winner: 2008 [Swindon].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.01 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The ‘Queensland Firebrand’ initially began learning how to skid a speedway bike in 2000, when aged just thirteen. His progress was such that he won the Australian Under-16 Championship at Bibra Lake (near Perth) in Western Australia on 10 January 2003. Impressive showings like that naturally generated a good deal of interest from further afield and he was signed by the Isle of Wight during the 2003/04 winter, although a work permit was refused because he hadn’t reached his seventeenth birthday.

He subsequently took his British bow with King’s Lynn in 2005, helping the side to a Knock-Out Cup and Young Shield double. More trophies came his way with the Norfolk outfit in 2006 and his potent form led to a move into the top-flight with Poole the following year. Unable to be accommodated by the Pirates in 2008, Batchelor was snapped-up by Swindon.

His year with the Robins was largely a fruitful one, the only downside being when he sustained a fractured elbow after he was struck by another rider whilst participating in a practice session for his Polish club, Leszno, on 17 June. Having spent the season on loan at Swindon, the Aussie became a full-time asset of the Wiltshire club in April 2009, when the Robins reached agreement on a transfer deal with King’s Lynn.

Regrettably, though, just a few weeks later, on 21 May, ‘Batch’ crashed heavily in heat four of Swindon’s Elite League encounter with Wolverhampton at Blunsdon, suffering a broken scaphoid. Whilst he recuperated, the Robins signed Matej Žagar as a temporary replacement; however, the Slovenian proved a hot stand-in, so much so that Swindon agreed a deal to keep him in the side for the remainder of the season, whilst Batchelor was made available for loan elsewhere. The Aussie subsequently linked with Ipswich in July, when he took the place of the off-form Piotr Świderski.

At the season’s end, the Aussie was asked if he’d like to return to Swindon in 2010, but a deadline of 13 November came and went, and Batchelor was made available for sale. Peterborough subsequently showed considerable interest in the rider and, in December, actually named him in their side for 2010. However, this provoked an angry reaction form the Robins’ bosses and the situation ended up in the hands of the BSPA management committee.

Matters were amicably resolved on 16 December, though, when the Australian became a full Panthers’ asset for an undisclosed fee. The following month, Batchelor finished second to Chris Holder in the Aussie Championship and, on 17 January, followed that up by winning the South Australian title for a third year on the bounce. He took a hefty knock to the shoulder whilst riding in Sweden on 3 August but, after missing only one match for Peterborough, he bravely returned to action in an away league encounter just six days after the accident.

The Aussie was to damage the shoulder again in a re-arranged match in Poland during Leszno’s defeat at Tarnów on 19 August. That caused him to be an absentee from Peterborough’s Elite League meeting at Coventry the following evening. Again, he soon returned to action and went on to post an average in excess of 7.5 points a match as the Panthers secured a Play-Off berth, although they were eliminated at the semi-final stage by Coventry.

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 2
Events: 3 – 10th on the Australian list; 79th on SWC all-time list
Points: 19 – 11th on the Australian list; 76th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 1
Gold medals: 0

BATES, Matthew (Mattie)
DATE OF BIRTH: 26 July 1989, Exeter, Devon.
BRITISH CAREER: (2004) Weymouth, Coventry II; (2005) Weymouth, Mildenhall; (2006) Plymouth; (2007) Oxford II; (2008) Weymouth; (2009) Plymouth; (2010) Mildenhall, Plymouth
CLUB HONOUR: National Trophy winner: 2009 [Plymouth].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Bates first rode a speedway bike in December 2002 and subsequently signed for Weymouth on his fifteenth birthday in 2004. He was identified with other clubs since then, as he continued to work his way up the ladder, culminating in a full season with Plymouth in 2009, when he played a full part in the Devils' National Trophy success. Overall, he made thirty-one official appearances for the Devon outfit, netting 193 points for a real-time average of 6.60.

Early in January, Mildenhall announced that they had secured his services for the 2010 campaign. However, he was affected by an injury and the long distance travelling to home meetings; as a result, in May, the Fen Tigers' management negotiated a swap deal with Plymouth that saw Bates return to the South-West, whilst Cambridge-based Matt Wright made his move back to West Row.

BEATON HAMILTON, Gary
DATE OF BIRTH: 20 August 1986, Rutherglen, Glasgow, Scotland.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002) Newport II, Newcastle II; (2003) Newcastle II, Wolverhampton II, Armadale; (2004-05) Armadale; (2006) Buxton, Cleveland; (2007) Cleveland; (2008) Redcar II; (2010) Scunthorpe II.
RIDER LINKS: Nephew of George Beaton (born: 4 January 1951, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland), Bobby Beaton (born: 14 May 1952, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland) and Jim Beaton (born: 11 November 1954, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland).
CLUB HONOUR: Conference Trophy winner: 2005 [Armadale].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.52 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Despite possessing a neat riding style and hailing from a speedway dynasty, Beaton has only enjoyed limited guest outings in the Premier League, whilst also having spells with a clutch of clubs at Conference/National League level. Having taken his first skids in 2000, his official debut occurred for a short-handed Newport Mavericks side at Newcastle on 28 July 2002 and his only other outing that year ironically came for the then-Gems, who operated out of Brough Park in British speedway’s third tier from that season until 2004.

The Glaswegian enjoyed a longer run with Newcastle in 2003 and also took a single outing with Wolverhampton, before remaining ever-present with Armadale over the Scottish side’s twenty matches in the Conference Trophy and their run to the Knock-Out Cup semi-final. From these, he yielded 87 points and a healthy 4.87 average; figures which were sufficient for him to remain with the Dale Devils in 2004 and 2005, before the Edinburgh management – like Newcastle the previous term – were forced to pull the plug on their second side. Beaton experienced a career high with Armadale in their final year, as the side won the Conference Trophy courtesy of an aggregate victory over Stoke in the final, and concluded the campaign with an impressive 6.09 average to his name.    

In 2006, the Scotsman was initially identified with Buxton, but appeared in only five official matches for the Peak District side, before riding in just two Conference Shield meetings for Cleveland. He again represented the Bays in 2007, however, making eighteen appearances and notching 121 points for a career-high 6.38 average. Remaining with the re-branded Redcar Bays in 2008, his end-of-term figure slipped back slightly to 6.39, as he totaled 84 points from thirteen matches.

Somewhat surprisingly, there were no takers for his services in the re-named National League in 2009, but he returned to action with Scunthorpe in May 2010, when he took the place of Arlo Bugeja in the Saints’ declared line-up. However, he was to lose his place in August, when club asset Luke Chessell reverted back to the North Lincolnshire side after a loan spell with Weymouth. Having returned to second-half racing at Glasgow, the popular Beaton took a dreadful-looking spill at the Ashfield circuit on 12 September and sustained a broken bone in his back. Despite the nature of his injury, he retained full movement and there was optimism that he would make a complete recovery.    

BEKKER, Byron Anthony
DATE OF BIRTH: 2 July 1987, Kibler Park, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
BRITISH CAREER: (2004) Newcastle II; (2005-07) Scunthorpe; (2008) Scunthorpe, Scunthorpe II; (2009) Scunthorpe, Scunthorpe II, Edinburgh; (2010) Weymouth.
MAJOR HONOURS: South African Under-21 Champion: 2000, 2001.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2006, 2007 [both Scunthorpe]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2006, 2007 [both Scunthorpe]; Conference Trophy winner: 2006, 2007 [both Scunthorpe]; Conference Shield winner: 2006 [Scunthorpe]; Four-Team Championship winner: 2007 [Scunthorpe].
RIDER LINKS: Cousin of Martin Bekker (born: 1984, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa). Grandson of Johnny Bekker (born: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.42 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The rider is nicknamed ‘Boris' for obvious reasons, after the famous German tennis player. Bekker, who first raced a speedway bike in 1999, has been branded as the most successful rider to have competed abroad in over seventy-five years of South African speedway. The only other known South African rider to have won silverware in Britain was Fred Lang, who helped Wembley to National Trophy success in 1954. Indeed, Bekker remained an ever-present for Scunthorpe, making 127 consecutive official appearances in the Scorpions' colours, between joining the club in June 2005 and 19 July 2008, when he sustained a broken collarbone during the Bronze Helmet individual meeting at Weymouth.

