Sarj in from the start

NEWS Monday 2nd December 2019, 11:04am

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

It's a warm welcome back to Armadale for last year's mid-season signing James Sarjeant, as the Yorkshireman looks to put an unsettled 2019 behind him and show the Blue and Gold faithful what he is capable of in 2020.

Sarjeant is raring to go already for next season as he thinks a big year lies ahead, "I'm really looking forward to next season, I enjoyed my time with the Monarchs last year and I'm looking to kick on. My scores were steady but I want more. My home scores were good but I still think they can get better and I definitely want to make Armadale my own. Away from home I was disappointed with some of my scores and I definitely will be looking to improve that next year.

"Being with the Monarchs from the start will definitely help and I am looking forward to there being more fixtures as well, sometimes I had 2 or 3 weeks between meetings and that's not what any rider wants. So with riding more then I will be better prepared and I can't wait to get going again."

Sarjeant admits that things off the track had an effect on the track particularly early in the 2019 season but he is now settled and is putting everything into being ready for his first full season with the Monarchs, "Last season it was all a bit new off track, I moved house then Bella, my first child, came along. At the time I didn't think it was affecting me but looking back my focus was elsewhere at times. I am definitely settled now and fully focused on my speedway again. I have been training already, I'll take a little break and I am heading on holiday this week then I'll get Christmas out the way and get right into it in the New Year. I plan on being the best prepared I have been physically in 2020 and I have a plan in place, I'm also going to get out and practice on the bikes before the season so I'll be ready to hit the ground running.

"I keep my equipment in tip top condition and my plan is to have 2 new engines for the start of the season but I think this winter it is more about focusing on myself and as I said I will be the best I have ever been physically and mentally for the season starting."

Like most riders Sarjeant does keep an eye on what is happening in the sport over the winter and, as already mentioned, is looking forward to the extra matches that 2020 should bring alongside visits to a couple of new tracks at Championship level, "Kent I've ridden at before back in the National League and I can kind of remember it. I have a lot more experience at Poole mostly from my Coventry days. I wouldn't say it is my favourite track but as always I will give it my best everywhere we go and it may be a little easier now I won't be up against the riders they had when in the top league.

"I am really looking forward to the derbies as well, I still have a lot of good friends and sponsors at Glasgow and there is no bad blood and I think with the teams lining up they will be really good obviously the Tigers have a few ex Monarchs in Ricky and Cookie and the Monarchs have Richie and I who were Tigers so they should be really fun meetings."

With a settled home life and a renewed determination, Sarjeant is looking for his best year yet and he feels he has the right formula to make this happen, "I don't really set targets like I want to get to this average or that average. I did that in the past and it backfired so this year I will just prepare the best I ever have, I will never have trained as hard physically and I know with doing that and how good my equipment will be I will score more points and have a good year."