Josh Pickering has been named as the final piece of the jigsaw for the Edinburgh Monarchs in 2017.
The 20-year-old Aussie will be making his UK speedway debut with the Armadale-based club.
The signing completes the team and is subject to BSPA approval. Josh, from Heddon Greta in New South Wales, comes highly recommended not least by former Monarch Max Fricke who told Alex Harkess at the recent FIM Conference in Berlin that Pickering is “a 100% trier”.
Read more: Livingston FC: Lions “well ahead of schedule” as they kick-off second half of League One season at East Fife
Although he hasn’t been riding speedway long and wasn’t a product of under-age speedway, as most of the young Aussies are, he is a fairly experienced motorcyclist as he explained.
“I started racing dirt bikes around 2004 and raced them for maybe 8 years,” he said.
“Then I moved over to road racing in 2012. I did that for a year and a half, riding for Honda Australia in the Asian Dream Cup, but after I lost my ride I ended up buying a speedway bike. I bought two bikes from Adam Shields, I wanted to make a career out of some type of motorcycle racing and it didn’t really worry me which one.
Read more: Livingston FC blog: Queen’s Park prove to be this year’s bogey team
“I just enjoy riding bikes I guess, so I have ridden speedway from 2013 and haven’t looked back. Last year I had a few dramas with illness and didn’t spend as much time on a bike as I wanted to, but this year I’ve been racing here there and everywhere, trying to do as many laps on the bike as I can. It’s starting to pay off for me so I’m happy with that, and I believe with Edinburgh I can get to the next level. It should be a good move for me.”
Josh is racing in the upcoming Australian Championship series and hopes to show up well against a field including Sam Masters, Justin Sedgmen and Max Fricke, all chasing the crown won by Brady Kurtz last season.
Read more: Livingston FC: Boss David Hopkin hopeful of extending on loan Rangers keeper Liam Kelly’s stay at League One club
With the contacts he has, he will be well versed in how to ride his new home track, saying: “Sam and Max have told me that Armadale can be a good track for you once you get to know it, and I’ve watched a few videos with Sam just to get an idea of what I’m looking at for when I get there so I’m not going to be shocked.
“I like a challenge so it’s going to be good to get my head round it and sorted. I did ask Sam if you can pass at Armadale and he said yes, most certainly, though I’d rather get out the box one or two because it makes it a lot easier.
“Sam’s a good captain and a good mate and I couldn’t be happier to be riding with him.”
Completed team: Ricky Wells, Erik Riss, Mark Riss, Sam Masters, Max Clegg, Mitchell Davey, Josh Pickering.