During his time with the North Lincolnshire side at Conference level between 2005 and 2007, he helped the Scorpions win numerous trophies: League Champions (2006 and 2007), Knock-Out Cup winners (2006 and 2007), Conference Trophy winners (2006 and 2007), Conference Shield winners (2006). Not only that, but Bekker was also part of the Scunthorpe quartet that won the CL Four-Team Championship in 2007.

Having struggled for form at Premier League level in 2009, Bekker was released from the Scorpions side in June, when Nick Simmons was drafted into his place. The South African returned to PL action in July, however, when he joined Edinburgh as a replacement for Sean Stoddart. He also remained on board at NL level with Scunthorpe Saints but, having been part of the scene almost from the start of their tenure at the Eddie Wright Raceway, Bekker's association with the club ended abruptly later the same month after he had posted a forum message on their official website expressing his dismay at being left out of the team line-up for away matches at the Isle of Wight and King's Lynn. The rider was subsequently replaced in the squad by James Sarjeant.

After failing to score from three rides during the first leg of Edinburgh's Play-Off semi-final at Newcastle on 4 October, the South African asked to be left out of the team. However, he was talked into completing another week for the side due to the difficulty in finding a replacement at short notice. He subsequently stood down in the middle of the month, when the Monarchs re-signed Finnish rider Kalle Katajisto, who had previously ridden for them in 2007.

In December, Weymouth announced that they had acquired the Kibler Park-born rider's services for 2010. Before setting off for the UK, Bekker's final appearance of the season in his home country saw him participate in his own benefit meeting at Walkerville on 28 February and he rode undefeated to win the event, finishing ahead of teenage national Champion Neil Pettit in the final. Prior to that, he had also completed a hat-trick of successes in the Alan Hunt Memorial Trophy, also at Walkerville, tasting victory in the event in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Bekker spent a spell on the sidelines through aggravating a back injury in the abandoned National League Four-Team Championship at Mildenhall on 6 June; it was thought he had a trapped nerve down one side of his body. He returned to action to notch 11 points in a home league match versus Dudley on 25 June, though, and on 2 July recorded his first maximum for the South Coast club on his 23rd birthday - tallying 13+2 - in another league encounter at Radipole Lane against his parent club, Scunthorpe. However, he was injured again on 27 August when, in heat ten of a league fixture against Newport at the Wessex Stadium, he tangled with Tony Atkin and sustained a broken right collarbone and a broken knuckle. He was replaced in the Wildcats' line-up by the returning Adam McKinna.

BERGSTRÖM, Viktor
DATE OF BIRTH: 14 November 1986, Kolmården, Sweden.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008-10) Scunthorpe.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.03 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Swede is unrelated to former Berwick speedster Andreas Bergström. The rider from Kolmården took his UK bow with Scunthorpe in March 2008 and went on to enjoy a fine debut campaign, making thirty-eight official appearances and achieving a solid real-time average of 6.58. Bergström remained with the Scorpions for a second term in 2009, but his season came to a crunching end in a league fixture versus King's Lynn at the Eddie Wright Raceway on 31 August, when he tangled with visiting rider Tomáš Topinka on the second turn of heat nine and careered into the air safety barrier. Regrettably, the accident left him nursing a broken wrist and two broken fingers. In September, it became clear that the injuries would keep the rider out of the saddle for the remainder of the season.

Bergström's pre-injury form had definitely warranted a return and, prior to the end of October, Scunthorpe concluded a deal to keep him on board for a third successive term in 2010. However, he was again in the wars on 24 April, when he sustained injuries in a Premier Trophy encounter at Stoke. This occurred in heat fifteen, when home rider Hynek Štichauer collected the Swede in the first turn and they both went flying into the air safety barrier.

It quickly became apparent that Bergström was in a lot of pain with a hand injury and also a leg that had been burnt as he had been trapped with it up against the silencer for some considerable time. After taking a trip to hospital it was found that there were no broken bones in his hand, but instead he had suffered a tyre burn in addition to the silencer burns on his leg. He was replaced shortly afterwards in the Scorpions' line-up by Tero Aarnio.

Having undergone a skin graft operation, the Swede was to be out of acion for a considerable length of time. But, after practicing along with team partner David Howe at the Scunthorpe raceway on 15 June, Bergström - who was sporting a new race suit and bike covers - was deemed fit to resume racing for the club. His return marked the end of the Scorpions' use of the rider replacement facility for long-term injury victim Joel Parsons.

Unfortunately, his return to action was short-lived and, in his very first meeting back - a league fixture at Workington on 19 June - he sustained a broken finger. This happened in heat eleven, when he fell on turn three of the second lap. The accident also saw him take a blow to the head and the rider later admitted that his leg still wasn't very good. In fact, he feared that if he had one more crash, then he might not be able to ride again.

Despite this, he subsequently had a protective cover fitted at hospital to ensure that - if he did take another fall - he wouldn't do further damage to his skin grafts. He again returned to action for Scunthorpe in a league match at Sheffield on 15 July, but struggled to find consistency and eventually dropped to a reserve berth in September. But he really hit a high note in his first meeting in the position, posting a six-ride paid maximum tally of 15+3 points when the Scorpions entertained Glasgow on the 3rd of the month.  

BERWICK, Daniel (Dan) Benjamin
DATE OF BIRTH: 11 March 1987, Maidstone, Kent.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Sittingbourne; (2009) Isle of Wight; (2010) Plymouth.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The youngster suffered a broken pelvis when he crashed heavily in heat fourteen of the Isle of Wight's challenge match at Weymouth on 10 April 2009, meaning a spell on the sidelines. Amazingly, though, he returned to action with the Islanders on 25 May; however, at the start of June, the Islanders' management told Berwick to take a break from racing in order to concentrate on regaining full fitness before again returning to the track. In early July, his place in the declared line-up was filled by Rikki Mullins.

Having recovered from his injuries, the Maidstone-born rider was re-declared back into the Isle of Wight squad in early August, when he re-took the place of Mullins. In December, he was named as one of Plymouth's reserves for the 2010 campaign and, the following month, it was confirmed that he had joined on a full transfer from the Island club. But, after losing his place in the side following a home league meeting versus Newport on 14 May, he was eventually displaced in the Devils' squad by Ben Reade in mid-June, although he subsequently represented the club in the capacity of a guest.

BETHELL, Jonathan
DATE OF BIRTH: 18 March 1973, Kendal, Cumbria.
BRITISH CAREER: (2003) Oxford II, Buxton; (2004) Buxton; (2005) Buxton, Workington; (2006) Buxton; (2007) Buxton, Stoke II; (2008) Scunthorpe II; (2010) Scunthorpe II, Buxton.
CLUB HONOURS: National Trophy winner: 2010 [Buxton]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2010 [Buxton]; League Championship winner: 2010 [Buxton].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.44 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Bethell took his initial speedway rides at Workington in 2002, before making his official debut for a short-handed Oxford side at Buxton the following year later on 20 April. He subsequently forced his way into the Buxton team and went on to achieve an impressive first season average in excess of 6 points per match from thirty-two appearances.

Remaining with the Hitmen in 2004, he was appointed captain and upped his average to almost 7 points per meeting. The Cumbrian racer was signed by Workington towards the end of April 2005 and shared a reserve berth with Scott Courtney. Although he struggled for points with the Comets, he did remain a consistent scorer at Conference level in Buxton’s colours.

