Scunthorpe Speedway

25.01.10: Scorpions’ fixtures announced

The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions’ fixtures have been announced by the British Speedway Promoters Association and it has been confirmed that they will start the season with home and away fixtures against their local rivals, the Sheffield Tigers, in the Premier Trophy. After defeating the Scorpions in all six meetings in 2008 the four meetings between the two sides in 2009 saw each side win two a piece. The Scorpions produced two impressive home victories but Sheffield have added Josef Franc and Arlo Bugeja for the new season whilst still retaining three former Scorpions in Richard Hall, Josh Auty and Paul Cooper.

With new Scorpion Joel Parsons (pictured) having moved in the opposite direction over the winter there will added spice to the tie, which is fast becoming one of the most important of the season for the two clubs. The first meeting will be at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday 19th March whilst, following the return at Sheffield on Thursday 25th March, the Scorpions will have a home tie against the much-changed Stoke Potters the following night. The Easter weekend is set to be a busy one with Good Friday, 2nd April, seeing the Scorpions travel to Birmingham to face the Brummies who have six Australians in their line-up, before a trip to Stoke the following night. The weekend is completed on Easter Monday with a home meeting against the Redcar Bears which will start at 6pm.

The 6pm start time will be standard for the Bank Holiday Monday fixtures and the two Sunday meetings in the schedule and it is hoped it will benefit track preparation whilst still allowing for a double-header meeting should the club also enter the Saints development side in the National League. The two Sunday meetings (20th June and 4th July), which are a throwback to the club’s Conference League days, have been added because England are scheduled to play in the football World Cup on the preceding Friday night.

Commenting on the fixtures Scorpions’ Team Manager Richard Hollingsworth felt Edinburgh promoter John Campbell had done a good job. “It is so difficult trying to please every club. There are all sorts of restrictions on venue availability, rider availability and then clubs try and minimise flight costs for their overseas’ riders. John has done a great job again and he’s been able to release the fixtures quite a bit earlier than last year”.

“From our point of view he has us going to the two fellow Friday-night clubs, Somerset and Edinburgh, on the Friday of a bank holiday weekend so we can have the return fixture on the Bank Holiday Monday. That is obviously a big help and we’ve got our fixtures in early so if we advance in the cup competitions as we plan to, or perish the thought, have problems with the weather, then we have a few free home dates in the summer to utilise”.

“Once again I think the Premier League is going to be an outstanding product in 2010 with the promoters having found just about the perfect balance with the points limit. It enables all clubs to build competitive sides and there isn’t a set of fans in the country who doesn’t believe their club can have a good season. I’m very excited about the upcoming season and have high hopes for the Scorpions. I think we have an outstanding set of riders to represent the club and can’t wait for battle to commence in seven and a half weeks”.

The Scorpions full fixture list is below but fixtures are always subject to change and an up-to-date fixture list can always be found at www.scunthorpespeedway.com/fixtures.

MARCH
Friday 19th HOME v Sheffield (Premier Trophy)
Thursday 25th Away @ Sheffield (Premier Trophy)
Friday 26th HOME v Stoke (Premier Trophy)

APRIL
Friday 2nd Away @ Birmingham (Premier Trophy)
Saturday 3rd Away @ Stoke (Premier Trophy)
Monday 5th HOME v Redcar (Premier Trophy)
Friday 9th HOME v Birmingham (Premier Trophy)
Friday 16th HOME v King’s Lynn
Thursday 22nd Away @ Redcar (Premier Trophy)
Friday 23rd HOME v Berwick
Friday 30th Away @ Somerset

MAY
Monday 3rd HOME v Somerset
Friday 7th HOME - Open
Sunday 9th Away @ Newcastle (Knockout Cup)
Friday 14th HOME v Newcastle (Knockout Cup)
Wednesday 19th Away @ Birmingham
Friday 21st HOME v Birmingham
Saturday 22nd Away @ Berwick
Friday 28th Away @ Edinburgh
Monday 31st HOME v Edinburgh

JUNE
Friday 4th HOME v Newport
Sunday 6th Away @ Glasgow
Friday 11th HOME – Premier Trophy Semi-final (provisional)
Saturday 19th Away @ Workington
Sunday 20th HOME v Workington
Friday 25th HOME v Redcar (Knockout Cup QF) (provisional)

JULY
Thursday 1st Away @ Redcar (Knockout Cup QF) (provisional)
Sunday 4th HOME – v Rye House
Wednesday 7th Away @ King’s Lynn
Friday 9th SOMERSET – PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS
Friday 16th HOME v Stoke
Saturday 17th Away @ Stoke
Thursday 22nd Away @ Sheffield
Friday 23rd HOME v Newcastle
Sunday 25th Away @ Newport
Friday 30th HOME – Open

AUGUST
Sunday 1st Away @ Newcastle
Friday 6th HOME – Open
Friday 13th HOME - Open
Thursday 19th Away @ Redcar
Friday 20th HOME v Redcar
Saturday 21st Away @ Rye House
Monday 30th HOME v Sheffield

SEPTEMBER
Friday 3rd HOME v Glasgow
Friday 10th HOME – Open
Friday 24th HOME - Open
Sunday 26th SHEFFIELD – PLRC

OCTOBER
Friday 1st – Open
Sunday 3rd RYE HOUSE – NLRC
Friday 8th – Open
Friday 15th – Open
Friday 22nd – Open