The annual trials and tribulations of pre-season team building have completed with the news that the final 2014 Tigers team place will be filled by Mark Lemon.
The Aussie, who has guested for the Tigers on occasion, links up with Glasgow having spent last season with geographical opposite club Plymouth where, despite some injury issues, he finished the season with a 6.44 average. Mark will therefore start the new season in a second string role, a consideration which in itself is highly attractive as Tigers look to launch a strong challenge in all competition.
Tigers team manager Stewart Dickson was delighted to bring Mark to Glasgow:
“Mark brings a wealth of experience to what is a relatively young side, I think this will be hugely beneficial for the youngest team members and for fellow Aussie Joey Ringwood in particular as he tackles his second season here.
Mark acknowledges that he had a slightly disappointing season, by his own standards, in 2013 and he wants to put that right and raise his average to over 7 once again which I fully believe he is well capable of. By doing that he will challenge Kevin (Wolbert), Theo (Pijper) and Rusty (Harrison) for heat 15 nominations home and away.
I’d like to put on record our thanks to Matt Ford at Poole and Gordon Pairman for their assistance in enabling Mark to join the side.
Looking at the full line-up, and having added Mark, I think we have the balance just about right overall and that we should have one of the strongest reserve pairings in the league.
With the team now sorted I will give some thought to the riding order which gives us the best points contribution throughout a meeting, it could well be something we tailor for certain away tracks.”
For the first time we can now confirm the full, starting line-up (rider average order) for Glasgow Tigers 2014:
Kevin Wolbert 8.40
Theo Pijper 7.70
Rusty Harrison 6.63
Mark Lemon 6.44
Dimitri Berge 5.00
Anders Thomsen 4.11
Joey Ringwood 3.56