He was to spend a further term with Buxton in 2006, but left the Peak District club in August the following year to link with Stoke Spitfires. A move to Scunthorpe Saints came in 2008 and, despite being troubled by a knee injury, he still yielded a creditable 7.57 average from eleven appearances. In an effort to regain full fitness, he didn’t ride in 2009, but returned to the sport in May 2010 as a replacement for Gareth Isherwood in Scunthorpe’s National League outfit.

His initial comeback didn’t last for long, though, as he crashed heavily in heat four of the Saints’ league match at Newport on 16 May and was replaced in their declared line-up a matter of days later by Mark Burrows. However, following Charles Wright’s move from Buxton back into the Premier League with Redcar in June, Bethell rejoined the Hitmen as his replacement at the beginning of July and went on to help the side win the National Trophy.

In what was to be Buxton’s most successful season in their 16-year history, he was to sustain a dislocated shoulder in heat nine of a home encounter against Dudley in the Play-Off semi-final on 17 October. Despite that, he bravely rode in the first leg of the Knock-Out Cup final versus King’s Lynn at Dale Head Lane seven days later, although he was forced to pull out of the meeting after just one ride.

That was to be his last action of the season but, in his absence, his team-mates did him proud by completing an aggregate success over the Young Stars and then sealing the League Championship with victory over Newport in the Play-Off final, as they completed a brilliant clean sweep of the third tier silverware.

BIRKS, Ashley Adam
DATE OF BIRTH: 19 October 1990, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (2010) Scunthorpe II.
RIDER LINKS: Son of Russell Birks (born: 9 October 1960, Sheffield, South Yorkshire).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: In February 2010, the former motocross rider was signed by Scunthorpe Saints to fill one of their reserve berths for the new National League campaign.  The youngster switched to sliding a speedway bike at the end of the 2009 season after serious injuries had put a stop to his motocross ambitions. Regrettably, he had suffered a broken metatarsal, fractured left leg and damaged ligaments in the top and bottom of his foot, as well as those in his lower leg. This understandably took a considerable amout of time to repair and, afterwards, he couldn't do the jumps because of the pain in his legs.

It was at this point that Tai Woffinden - whom Birks' brother, Jono, is a full-time mechanic for - suggested he tried speedway. And, he soon impressed in Scunthorpe's amateur meetings. So much so that, on 12 December, he split established National League riders Paul Starke and Mattie Bates to fill the runner-up position in the second round of the club's Winter Series. Whilst Birks' leg might hurt when performing moto-cross jumps, there is no problem with his fitness as he regularly rides cycle speedway and was British Under-19 Indoor Champion in 2008. However, following injuries to a number of other riders, he was replaced in the Saints' declared line-up by Arlo Bugeja at the end of April. The Sheffield-born rider returned to the Scunthorpe squad the following month, though, whe he replaced Luke Chessell in the No. 8 berth.

BJERRE JENSEN, Kenneth
DATE OF BIRTH: 24 May 1984, Esbjerg, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002) Newcastle; (2003) Newcastle, Peterborough; (2004-06) Belle Vue; (2007-10) Peterborough.
MAJOR HONOURS: European Under-19 Champion: 2003; Danish Under-21 Champion: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005; Danish Champion: 2010.
CLUB HONOUR: Elite Shield winner: 2007 [Peterborough].
GRAND PRIX HIGHLIGHT: Swedish GP Champion: 2010.
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Lasse Bjerre Jensen (born: 31 October 1993, Esbjerg, Denmark).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.69 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Dane has always ridden as Kenneth Bjerre. Regrettably, he broke his left femur whilst representing Slangerup in the first leg of the Danish League Play-Offs at Fjelsted on 31 August 2005. The injury was sustained after Holsted’s Nicki Pedersen had slightly locked-up in front of him, with both riders going into the safety fence at speed. Unluckily, Bjerre broke the same leg in a Danish Super League meeting while riding for Esbjerg in a home match versus Fjelsted on 21 May 2008. The break occurred in heat eleven, when his team-mate, Brian Lyngsø, picked up drive exiting the second bend and lifted just prior to inadvertently running into Bjerre’s left thigh. Incredibly, having had an operation, the diminutive Dane was back riding again just 10 days after the accident!

The Dane was a fully-fledged Grand Prix rider in 2009 and was tipped by many in the sport to excel on the world stage over the coming years. Renowned for his lightning quick gating, Bjerre enjoyed his third successive full term with Peterborough and again proved a real fans’ favourite at the Panthers’ East of England Showground. In what was a highlight of the season, his neat style and impressive race pace saw the Esbjerg-born rider storm to a 21-point maximum for his country in Event One of the Speedway World Cup at Vojens in his homeland on 11 July.

In December, he was again named in Peterborough’s starting line-up for 2010, as he continued his lengthy association with the Alwalton outfit. And, following a blistering start to the domestic campaign with the Panthers, the pint-sized Dane sealed a maiden Grand Prix success when he won the Swedish round at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, on 8 May. However, Bjerre escaped relatively unscathed from a horror crash just days before the British GP. Paramedics feared that the Peterborough No. 1 had broken his wrist during the Panthers’ Elite League fixture at Eastbourne on 5 July.

The rider suffered a hand and knee injury that required several stitches, although he was fit enough to take his place at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium five days later. He initially went to Eastbourne General Hospital, but after being told there was a four-hour waiting time for treatment was driven to a hospital close to his Huntingdon home. He went on to compile big scores with regularity for Peterborough, whilst also launching a frequent attack on the East of England Showground track record, although his best time was eventually bettered by Coventry’s Krzysztof Kasprzak. Meanwhile, on 6 August, he made sure of his first Danish title courtesy of victory in the second leg of the Championship at Holsted.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 28 – 31st on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 251 – 25th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 158 – 27th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 41 – 20th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix wins: 1 – 17th on SGP all-time list      
Grand Prix finals: 5 – 22nd on SGP all-time list

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 7
Events: 14 – 5th on Denmark’s list; 14th on SWC all-time list
Points: 148 – 4th on Denmark’s list; 13th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 5
Gold medals: 1

BJERRE JENSEN, Lasse
DATE OF BIRTH: 31 October 1993, Esbjerg, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (2010) King's Lynn.
MAJOR HONOUR: World Under-21 Team Cup Champion: 2010
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Kenneth Bjerre Jensen (born: 24 May 1984, Esbjerg, Denmark).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.00 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The Dane has always ridden as Lasse Bjerre. As a 16-year-old, he initially appeared competitively in the UK in Peterborough's 40th Anniversary meeting versus an International Select at the East of England Showground on 15 March 2010. Representing the select side, he raced out of the No. 6 berth and demonstrated good pace on his way to 1+1 points and also emerged unhurt from a heat twelve crash. And, in August, he landed his first British berth with Premier League King's Lynn amidst an astonishing raft of changes at the Norfolk club.

The first move had seen Adam Roynon replace Joe Haines and this was immediately followed by another four amendments to their team declaration, as Casper Wortmann and Chris Mills were released, whilst the injured Kevin Doolan and the unwell Darren Mallett also had their names removed from the 1-7. Olly Allen effectively replaced Doolan in the No. 1 position, with the other incoming riders being Bjerre, Jamie Courtney and Cal McDade. Adding to some early impressive performances for the Stars, the Esbjerg-born rider was part of the Danish side that finally broke Poland's grip on the World Under-21 Team Cup, notching 5 points in the final at Rye House on 5 September.

