Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

GREETINGS FROM UNCLE ‘B’

NEWS Tuesday 16th December 2014, 9:36pm

by Brian Gray

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Leith Town Hall didn't know what hit it last Friday evening when it heard the biggest roar since Slade played there in 1975!

It was all due to the enthusiastic crowd hearing that our number one and latest Monarch legend, superstar Craig Cook will be back in the Blue and Gold for 2015! I, for one, didn't know that he would be putting in an appearance along with young Max Clegg and it was great that they both were in attendance to watch the Home Video Show which once again played to a full house.

Joining them in the squad for next year is Justin Sedgmen and Kevin Wolbert which, I think, gives us a very powerful quartet and looks to me like four heat leaders! Roll on the Fours! Our two new reserves, Max Clegg and Robert Branford, from what I hear, are going to be well prepared for the start of the season and the cut and thrust of Premier League competition. I'm already thinking that we'll witness the same camaraderie and team bonding that we had this year. Something that I particularly noticed in the away pits in 2014. I'm as excited as you are as we wait to hear the name of our final team member. If you hear before I do then please give me a shout!

I've been having a wee look at how other northern teams are shaping up and see that Glasgow has just one more rider to announce. I wish the Tigers well for next year and hope we can enjoy competative encounters! Newcastle has only announced the two Lewis lads and Berwick's first three signings suggest to me that they might not have a 'traditional' Bandits feel to them! Ach, they'll all be the same to us!

I was pleased to hear last week that Max Fricke will be riding Elite League speedway next year. He has signed for the Belle Vue Monar... sorry, Aces and will be joining his old Armadale pals Craig Cook and Steve Worrall. Max will always be welcome to pop in and see us all sometime. I see Craig is fourth in the Aces start up averages and it might just take a little of the pressure off him with not being a heat leader.

Well, unless I've left something out in my diary, it looks like that's our Monarchs socializing finished for this year! I always say that as soon as we arrive in the new year, it's not long until the season starts! I don't know about you but I'm starting to get excited already. Now, where did I put that Playoff Final DVD?

Uncle ‘B’