Gladiators now an exciting prospect

NEWS Thursday 17th July 2025, 12:16pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Plymouth Gladiators are the visitors to Armadale tomorrow to provide the opposition for the Stellar Monarchs, and this will be the first outing for their new-look team boosted by the return to Speedway of seven-times British Champion Scott Nicholls, very much an Armadale specialist.

The Gladiators had unluckily lost their new Czech signing Daniel Klima to injury but rather than feel sorry for themselves, they thought big and took advantage of the fact that Nicholls was on the point of returning from the serious shoulder injury he suffered at the end of last season.

Due to quirks of averages they are able to bring Nicholls in for Klima, and retain the best of the rest of their side, pushing the very useful Alfie Bowtell down to reserve. They still have high-class Dane Nicolai Klindt who potentially will form a powerful spearhead with Nicholls.

Monarchs know they will have to be on their game. They will be at full strength while Gladiators bring in Jacob Hook, ex-Monarch, to replace Ben Barker who has not recovered yet from recent surgery. They also have another former Monarch in Lasse Fredriksen who was instrumental in helping Plymouth to a narrow win when Monarchs went to the Coliseum.

Team manager Alex Harkess still feels his side will prevail. He says "We have Plymouth this week, and by now you'll have heard their interesting team! I think there are some question marks though with riders just coming back, but in any case whoever visits us it is simply up to us to win every match. We only have two points to make up on aggregate so I will be expecting our team to take three points."

Friday's match will be shown live on the British Speedway Network.

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 18th July: Edinburgh Monarchs v Plymouth Gladiators (Championship), Armadale, 7:30pm

STELLAR MONARCHS: Victor Palovaara, Paco Castagna (Capt.), Justin Sedgmen, Kye Thomson, Michael Palm Toft, Jonatan Grahn, Jordy Loftus.

GLADIATORS: Scott Nicholls, Lasse Fredriksen, Jacob Hook, Joe Thompson, Nicolai Klindt, Alfie Bowtell, Arran Butcher.