BLAKE, Daniel (Dan) James
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 August 1988, Harlow, Essex.
BRITISH CAREER: (2004) Mildenhall; (2005-06) Sittingbourne; (2007) Plymouth, Oxford II; (2009) Rye House II; (2010) Isle of Wight.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.13 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Blake started riding when he attended Olle Nygren's speedway school at King's Lynn in 2001. He went on to make his Conference League debut as Mildenhall's No. 8 in an encounter against Carmarthen on 30 August 2004, prior to spending two seasons attached to Sittingbourne. The Essex-born youngster subsequently had spells with both Plymouth and Oxford in 2007. Having recovered from a broken hip, Blake linked with Rye House's National League side, the Cobras, in 2009. However, a team change in August saw him lose his place in the line-up, when the vastly experienced David Mason was signed. He was quickly recalled, though, when he took the place of Trevor Heath towards the end of the same month. The Harlow-born rider was unable to be accommodated within the Rye House line-up for 2010 and, towards the end of January, it was announced that he had joined the Isle of Wight on loan.

He made a fairly bright start for the Islanders in some early-season challenge matches, but faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines after being involved in a frightening crash in heat twelve of the side's first National League match of the campaign at Newport on 24 April. This saw Blake hurtle into the perimeter fence at high speed after seemingly clipping home rider Kyle Newman's rear wheel and it was immediately obvious that he was in a lot of distress as the medics raced to his aid. He received lengthy on-track treatment, was stretchered into the ambulance and, after the race was re-run without him, the meeting was abandoned as the ambulance rushed him to hospital where X-rays revealed he had sustained a double break of his lower right leg. That resulted in him undergoing lengthy surgery to pin and plate the injuries, which appeared likely to see him ruled  out of action for the remainder of the season. At the tail-end of May, he was replaced in the Isle of Wight's team declaration by Danny Hodgson.

BOWEN, Luke Alex
DATE OF BIRTH: 26 January 1986, Harlow, Essex.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002) Rye House II, Carmarthen; (2003) Rye House II; (2004) Rye House II, King’s Lynn II; (2005) Rye House II; (2006-07) Rye House, Rye House II; (2008-10) Rye House.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 2003 [Rye House II]; League Championship winner: 2007 [Rye House].
RIDER LINKS: Son of former rider Kevin Bowen (born: 23 February 1956, Harlow, Essex).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.99 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: On 9 October 2003, Bowen sustained a broken thigh during a Conference League match for Rye House at Swindon. Having resumed in the saddle in 2004, the British speedster fractured a bone in his wrist, whilst appearing for the Raiders in a CL fixture at Weymouth on 18 June. Later in 2004, on 21 October to be precise, he had the misfortune to suffer a nasty foot injury at Swindon a little over a year after his previous accident at the Wiltshire raceway, when again representing the Raiders in a league match against the Sprockets. Bowen was in the wars again on 23 April 2005, when he sustained serious back injures in a second-half accident at Rye House. This followed an earlier Premier Trophy encounter between the Rockets and King's Lynn, which the Harlow-born rider hadn't appeared in.

Nicknamed ‘Bowen 747', the rider was again sidelined in 2008. Firstly, he dislocated two fingers when he crashed on the third bend of heat three in Rye House's Premier Trophy match at Birmingham on 2 April; then, he sustained ligament damage to his arm and shoulder in heat one of the Rockets' PT fixture against King's Lynn at Hoddesdon on 19 April. Late in the 2009 season, Bowen suffered a broken metatarsal in his right hand but, following a three-day spell of extensive laser treatment, he missed few meetings and was passed fit to resume riding with a heavily strapped hand and arm. At the campaign's end, he had posted a real-time average of just a shade under 7 points per match and, for the second season on the spin, collected the club's Rider of the Year award.  

Having begun the 2010 season again in the characteristic Rye House colours, the Harlow-born racer was involved in a frightening crash at the Hoddesdon circuit on 17 April, when King's Lynn provided the opposition for a Premier Trophy encounter. In heat five, the home duo of Bowen and Jordan Frampton gated ahead of Tomas Topinka, before the Czech endeavoured to drive outside the two Rockets in a single manoeuvre coming off the fourth bend. However, although the visiting No. 1 succeeded in getting past Frampton, he locked together with Bowen and took himself and the home speedster into the first bend safety fence in a truly terrifying smash.

The match was delayed for half-an-hour whilst paramedics attended to the pair, who were - amazingly - able to walk away from the incident. Topinka sustained a broken fibula and severe bruising to his right hand, while the Rye House man suffered torn shoulder ligaments and bruising. Bravely, Bowen appeared for the re-run and won the race, before going on to complete the meeting. He did, however, miss the Rockets next match at Somerset in the Premier Trophy on 23 April due to the effects of his shoulder injury.

The Essex boy went on to maintain an average of close on 6 points per match in official matches, but was to sustain a broken right forearm in the vicinity of his elbow during a Premier Trophy semi-final, second leg clash at Birmingham on 23 June, which necessitated a spell on the sidelines. The injury - which was initially described as a clean break without complications and not requiring surgery - was received in heat five of the encounter, when the ‘Harlow Flyer' fell and hit the Perry Barr safety fence. Whilst he recuperated, Rye House announced the signing of Robbie Kessler to plug the gap in the side.

Bowen did subsequently require an operation on his broken arm and underwent surgery on 8 July, during which a steel plate was inserted to secure the bone correctly. The healing process was expected to take some eight to ten weeks - unfortunately longer than anticipated at the time of the break - but the doctors were confident that the operation would turn out to be a complete success.

BOXALL, Steven (Steve) Shane
DATE OF BIRTH: 16 May 1987, Canterbury, Kent.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002-03) Rye House II; (2004-05) Rye House, Rye House II; (2006) Rye House; (2007) Rye House, Poole; (2008) Belle Vue; (2009) Newcastle, Belle Vue, Poole; (2010) Somerset.
MAJOR HONOUR: Conference League Riders' Champion: 2005.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 2003 [Rye House II]; League Championship winner: 2005, 2007 [both Rye House]; Premier Trophy winner: 2005 [Rye House].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.88 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Boxall started his speedway career with Rye House, being a product of their Conference League side. He was the winner of the prestigious CLRC in 2005, as well as being a part of the senior Rockets' line-up that won the Premier League and Premier Trophy that same year. After ‘doubling up' between the Conference and Premier Leagues with Rye House, the 2006 campaign saw him move full-time into the Rockets team and he was a member of the side that scooped the League Championship for a second time in 2007. Having decided that the time was right for a move into the Elite League, he signed for Belle Vue in 2008 however, not long after joining the club, he sustained a dislocated shoulder during the Aces' Craven Shield match at Coventry on 28 March. This occurred in heat eight, when he took a nasty fall whilst dicing for the lead with home rider Olly Allen. After visiting a surgeon, the Belle Vue teamster was instructed that he required an operation, when a scan on his damaged shoulder revealed a tendon problem. As a result, he was to sit out the remainder of the season.

He returned to action with Newcastle at the beginning of the 2009 campaign, but lost his place in a ‘doubling-up' role at Belle Vue in May. This followed the Manchester club's signing of Morten Risager and their decision to opt for a straight 1-7 line-up. In June, Boxall also found himself surplus to requirements with the Diamonds following a disappointing run of form, which had culminated in him sustaining a broken hand in the lead-up to the club's 80th Anniversary meeting. The injury was the legacy of some high jinks with a punch-ball at one of the city's many nightspots and followed a Civic Reception, hosted by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at the Mansion House on 15 May. He was replaced in the Diamonds' line-up by Rene Bach.

The Canterbury-born rider wasn't out of work for long, though, as he was snapped-up by Poole in July to replace the out-of-form Karol Baran. His tenacious efforts rapidly won over the Pirates' supporters, but a series of engine blow-ups led to the rider announcing his retirement from the sport. The decision was quickly reversed, however, after club skipper Bjarne Pedersen stepped forward with the loan of a bike. Boxall was further boosted by the news that a trackside collection would take place during Poole's home meeting versus Swindon on 12 August, with the monies added to by a donation from the Riders' Equipment Fund (REF) and the club's own ‘Pep Talk' fanzine.

