GLASGOW and Edinburgh are set for three derbies in the space of seven days – as both sides aim to keep their dreams of a speedway double alive.
The sides meet at Armadale on Friday and again on Saturday, in their KO Cup and Championship play-off semi-finals respectively.
They then head for Ashfield next Thursday for the second leg of the play-off tie.
The Tigers already hold a 16-point lead from the first leg of the cup fixture and will look to book their place in that final before the sides start all over again on Saturday in the league.
Glasgow boss Cami Brown believes it is the most important set of matches between the sides in six years.
He said: “Scottish derbies are always special but there has rarely been so much on the line for matches between Glasgow and Edinburgh as there is over the next week.
“The last time these matches meant so much was in 2015 when we made two finals together, and I can still remember the tension and the atmosphere they generated.
“Craig Cook was the talisman for Edinburgh back then and hopefully he can be for us this time, though I believe we have lots of quality that can help us on our way.
“We might have a big lead in the cup meeting as things stand but it’ll count for nothing if we let our guard down. We’ve won at Edinburgh already this season so we know we can do it, but it’s still one of the toughest places to go.
“The matches are so hard to predict but with a potential double on the line we know there will be fireworks, lots of drama and plenty of talking points – that’s what British speedway’s biggest derby always produces.”
Tom Brennan will be missing for Saturday’s tie as he is named in the Great Britain side for the Speedway of Nations in Manchester. Fellow youngster Leon Flint guests in his place.
In the middle of the derby ties, Glasgow also hosts a test match between GB and Poland, featuring some of the stars of world speedway.