Ipswich Witches star Danny King says the first four signings of 2019 are ‘a good start’ for the club.
The Foxhall Heath-based outfit added former Lakeside Hammers racer Richard Lawson to their roster for the coming campaign as the Witches head back into the sport’s top league, the Premiership, this year.
He joins King, Cameron Heeps and Jake Allen as definite Foxhall starters.
And while fans of the Suffolk club still wait patiently for a new No.1 to lead the side in 2019, King says early signs are promising.
“I think we are looking quite decent to be honest, although of course I understand fans’ frustrations as we wait for the final three riders,” King said.
“There has been a bit of negativity on social media, but I’m not quite sure why at the moment.
“In Cameron Heeps and Jake Allen we have two of the strongest reserves in the league and both myself and Richard Lawson know our way around the Premiership.
MORE: Witches must push for play-offs, says new boy Lawson
“I’ve looked at the other team line-ups and although I think Wolves look very strong, most of the other teams look much the same.
“But we’ll have to wait and see who our other three riders are.”
King’s 2018 season ended in May after an unpleasant arm injury that required surgery because of a lack of strength in the muscle.
The operation was successful and King, who has just returned from a family holiday in Florida, is happy with progress.
“I definitely have more movement in my muscle now than I did have,” he said.
“You can actually see the a bicep now. The Florida sun didn’t do any harm!
MORE: ‘I like loyal’... Cameron Heeps
“I’m hoping to get back on a bike at the end of this week, so that’s good.”
King will also be riding in the Championship for Sheffield with Ipswich teenager Drew Kemp, whose average means he can’t currently race in the sport’s top league, but will be able to do so should his average increase during the season.
However, for King it is about putting the 14 months behind him.
“I was injured in the cup final against Peterborough at the end of 2017, then I got injured in May last year,” he said.
“I just want to get a good run of fitness and enjoy an injury-free year and I can’t wait to get going.”
Premiership 2019 line-ups so far
Belle Vue: Max Fricke, Kenneth Bjerre, Steve Worrall, Dan Bewley, Dimitri Berge, Ricky Wells, Jaimon Lidsey.
Ipswich: Danny King, Jake Allen, Cameron Heeps, Richard Lawson.
King’s Lynn: Robert Lambert.
Peterborough: Chris Harris, Hans Andersen, Craig Cook, Charles Wright, Lasse Bjerre, Ben Barker, Bradley Wilson-Dean.
Poole: Nico Covatti, Brady Kurtz, Jack Holder, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, Josh Grajczonek, Richie Worrall, Nicolai Klindt.
Swindon: Jason Doyle, Tobiasz Musielak, Troy Batchelor, Adam Ellis, Dawid Lampart, James Shanes, Zach Wajtknecht.
Wolves: Kyle Howarth, Luke Becker, Sam Masters, Nick Morris, Rory Schlein, Jacob Thorssell, Ash Morris.
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