No takers came in for Boxall's services after the cessation of the season but, on 3 January 2010, the rider put himself firmly in the shop window courtesy of a superb victory on borrowed machinery in the New Year Classic at Newport. Then, on 19 January, Somerset announced that they had secured his services to fill the team place left vacant following the tragic death of Emil Kramer in a road traffic accident in his native Sweden on 9 December. And, on 3 February, he was named as Swindon's No. 8 rider for the year. However, before he had turned a wheel for the Robins, it was announced by the Wiltshire outfit on 14 April that he had been replaced in the position by club asset Justin Sedgmen. The decision by the Robins' management came after Boxall had been absent from the Somerset side on a couple of occasions, with little or no notice.

Then, just hours before the Rebels' home match against Rye House in the Premier Trophy on 23 April, the Oak Tree Arena-based side were rocked with the news that Boxall had quit the sport. His decision was conveyed in a short, 4-word, text message to new Somerset co-promoter Mark Saunders, who understandably was disappointed with not only the news, but the way in which the rider informed the club of his decision. Boxall's message was received at lunch-time on the day of the meeting against his former club and bluntly stated: "I quit sorry mate". With the rider deemed to be withholding his services, the Rebels were granted a 28-day facility to cover his absence.

BRANFORD, Robert Peter
DATE OF BIRTH: 23 November 1993, Adelaide, South Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2010) Buxton.
CLUB HONOURS: National Trophy winner: Buxton [2010]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2010 [Buxton]; League Championship winner: 2010 [Buxton].
RIDER LINKS: Son of Darrell Branford (born: 9 September 1964, Whyalla, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: In mid-March 2010, Buxton announced the signing of Branford – the son of ex-rider Darrell, who had spells with both Edinburgh and Long Eaton back in 1988. This followed talks between the two parties that had been ongoing since the previous September. The youngster had actually contacted several clubs but, after a lot of discussion and a recommendation from Scott James, he pledged his immediate future to Buxton just before Christmas. Branford holds a British passport and initially participated in go-kart racing, before taking up speedway in junior events at the age of 10.

As with many young riders from Down Under, he rode at the famous Sidewinders track in Adelaide and also participated in junior moto-cross. For two years on the spin, he ran third-place finishes in the South Australian Under-16 Championship; in 2007, he came home behind Arthur Sissis and Justin Sedgmen, whilst a year later he finished behind Sedgmen and Nick Morris.

On 29 October 2008, he took his very first ride on a full-size 500cc steed and the following year, on 31 October, he made his senior debut at Undera Park Speedway in Victoria, prior to the season opening at his local track, Gillman Speedway.

Branford was one of 31 riders who took part in fifty-six races at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on 11 April in the opening round of the club’s highly popular Summer Championship. And the 16-year old excelled in the Open Class, winning the ‘B’ Final before seeing off the experienced trio of Danny Hodgson, Gary O’Hare and Jamie Swales to claim victory in the ‘A’ Final. He subsequently showed good form from a reserve berth for Buxton and hit the jackpot on 2 May when, in a Knock-Out Cup tie versus Mildenhall, he registered his first official paid maximum, scoring 9+3 points.

Branford was to help the Hitmen win the National Trophy, before the club went on to complete a clean sweep of the silverware in British speedway’s third tier to mark the most successful term in the team’s 16-year history. As the season came to a wonderful climax, he notched scores of 11+3 and 13+1 points, respectively, in the home and away legs against King’s Lynn in the Knock-Out Cup final.

Then, on the last official day of the season – 31 October – Buxton defeated Newport 56-35 in a one-legged Play-Off final on their own track after the scheduled first leg in South Wales had been washed out two days beforehand. The Aussie led the way on the big day, top-scoring with a tally of 14+1 points from six starts.

BRANNEY, Craig Harry
DATE OF BIRTH: 31 July 1982, Whitehaven, Cumbria.
BRITISH CAREER: (2000) Ashfield; (2001) Workington, Buxton; (2002) Newcastle II, Hull; (2003) Newcastle, Newcastle II, Armadale; (2004) Oxford II, King’s Lynn II; (2005) Hull, Oxford, Oxford II; (2006) Berwick; (2007) Workington; (2009) Newcastle, Stoke; (2010) Berwick.
CLUB HONOUR: League Championship winner: 2005 [Oxford II].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of John Branney (born: 7 November 1985, Whitehaven, Cumbria).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.53 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having agreed a deal to remain with Workington in 2008, the elder of the Branney brothers crashed whilst appearing in the annual indoor ice meeting at Telford on 24 February, breaking a leg in five places. This was to rule him out of action for the entire season. The Whitehaven-born rider returned to action with Newcastle in 2009, but a team change in July saw him axed and replaced by Mark Lemon. The Cumbrian racer wasn’t sidelined for long, though, as he was drafted into the Stoke side towards the end of the same month to fill the void created by Lee Smart’s recall to Birmingham. In November, Berwick confirmed that the enthusiastic rider would be joining them for the 2010 campaign.

Prior to Christmas, Branney went into hospital for an operation to have a plate removed from his knee, however in January, he revealed that he had been burgled prior to that during the winter, with over £2,500 in cash stolen from his home in Workington. The money had been collected towards a stag trip and, in January, the unfortunate speedster was informed that his insurance company wouldn’t reimburse it. That left him with no alternative than to replace the amount from money he had saved towards his equipment for the new season. Having informed Berwick promoter John Anderson of his predicament, the Bandits’ boss appealed for any potential sponsors who could help out the distressed rider.

Some pre-season practice in France – along with his sibling – certainly paid dividends as Branney hit the ground running with tallies of 9+3 and 12+4 points in away and home matches versus Workington in the Premier Trophy on 2 and 3 April, respectively. And, he overcame neck, shoulder and back injuries in a crash at Edinburgh on 9 April to resume his tall scoring a little over a week later. Indeed, four successive double-figure tallies were highlighted by a paid maximum (13+2 points) versus Redcar in a Premier League encounter at Shielfield Park on 1 May. But, his sparkling spell ended abruptly when he sustained a broken left wrist in the Bandits’ home league match versus King’s Lynn on 15 May. He picked up the injury on the first bend of heat two, when he was pushed wide and slid off.

Branney suffered a further injury setback in his first meeting back, as he fell heavily in heat eight of the Bandits’ home league match against Newport on 3 July. He was treated for shoulder and collarbone problems, plus a knock on the head. Although he hoped for an early return to racing, it became clear that his injuries would need time to heal and, early in August, the Berwick management moved to replace the unlucky Cumbrian with Marcin Rempała. However, Branney was once again able to return to the side in September, when he came back into the line-up to replace the injured Michał Rajkowski. Unhappy with his form and general level of confidence, though, he stopped racing before the prestigious Bordernapolis in October in order to concentrate on his fitness for 2011.

BRANNEY, John James
DATE OF BIRTH: 7 November 1985, Whitehaven, Cumbria.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002) Rye House II, Newcastle II; (2003) Newcastle II, Wimbledon, Buxton; (2004) Newcastle II, King's Lynn II; (2005) Oxford II; (2006) Scunthorpe, Stoke II; (2007) Berwick, Stoke II, Workington; (2008) Workington, Buxton; (2009) Workington; (2010) Workington, Glasgow.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2005 [Oxford II]; Four-Team Championship winner: 2008, 2009 [both Workington - non-riding reserve on each occasion]; Young Shield winner: 2008, 2009 [both Workington].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Craig Branney (born: 31 July 1982, Whitehaven, Cumbria).
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.20 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The younger of the racing siblings is one of the sport's honest battlers, and his standards most definitely improved over his first three seasons with his local club, Workington, which began in May 2007. On 25 July 2009, for the second year running, Branney was the non-riding reserve as the Comets scooped the Four-Team Championship at their own Derwent Park. The season culminated in more success, as he helped Workington to complete back-to-back Young Shield victories courtesy of victory over Rye House in the final. Branney's end-of-term real-time average was in excess of 5 points per match and, in early November, he was rewarded by being named as a starter in the Comets' 2010 line-up.

