(SPEEDWAY 1)

LEICESTER have completed their side for the SGB Premiership season with four new signings – including rising Latvian star Andzejs Lebedevs.The 22-year-old had a spell with King’s Lynn in 2013 but has now signed on for the campaign at Beaumont Park, and will be joined by German duo Kevin Wolbert and Erik Riss and crowd-pleaser Danny Ayres.Club owner Damien Bates said: “We set out to engage riders who we had first priority over should there be fixture clashes with their Championship clubs.“By and large we have achieved the objective as we only lose priority for Josh Auty and Erik Riss so the need to engage guest riders for missing team members is minimised.“I believe that we have assembled a team of real racers with a blend of youthfulness and experience together with the potential to improve.“After the troubles of the previous year that the club went through it was refreshing to hear that every rider we spoke to was really keen to sign for the club.”

NEW Leicester chief Damien Bates is promising fans a feast of entertainment in a new era for the club.Bates, who takes charge after securing the SGB Premiership club from British Speedway chairman Keith Chapman, says the revamped Lions side will put on a real show for supporters.“We will be the entertainers of this league,” he said. “Everyone is buzzing about it, I’m desperate to get those fans back on side who drifted away and to attract new supporters too.“This is a new era for the club and we have to grab the opportunity with both hands. When you look down the team, we have guys who never know when they’re beaten.“There will be no pressure on the shoulders of the riders, but we will be looking to go out there and lower the colours of our rivals – I’m also relishing the challenge of taking on our neighbours Coventry and Wolverhampton.”