Berwick Bandits' shake-up begins with announcement of a new captain and a new face

Rory Schlein will be the Berwick Bandits captain for the 2024 Championship season. Picture: Taz McDougall

New team manager Stewart Dickson revealed that not only would Rory Schlein return to Shielfield Park in 2024, but the Australian will also captain the side.

Schlein was a surprise signing last winter after coming out of retirement, but ended the season as the Bandits’ number one and was one of the few bright spots in an injury-hit season which saw Berwick miss out on the play-offs.

He will be joined at Shielfield Park by Lewis Kerr, who has scored heavily at the Borders’ track over the years for, among others, Newcastle, Scunthorpe and Redcar.

Last year he was a member of the Oxford Cheetahs and Sheffield Tigers sides, but injury forced him to miss the end of season play-offs in both leagues.

The King’s Lynn-born racer, known for his never-say-die racing attitude and an extensive collection of colourful tattoos, has appeared once before in Berwick colours – scoring nine points from four rides as a guest against Scunthorpe in 2013, the season he made his second tier debut with Newcastle Diamonds, also representing Redcar, Eastbourne and King’s Lynn.

Dickson, who is delighted to have the experienced duo signed, also confirmed that 2023 Bandits Leon Flint and Thomas Jorgensen had informed the club they did not wish to be considered in the team-building process for the coming season.

“I know both boys are very popular with the fans, but they didn’t want to come back in 2024 and the club thanks them for their efforts and wishes them well wherever they ride next season,” he said.

“Rory is an experienced captain at all levels of speedway and a very positive influence in the pits, so taking over the captaincy seems a straightforward call.

“Lewis is one of the league’s real racers, someone who never gives up.

“I have already said that the aim is to turn Shielfield into a fortress next season and these two signings are just the start of that.

“I firmly believe that with the 38-point team building limit, we have two of the strongest heat leaders in the league who are both capable of improving on their starting averages.

“I am very excited for what’s to come at Shielfield Park in 2024.”