Due to rain, snow and ice, Branney had been unable to practice sufficiently in the run-up to the season, aside from an outing on the beach and another at the Northside training track, so on 4 March, together with his brother, he made the long treck to France in order to address the situation. After the drive to Portsmouth, they caught the ferry and then faced a seven-hour drive to their destination at Lamothe Landerron - situated between Bordeaux and Toulouse - where they were booked in for practice on the Saturday and Sunday (6-7 March), before facing a drive through the night to catch the ferry back to Britain.

The rider also admitted that he'd had a set-back with an operation on his ankle, which had been badly damaged in a track accident five years previously. Regrettably, he had picked up an infection after the surgery but, following some remedial work, he had been in the gym and had also undertaken some fitness work at home. This paid dividends and the local rider started the season brightly at reserve and did well enough to move up to Workington's No. 2 slot.

Unfortunately, Branney wasn't able to carry that point-scoring spree into his role higher up the order and, in early June, he was sacrificed to make room for the introduction of American ace Kenny Ingalls. Shortly after, on 10 June, Glasgow announced that they had snapped-up the Cumbrian as a replacement for Anders Andersen, whose short stint with the Scottish club had come to an end. That concluded a busy spell of activity for the Tigers' management, who had also drafted in Joe Screen and Nick Morris in a major shake-up of their side.

Branney was involved in a horror smash during the Tigers' league visit to Workington on 31 July. The encouraging news, however, was that he didn't suffer a broken wrist as had been thought at the time, and he was released from hospital suffering from cuts and bruises. Glasgow utilized the rider replacement facility in his absence, before the rider returned to action - although far from 100 per cent fit - in a home match versus Newcastle on 29 August.

BRIDGER, Lewis Alan
DATE OF BIRTH: 4 November 1989, Hastings, Sussex.
BRITISH CAREER: (2005) Weymouth; (2006-09) Eastbourne; (2010) Peterborough, Coventry.
MAJOR HONOURS: British Under-18 Champion: 2006; British Under-21 Champion: 2009.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 2005 [Weymouth]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2005 [Weymouth], 2008 [Eastbourne]; Elite Shield winner: 2009 [Eastbourne]; League Championship winner: 2010 [Coventry].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.77 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Bridger burst on to the scene as a fifteen-year-old with Weymouth in 2005, shattering the track record at the Wessex Stadium in August that year and going on to post a sensational average in excess of 9 points per match at Conference level. He then shocked the speedway world by taking the bold step to bypass the Premier League and move straight up to the Elite League with Eastbourne in 2006. His tenacious riding earned many plaudits amongst such exalted company and he was to card a very respectable 4.84 average, having remained ever-present throughout the Eagles’ fifty official matches. To cap a fine campaign, he won the British Under-18 Championship at Wolverhampton on 2 October courtesy of a sublime 15-point maximum.

He upped that figure to 5.51 in a second term with the East Sussex outfit the following year, as he remained on course for a big future in the sport. However, the Hastings-born race-ace admitted assault following an incident that took place at TJs nightclub in Eastbourne on 12 December 2007. The rider and his associates had become embroiled with a Japanese student, an occurrence that saw Bridger and two others arrested and subsequently charged at Lewes Crown Court on 18 April 2008. However, Bridger was spared jail at a sentencing hearing in the same court a little over a month later on 19 May. Judge Charles Kemp ordered him to pay a £1,500 fine and £500 compensation to his victim after watching CCTV footage of the attack. The youngster managed to keep riding throughout with the Eagles, though, increasing his final average to 6.31 in the process.

Firmly established in the top-flight, the 2009 campaign represented Bridger’s fourth successive season in the colours of Eastbourne. Possessing bundles of natural talent, his steady progress continued and some spectacular outside blasts saw him scoop the British Under-21 Championship at Lakeside on 24 April, as he added to his previous success at Under-18 level. His season was marred on 20 July, though, when he missed the Eagles’ league match at Belle Vue and instead rode for his Polish club, CzÄ™stochowa, that same evening.   The rider was subsequently hit with a two-match ban by the BSPA, as well as a £5,000 club fine by Eastbourne and a two-week suspension from competing abroad. Having overcome that setback, he went on to complete the campaign with a real-time average of 7.46.

Following the cessation of the season, there was speculation that he craved a moved to a larger home track and, in November, he agreed terms to link with Peterborough on loan from the Eagles. In December, the GB international revealed that he would like to return to his parent club in the future, having admitted that the Sussex outfit had had such a huge bearing on his career thus far. Meanwhile, Aussie youngster and fellow Panthers’ acquisition Ricky Wallace – who was loaned to King’s Lynn – was initially part of Bridger’s pit crew, being based with the Hastings-born rider at his home in the seaside resort of Bexhill, East Sussex.

For one reason or another, Bridger wasn’t able to find his best form with Peterborough and, towards the end of May, a dramatic move saw both him and Krzysztof Kasprzak – who had been released earlier in the month by Lakeside – snapped-up by Coventry. Making way, the Bees allowed Rory Schlein to switch to the Panthers, whilst Filip Šitera was also made available to other clubs. Frenzied conjecture followed and it was thought that the Hastings-born rider would return to Eastbourne after the Eagles’ management had intervened to state that it was wrong of the two clubs to hammer out a deal over the future of one of their assets without any discussion or involvement from the parent club.

A series of lengthy and time consuming negotiations – those involving the BSPA Management Committee members – subsequently took place and it appeared as if a compromise deal had been reached. It was apparently agreed that Bridger would ride three matches for Coventry, before reverting to the Eastbourne line-up. However, further news came on 31 May that the rider himself wanted to remain with the Bees and had accepted a deal offered to him by them to stay for the rest of the season. He was to post an average in excess of 6 points a match, as a stunning late-season revival saw Coventry grab the last spot in the Play-Offs.

They then defeated Peterborough at the semi-final stage, before facing runaway table-toppers Poole to decide the title. After winning 51-39 in the first leg at Brandon on 27 September, Coventry journeyed to Wimborne Road for the return fixture seven days later. And they completed an astonishing transformation from early-term relegation candidates to Championship material on a stunning night when they overturned the overwhelming favourites – not only by defending their 12-point first leg lead, but also by winning the away leg, 50-40, as well.

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 1
Events: 2 – 14th on Great Britain’s list; 103rd on SWC all-time list
Points: 6 – 15th on Great Britain’s list; 110th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 0
Gold medals: 0

BROWN, Thomas (Tom) David
DATE OF BIRTH: 19 June 1984, Pontypool, South Wales.
BRITISH CAREER: (2000) Peterborough II, Newport II; (2001) Newport, Newport II; (2002) Workington, Newport II, Swindon II, Isle of Wight; (2003) Trelawny, Trelawny II; (2004) Stoke II, Berwick; (2005) Weymouth; (2006-08) Plymouth; (2009) Somerset, Isle of Wight; (2010) Weymouth.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 2005 [Weymouth]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2005 [Weymouth], 2008 [Plymouth]; Conference Trophy winner: 2008 [Plymouth];
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.37 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Prior to taking up speedway racing, Brown was diagnosed with septic arthritis in a leg. As such, when aged thirteen, he had an operation to lengthen his leg, although it remained slightly shorter than the other. The Welshman took his first rides on a speedway bike at Port Talbot beach and, having sampled the art of sliding a machine on sand, he subsequently took to the real thing at Newport. Having shown a great deal of determination during his early years in the sport, Brown’s efforts bore fruit in 2008 when he won the Bronze Helmet at Weymouth on 19 July and he was further rewarded at the season’s end with the award of the SRA Conference League Rider of the Season at Kenilworth on 2 November.

