Tigers v Gladiators – Meeting Preview

The buoyant Plymouth Westcolour Gladiators make the near 1000 miles 16 hour round trip to Glasgow tonight to take on another of the powerhouse Championship Speedway Teams, the Allied Glasgow Tigers.

The Faceena family have transformed the fortunes of Glasgow Tigers over the past few years turning their Peugeot Ashfield Stadium from a small soccer stadium in to one of the most spectacular Speedway Tracks in the world and widely acknowledged by neutrals as the best racetrack in Britain with its wide straights and big sweeping banked bends. It generates a fantastic atmosphere and some outstanding speedway action.

The Tigers are led by the mercurial Craig Cook a former GP Star and still one of the top 5 British riders and he is backed up by a cosmopolitan Team featuring the ever popular  Dane Ulrich Ostergaard, thankfully recovered from a very serious injury last season, he is joined by the American International Broc Nichol, the rapidly improving Australian born but British qualified Connor Bailey and the very underrated Danyon Hulme who is finally getting a chance with a top Team that his talent has long deserved. 

Due to rising British star Tom Brennan, who won a World Team Speedway Gold Medal as the GB nominated Under 21 rider in the World Team Cup last season and Danish sensation Benjamin Basso being absent at a World Under 21 Individual Championship Semi Final scheduled for Gislaved in Sweden on Saturday afternoon, the Tigers will utilise the Guest Rider facility and bring in Edinburgh’s fast improving Kye Thompson and the always dangerous former Tiger Paul Starke from Oxford to complete their septet.

This will be another massive test for the Westcolour Gladiators Play Off ambitions and they again call up British Speedway legend Chris “Bomber” Harris to replace the injured Edward Kennett. The Club can confirm that Edward has finally secured an appointment with a specialist doctor to examine his badly damaged arm and tendon and nerve injuries for the 17th May and everyone at The Coliseum will hope to hear some good news for the desperately unlucky Sussex speedster. 

The Westcolour Gladiators will again track the usual quartet in their increasingly powerful top 5 with Hans Andersen, Micheal Palm-Toft , Ben Barker and Alfie Bowtell all in excellent form. At reserve 2021 Gladiator Dillon Ruml replaces the injured Dan Gilkes and another former Gladiator Jason Edwards again replaces the absent Henry Atkins, seeking to further enhance some good form at the Ashfield Stadium; which included a stunning 5-1 with Bowtell on his Championship debut at the age of 16 with Eastbourne in July 2019.  

The latest update on Dan is that he is now breathing unaided and awaiting further checks on his arms injuries and the Club would again like to thank all supporters who raised an amazing sum in excess of £1200 to be passed on to Dan during a Collection during the stunning win over Poole on Tuesday night.

The Westcolour Gladiators will be hoping for another excellent result before returning to The Coliseum for their next home match on Tuesday evening against the Oxford Cheetahs and Tickets , which can be purchased by Cash or Card on the night, are available now ONLINE via the Club website, and this is the best way to secure a seat or to ensure speedy access at what is sure to be another very well attended Event.

Tickets are on sale ONLINE here

With the Team achieving some excellent results ON the Track the club is delighted to announce a NEW Partnership / Sponsorship agreement with leading Local Radio Station Radio Exe Devon. The Station which provides Music, Entertainment, News and Sport across the whole of Devon and North Cornwall and South Somerset will feature up to a dozen Speedway Themed jingles each weekday between 7am and 7pm and similar advertising on a weekend with the Westcolour Gladiators becoming Sponsors of the Stations Plymouth Transmitter, where the Advertising will be focused.

Promoter Mark Phillips said “This is a significant and very positive new collaboration between ourselves and Radio Exe Devon and it will initially cover the Speedway season but we very much look forward to being long term Partners. We are beginning to see our profile increase across the South West and with Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City enjoying excellent soccer success this season and the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Union side carrying the flag in that sphere for the South West, we are keen to follow suit and work with all South Western Companies to help to put them on the map as out coverage grows. If you have a business, however large or small and want to discuss how we can help you , please contact our Commercial Department at admin@plymouth-speedway.com and we’ll be happy to discuss all possible options to suit your pocket and budget.

You can hear examples of the advertising jingles on the Club website in the next few days and at future Matches at The Coliseum.

We’ll be back with a FULL MATCH Review on Saturday and EXCITING News of a fantastic Platinum Jubilee Offer for the Home match against the very aptly named Edinburgh Monarchs on Tuesday 31st May.

Image credit: Jon Sproad