SCOTT NICHOLLS’ much-anticipated switch from interview booth to starting gate finally arrives later tonight.
The 47-year-old seven-times British Champion makes his debut for Plymouth Gladiators at Edinburgh in front of the BSN cameras. Instead of asking the questions one of British speedway’s biggest personalities is plotting the downfall of a Monarchs’ side looking to bounce back from a heavy midweek defeat at Poole.
Nicholls missed the start of the season as he recovered from an operation on a shoulder damaged racing for Oxford in the 2024 KO Cup Final and the announcement of his signing on Monday sent shockwaves through the Cab Direct Championship.
It also means that the club currently bottom of the standings head north with a spring in their step hoping to take advantage of a Monarchs side which has already lost twice this season at Armadale.
In the absence of Ben Barker, still recovering from an appendix operation, they call on Workington’s Jacob Hook who rode for the Gladiators last year having begun his career at Edinburgh in 2022.
Arran Butcher also makes his Plymouth debut with the new signings allowing Alfie Bowtell to drop down to the reserve berth alongside him.
Nikolai Klindt made his first appearance at Edinburgh since top scoring in Workington’s win there in 2018 in what looks a very potent spearhead while Joe Thompson also scored heavily in each of his four visits in 2024 and Lasse Fredriksen spent three years as a Monarch before making the switch to Devon during the winter.
Edinburgh go into the meeting currently filling the fourth play-off place in a congested Championship table and are looking to consolidate their place with not only a win but the aggregate bonus having lost by just two points at The Coliseum in May – Plymouth’s last victory.
In contrast Edinburgh have beaten Redcar and drawn with Oxford in their previous home meetings and will be looking for big performances from Victor Palovaara, Michael Palm Toft and Justin Sedgmen.
A typically bullish Edinburgh team manager, Alex Harkess, said: “I think there are some question marks in the Plymouth team with riders just coming back, but in any case whoever visits 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.”
The clash is available as part of BSN’s Total Season and Championship passes or can be bought on a pay-to-view basis here
Monarchs: Victor Palovaara, Paco Castagna, 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.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.