The Welshman linked with Premier League Somerset in 2009 and also represented the Isle of Wight in the re-branded National League. He enjoyed a fine campaign, aside from when he sustained a fractured collarbone whilst representing the Rebels in a league fixture versus Redcar at the Oak Tree Arena on 7 August. The injury occurred when, in heat seven, his bike shed a chain entering the third bend, leaving Brown to take a particularly awkward-looking fall.

The rider had hoped for a quick return to racing, but the injury took longer to heal than had initially been anticipated and led to the Isle of Wight acquiring the services of Matt Wright in Brown’s place towards the end of the month. Within a matter of days, he was also replaced in the Somerset side, when the Rebels’ management recruited Jari Mäkinen on a short-term deal as cover. The Pontypool-born speedster was to sit-out the remainder of the campaign whilst he recuperated but, in December, former side Weymouth revealed that he would make his return to the track with them in 2010.

Regrettably, though, his season appeared over shortly after his return to the saddle when he broke an ankle in two places in an away league match against Bournemouth on 11 April. This occurred in heat fifteen, when Brown laid his machine down to avoid fallen home speedster Mark Baseby; however, the Wildcats’ skipper unluckily thudded into the errant machine of the Buccaneer and X-rays later revealed the full extent of the damage. Despite this, though, the rider himself – known for exceptional levels of determination – remained optimistic that he would be back in the saddle by June.

Remarkably, he beat his own comeback target by returning to action in the home leg of Weymouth’s Knock-Out Cup tie versus Newport on 28 May. However, he struggled to regain his best form and announced that he would retire at the end of the season. Brown revealed that his wife, Jodie, was expecting their first child and that he had already decided to take a year out to look after the baby anyway.            

BRUNDLE, James Michael
DATE OF BIRTH: 15 December 1986, King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
BRITISH CAREER: (2002) King's Lynn II, Mildenhall; (2003-04) King's Lynn, Mildenhall; (2005) King's Lynn; (2006) Mildenhall; (2007) King's Lynn, Boston; (2008) Eastbourne; (2010) King's Lynn II, Bournemouth.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2003, 2004 [both Mildenhall]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2004 [Mildenhall], 2008 [Eastbourne]; Premier Trophy winner: 2007 [King’s Lynn].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.98 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having previously ridden at Conference and Premier League level – mainly with King’s Lynn – Brundle endured a tough year in the top-flight with Eastbourne in 2008, before sitting out the whole of the following season as he filled a role as part of Troy Batchelor’s pit team. However, he felt the time spent with the Eagles had improved him as a rider and, with increased confidence, looked to return to the saddle at Premier League level in 2010.

That avenue bypassed him but, in February, it was announced that he had agreed to re-join his hometown club at National League level. This was seen as a stepping stone to a later return to the PL and, hopefully, to the top-flight. And, in May, Brundle left King’s Lynn after deciding he was, indeed, ready to take on the commitments of higher level racing only.

He was replaced in the Young Stars’ line-up by Simon Lambert. At the end of June, though, he returned to the NL fray when he was identified in a re-declaration of the Bournemouth side, following Chris Mills’ departure to King’s Lynn. Regrettably, Brundle was to see out the season on the injured list after sustaining neck, lower back and left leg injuries when the Buccaneers entertained Newport in a Play-Off encounter on 6 October. This occurred after he had tumbled on the first corner of heat fifteen and was inadvertently hit by team-mate Mark Baseby’s machine as he lay stricken on the track.

BRZOZOWSKI, Kamil
DATE OF BIRTH: 25 February 1987, Gorzów, Poland.
BRITISH CAREER: (2010) Peterborough.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.00 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: ‘Brzózka' first appeared in the UK in 2007, scoring 7 points in a World Under-21 Championship qualifying round at Rye House on 12 May - in a meeting won by Russian thrill-merchant Emil Sayfutdinov. He next ventured over for after-the-meeting practice at Peterborough on 14 May 2010, when an unfortunate accident saw him tangle with unlucky compatriot Karol Zabik, who sustained a broken lower right thigh and a dislocated shoulder. Fortunately, Brzozowski was able to walk away unscathed and, late in the same month, the Panthers announced sweeping team changes that included the introduction of the Pole in place of Ales Dryml in their declared line-up.

This was seen as a good move for the Gorzów-born rider, as his team-mates at the East of England Showground included Rory Schlein and Krzyzstof Buczkowski, whom he also rode alongside in the Polish Division One for Grudziądz. However, after failing to score in three Elite League meetings for the side, it was revealed on 6 June that the Pole had quit Peterborough Speedway. Initially, this shock news came in a text message to the club via the rider's manager and that was later confirmed in a more detailed email. It was believed that Brzozowski was considering his future in the sport and - having failed to appear for Grudziądz in a Polish fixture at Gdańsk - was contemplating retirement. The Panthers applied to the BSPA for a facility to cover his absence, correctly claiming that he hadn't honoured his contract. And, later in the month, he was replaced in the side by compatriot Norbert Kościuch.

BUCZKOWSKI, Krzysztof
DATE OF BIRTH: 30 April 1986, Grudziadz, Poland.
BRITISH CAREER: (2007) Reading; (2010) Peterborough.
MAJOR HONOURS: World Under-21 Team Cup Champion: 2006, 2007.
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.00 (EL)
ADDITIONAL INFO: Buczkowski was signed by Reading promoter Malcolm Holloway in August 2007 and went on to make eleven official appearances for the now defunct Berkshire club, during which he showed great style and pace on his way to a real-time average of 4.52. Regrettably, he had to have his spleen removed and was left in an induced coma after sustaining four broken ribs and bruising to his lungs, brain and spine in a horrifying spill whilst representing Bydgoszcz in a home match versus Ostrow in the Polish Division One Play-Offs on 21 September 2008.

Thankfully, he subsequently regained fitness and, in December 2009, the double Under-21 World Cup gold medallist was named in Peterborough's starting line-up for 2010. ‘Buszek' quickly settled in and was to be an impressive scorer in several of the Panthers' early-season matches, but required a short spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken metatarsal in a crash at Rybnik in his homeland on 2 May.

The Pole underwent an operation the day after the accident, when surgeons inserted a metal pin in his fractured foot. He quickly returned to action for the Panthers and was to reel-off an amazing string of jaw-dropping tallies from a reserve berth at the East of England Showground; 15+1 points v. Wolverhampton on 14 May, 14+4 points v. Belle Vue on 20 May, 16+1 points v. Ipswich on 31 May and 14+3 points v. Lakeside on 3 June.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 1 – 111th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 1 – 126th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 1 – 135th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 0 – n/a
Grand Prix wins: 0 – n/a      
Grand Prix finals: 0 – n/a

BUGEJA, Arlo Anthony
DATE OF BIRTH: 18 March 1986, Humbug Scrub, Adelaide, South Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2007) Redcar, Berwick; (2008-09) Redcar; (2010) Sheffield, Edinburgh.
CLUB HONOUR: League Championship winner: 2010 [Edinburgh].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: ‘Budgie' had been riding for a few years Down Under, when he ventured to the UK to link with Redcar in 2007. His first opportunity in the side came towards the end of May, when he stood in for the injured Daniel Giffard. His run lasted for ten matches, before Giffard was fit to resume and the Aussie subsequently joined Berwick in mid-September, riding in their last four matches of the campaign. Reverting back to Redcar, Bugeja was a starter in the side from the off in 2008 and, despite it being tough going for much of the term, he plugged away manfully to register a real-time average of a little under 4 points per match.

