Berwick Bandits’ new team boss Stewart Dickson has been ringing the changes this winter, but the Borders club’s fifth confirmed signing is a familiar face.
Australian-born but very-much adopted Berwicker Jye Etheridge returns for what will be his seventh season at Shielfield Park.
The 28-year-old from Newcastle, New South Wales, first signed in 2017 after spells with Edinburgh and Redcar and was an instant success, especially around the pacy Berwick track, voted the club’s Rider of the Year in each of his first three seasons.
He has consistently averaged over six points with some huge match-winning contributions around Berwick, had a spell captaining the side and also held down the number one berth.
Jye has also tasted success in British speedway’s top league lifting the Premiership title with Belle Vue in 2022 and as a guest for Sheffield last season he produced a match-winning 9+1 in the second leg of the final.
Currently putting the Berwick winter behind him and enjoying the sun in Australia he is preparing hard before flying back to rejoin Rory Schlein, Drew Kemp, Danyon Hume, and Lewis Kerr is a reshaped Bandits’ side keen to turn around a couple of poor seasons which has seen them at the wrong end of the Cab Direct Championship table.
Dickson commented: “Despite his average everyone knows that Jye is capable of regular double figure returns around Shielfield.
“Making our home a fortress will be the key to success in 2024 and he has a leading role to play in that, but Jye also grabbed vital points on the road last year and we will be looking for that to continue.
“With two riders still to announce I think our supporters can see a team coming together which is capable of reaching the play-offs but also riders, including Jye, who put their heart and souls into racing and can improve their starting averages.”
Berwick will open their season with a two-legged challenge against Workington, the home fixture at Shielfield Park on 30 March, before taking on Glasgow and Edinburgh in the BSN Series qualifying group.
Season passes for the 12 home meetings – £199 adults, £189 concessions, accompanied under-16s free – are available from the club website berwickspeedway.com/store
All tickets bought before midnight on Sunday will go into a draw on Christmas Day with the winner having their money refunded.
Words by Berwick Speedway – Images by Taz McDougall
