Berwick Bandits announce the re-signing of the standout rider of last season, Drew Kemp

And the first name on board is one of the standout riders in that battle to avoid the wooden spoon, 22-year-old Drew Kemp.

Kemp took home all three trophies from the Bandits’ end-of-season presentation night on Friday collecting Rider of the Year awards from the supporters’ club, an online poll of fans and one selected by his team-mates.

Club owner Jamie Courtney raised the roof at the Black and Gold by announcing that the Suffolk-based flyer had signed for the new season.

Courtney thanked supporters, sponsors and riders for standing by the team through a difficult campaign which saw a good start wrecked by season-ending injuries to popular Dane Bastian Borke and veteran Australian Rory Schlein, while number one Lewi Kerr was also sidelined for almost half of the campaign.

“Despite everything, I feel that the fans bought into the team that we put together,” Courtney said.

“If you can look beyond the blunt statistics, it was a cracking season with a good bunch of lads who began the season in a way which made us think that this could be our year.

“Then injuries – all picked up away from Shielfield Park – put the brakes on. Even so, and the riders deserve real credit for this, we stuck to the task and continue to be the small town club that can hold its own on and off the track in the big-time league that the Championship has become.

“That is down in no small part to the volunteers, sponsors and the supporters club, who administer the 5-1 Draw for us. That has brought in £57,000 for club to date – and pays out £600 in prizes every month, too.

“I think the news that everyone wanted to hear was that Drew would be a Bandit in 2025 and I’m delighted to announce that deal is done.”

After a steady start to the season Kemp, who joined the Borders club from Scunthorpe pre-season, hit top form in the second part of the season, scoring double figures in his last four outings and ending on a career high average of a fraction under seven points.

He said: “I loved every minute of last season and would like to thank the supporters for making me so welcome.

“Berwick is a track a lot of riders are scared of but I found that the bigger you ride it the easier it becomes.

“I ended up going a bit wider than a lot of riders and that worked out well.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and I’m delighted to come back next season.

“Having been at reserve for most of my career before this it was a natural progression to become an established top five rider. Next year I’ll probably start in one of the heat leader roles and that will be a new level with new goals.”

Berwick-born Leon Flint has signed for Sheffield Tigers in the British Premiership next season and Landshut, the German-based side which competes in the second tier.