Unfortunately, the injury bug didn't escape him and he sustained a broken right wrist in the Ashley Jones Memorial meeting at King's Lynn on 18 June, although he was only out of action for three weeks. Still with the Cleveland club in 2009, he proved a match-winner for the Bears in their televised home league match versus Edinburgh on 24 August, when he netted 9+1 points. Following the season's end - in December - it was announced that Sheffield had signed Bugeja on loan from Redcar for the 2010 campaign.

At the tail-end of April, he was also introduced to Scunthorpe Saints' National League declaration as a replacement for Ashley Birks; the move coming after a number of injuries for the North Lincolnshire side. However, he wasn't to make any appearances for Scunthorpe and was replaced in their squad in mid-May by Gary Beaton. And, having struggled for points at Sheffield, he was to lose his place in the South Yorkshire side to Simon Lambert after being released in late June. But Bigeja was to return to action with Edinburgh at the end of July, when the Scottish side introduced him as a replacement for Cal McDade. His stint with the Monarchs was to last only a month, though, and at the tail-end of August he was displaced in the side by Ashley Morris.    

BUNYAN, Jason Michael
DATE OF BIRTH: 9 March 1979, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (1995) Poole; (1996) Eastbourne II; (1997) Oxford, Isle of Wight, Peterborough II; (1998) Isle of Wight; (1999-2001) Ipswich; (2002) Reading; (2003) Coventry; (2004) Isle of Wight, Coventry; (2005-08) Isle of Wight; (2009-10) Stoke.
MAJOR HONOURS: New Zealand Champion: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010.
TEAM HONOUR: Pairs Championship winner: 2007 [Isle of Wight].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.05 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Bunyan chipped a bone in his heel during his racing trip to New Zealand in early 2004. The Milton Keynes-born rider broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg whilst representing Neuenknick in a German League fixture at Diedenbergen on 10 April 2005; this actually being the fourth broken leg suffered in his career. Bunyan's testimonial was held at the Isle of Wight on 19 August 2008, when Edward Kennett and Lewis Bridger took victory in a pairs event.

At the close of the 2009 UK season, Bunyan made his eighth successive winter trip to race in New Zealand, admitting how much he fancied settling there at some point in the future. Having proved a big hit at Stoke due to his never-day-die approach to racing, he was rewarded in November when the club announced that he would return as their skipper in 2010. And, on 27 February, he claimed his sixth New Zealand Championship in seven years, courtesy of a 15-point maximum at Oreti Park, Invercargill, prior to jetting back for his second term in the Potters' colours.

He was injured shortly after the commencement of the season, though, when he sustained knee ligament damage in Stoke's home match versus Sheffield in the Premier Trophy on 10 April. This occurred in heat one, when the vastly experienced rider pulled out after just half-a-lap, having twisted his knee when his foot got caught under his footrest. He was subsequently advised to have total rest and the Potters were to employ guest riders in his absence. Bunyan had regular physiotherapy on the joint and hoped to return to action sooner than anticipated, but broke down in a practice session at Loomer Road on 1 June. However, he was finally able to resume in the Stoke line-up on 3 July, when he notched 9 points in a home league match versus Newcastle.

Rotten luck befell the Potters' captain shortly after his return to the saddle, though, when he suffered a broken arm in a home fixture versus Berwick on 11 July. Bunyan crashed in the final race of the Premier League encounter against the Bandits and was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. His arm - which was shattered in four places just above the elbow - was initially put into plaster and he was kept in hospital overnight, before undergoing an operation the following morning to have two plates bolted either side of the broken bones. It also transpired that the accident had left him with a broken hand, too. During the week that followed, Stoke announced the re-signing of Claus Vissing as his replacement.

BURROWS, Dermot Mark (Buzz)
DATE OF BIRTH: 10 June 1964, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (1984) Scunthorpe; (1985) Edinburgh; (1986) Edinburgh; (1987) Middlesbrough; (1992) Glasgow, Middlesbrough; (1993) Middlesbrough; (1994) Buxton, Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Sheffield; Belle Vue, Coventry; (1995) Buxton, Long Eaton, Middlesbrough, Hull; (1996) Buxton; (1997-2001) Stoke; (2002) Stoke, Belle Vue; (2003) Stoke II, Wimbledon; (2004-05) Wimbledon; (2007) Cleveland; (2008) Stoke; (2009) Weymouth, Stoke; (2010) Scunthorpe II.
CLUB HONOURS: Pairs Championship winner: 2004, 2005 [both Wimbledon].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.68 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: ‘Buzz' was awarded a testimonial in 2004, but had the misfortune of having his special meeting rained-off on three occasions at Wimbledon that year, on 5 May, 23 June and 20 October. The Sheffield-born rider made a belated start to the 2009 campaign in May, when he joined Weymouth as a replacement for the injured Jon Armstrong. Just a couple of weeks later, he was drafted into the Stoke side on a 28-day deal as a replacement for the released Glen Phillips.

Following the conclusion of his short-term deal, he was replaced in the Potters' line-up by Lee Smart. Having reached his 45th birthday on 10 June, Burrows held the distinction of being the oldest rider competing in British speedway, but his season came to an abrupt end when he was rushed into hospital with breathing difficulties in mid-September. This was as a result of a crash in Weymouth's abandoned National Trophy meeting against Plymouth at the Wessex Stadium on 5 September, when he sustained four broken ribs and a punctured lung in a heat four spill.

This occurred after he had inadvertently hit team-mate James White-Williams and was thrown over his handlebars into the safety fence. He was taken to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, but was released a few days afterwards. However, he was re-admitted on 16 September and had to have a litre-and-a-half of blood drained from his lungs. Prior to this set-back, the veteran racer had suffered knee ligament damage and back problems in the Wildcats' league match at the Isle of Wight on 11 August, before aggravating it again in the National League Pairs Championship at the same venue seven days later.

Not wishing to retire, he made a belated start to the 2010 campaign by joining Scunthorpe's National League side in May, when he replaced Jonathan Bethell in the Saints' line-up. This meant the veteran's career had gone full circle, as he had originally cut his teeth with the then-named Scunthorpe Stags side at Ashby Ville Stadium some twenty-six years previously, in 1984.

BUSCH, Tobias
DATE OF BIRTH: 13 May 1988, Stralsund, Germany.
BRITISH CAREER: (2010) Edinburgh.
CLUB HONOUR: League Championship winner: 2010 [Edinburgh].
2010 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.00 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: A team re-shuffle at Edinburgh in early June 2010 saw the German enter the Monarchs' line-up at the expense of Hungarian József Tabaka. His signing had not been a well-kept secret, as it had previously been leaked on the internet. Busch arrived on the recommendation of fellow countryman Kevin Wölbert who, of course, also represented the Scottish outfit. Aside from riding in Britain's Premier League, he also raced for his hometown club, MC Stralsund, and was also on the books of Unia Tarnów in Poland and Esbjerg in Denmark.

The German began brightly in Edinburgh's colours, netting 8+2 points versus fierce Scottish rivals Glasgow in a Premier League fixture at Armadale on 4 June. He followed that it up with a 5+1 tally at the technical Rye House raceway in a Knock-Out Cup tie twenty-four hours later. And he revealed that he had been looking for a British berth since the beginning of the season, having seen how well Kevin Wölbert had done since he joined the Monarchs in August the previous year.  

After wrecking his own steed in a league match at Rye House on 3 July, Busch borrowed team-mate Kalle Katajisto's second bike for the following afternoon's encounter at Newport and brilliantly acquired a haul of 10+1 points. But, despite his obvious potential and ability, the Stralsund-born rider was to remain mechanically challenged and this saw him forced out of the Monarchs' line-up for a home league encounter versus Rye House on 30 July due to severe problems with his equipment. The upshot was a 28-day ban, as he was deemed to be withholding his services, and the club acted early the following month to replace him with William Lawson who, ironically, had just completed his own 28-day ban.