LEICESTER will welcome back former Australian Champion Sam Masters for a second season with the club in 2025.
Masters, who had a stint at Beaumont Park earlier in his career a decade ago as he was establishing himself at top-flight level, made the move to the Watling JCB Lions this year after the closure of Wolverhampton with whom he had spent seven seasons.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a strong campaign with several big performances along the way, and the closing weeks saw him team up with skipper Max Fricke for vital maximum scores in Heat 15 of several meetings.
That included the first leg of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off semi-final at Ipswich where the pair reduced the deficit to eight points in the last race of the night, and then in the crucial decider at home when the aggregate scores were level with one race remaining.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “Sam is very consistent, and he wins big races.
“I think he had a slow start to the season, but he then picked up his form, and quite often he was asked to go with Max in Heat 15 up against some very good riders.
“He delivered more often than not and I’m sure the highlight of this season would have been the two Heat 15 5-1s in the play-off semi-final against Ipswich.
“I know people said he had a big home track advantage at Monmore Green and his average could only go one way, but he actually put his average up when he came to Leicester which shows he’s still very capable of doing a heat-leader job for us.
“He was sought after by a couple of other clubs this winter, which doesn’t surprise me, and I don’t have any problem with that because a rider will go where he wants to go. He’s remained loyal to us, and he said to me he doesn’t like to move around a lot.
“He seems to like the way the track is prepared here, and I enjoy working with him. I’ll be talking to all of the riders individually about what I expect from them, but for Sam he needs to do the same job that he did this year and we’ll be happy.”
Masters slots into the Leicester top five along with captain Fricke, Luke Becker and Kyle Howarth, with Craig Cook and Rising Star Sam Hagon at reserve. The Lions have 7.37 points remaining for their final signing.
*SUPPORTERS are reminded of the Season Ticket launch day at Beaumont Park on Sunday November 24 (10.30am-1.30pm).
2025 Season Tickets will be available for £253 (adults) and £231 (Over-65s/students), to include all 12 ROWE Motor Oil Premiership home fixtures. (Not including play-offs, KO Cup, challenge matches, Individual/Testimonial meetings, BSPL shared events.)
Season tickets also include a team photograph, a centre green experience and reduced admission of just £6 to Lion Cubs home matches in the National Development League.
They will be on sale from the corporate box (turn three) at the stadium, and payments can be made by cash, card or cheque. A passport sized photo will be required.
Refreshments will also be available as thanks to Pukka Pies we will have a selection of pies and sausage rolls to give away.
For those unable to make it on the day, Season Tickets will launched online from Monday November 25.
