LEICESTER have confirmed the return of Tom Spencer to complete their side to defend the National Development League title.
Spencer, 21, is the fourth rider to remain with the Roger Webster Lion Cubs from the team which would have taken part in the cancelled 2020 season, along with heat-leader trio Joe Lawlor and Dan and Joe Thompson.
The top five is rounded off by Jamie Halder, whose ’19 campaign with the club was ruined by injury, with newcomers Kai Ward and Ben Trigger lining up at reserve.
Spencer himself crashed out of the Cubs’ one and only fixture last season, the August challenge match at Scunthorpe, but he’s determined to bounce back and build on the progress he made in 2019 with Cradley.
He said: “I’m extremely happy to have a team place again in 2021, and even more so with it being my local club.
“The changes to the league will hopefully benefit me as a rider and let me progress a lot further on with my career.”
Promoter Stewart Dickson believes the new-look Cubs side captures the ethos of the league, which is now operating with a points limit of 35 in order to focus firmly on youth development.
He said: “We’re defending champions although there probably won’t be quite that target on our backs at this level because of the overall changes to the league.
“Obviously the strength is lower with the limit going down, but I fully expect the Thompsons to win a lot of races, and that in turn will help them with the Lions because they are going to face some tough away matches in the Championship.
“Regularly winning races at the Cubs’ level will keep their confidence high, and Joe Lawlor should be able to put his average up as well.
“Our two second-strings have both raced at this level before, and we have Kai and Ben at reserve who become club assets which is very much a key factor for us.
“I’m sure they will all improve over the season, and now it’s up to Dave Howard (manager) as to how he arranges the team.”
The Lion Cubs are scheduled to kick off their season on Wednesday May 19 with the visit of Eastbourne to the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena, assuming government restrictions are lifted on schedule.
For that meeting they will require a guest replacement for Trigger at reserve, as he does not turn 15 until later in the month.
