Brady, Raun join Diamonds.

The Promoting trio at Newcastle Speedway have had a fair few weeks of silence since delighting the North Eastern fans by bringing back into the 2007 side, Josef Franc and Christian Henry from the 2006 version, followed up by bringing Carl Wilkinson to the squad, a young rider very well accomplished around Brough Park.

The silence was well and truly shattered last night when the eager directors let two more signings out of the bag, both packed full of potential to grab the big scores more often than not.

Firstly came a Scot with a fine Speedway pedigree and a proven record that if he can remain injury-free can hit the high spots with remarkable effect, and he is soon-to-be 26 year old, Ross Brady, (b: 17-2-1981, Winchburgh, Broxburn) who was in 2005 being touted by the Edinburgh press machine as potentially Scotlands number one he being only one of 10 riders in the Premier League that season to score a seasons average of over 9. In 2004, of course, he won several well deserved Championship winners medals with triple-champs, the Hull Vikings. He is a lightning-fast gater and son of former rider, Alistair.

Brady first rode speedway in the winter of 1997 on a makeshift track next to his Scottish house, and made his debut for Lathallan (formerly Linlithgow) at Ryde (now the Isle of Wight) at Division 3 level scoring 3 from 5. His Division 2 debut was for Peterborough at Glasgow failing to score from 3. His 2006 at Rye House, in for the injured Stuart Robson, was heavily punctuated by injury, but Newcastle believe theres more of his best to come.

Ross comes to us on loan from Glasgow, said co-promoter and director George English, He joins us as an absolute snip on a lowly 4.80 average, which we firmly believe is well falsely low and believe he can up that figure to his best again, challenging for top-Diamond slot come October. We know he can be that good again.

Hot on the Brady announcement can the news that Newcastle have also secured the signature of an extremely keen young Dane who faxed his signed contract the moment he received it from the Diamonds management and he is 17-year-old Jonas Raun who also rides in his home country for Holsted beside former Diamonds, and current Grand Prix stars, former World Champion, Nicki Pedersen and Bjarne Pedersen, so his tutors are second to none.

Despite having ridden over here last season when only 16, Raun, once hes ridden 12 matches for the Diamonds will become a Newcastle asset, to begin with on a European riders assessed average of 8.00.

Last year his UK experience came for Elite League Peterborough Panthers, racing in 5 matches, and scoring 2, but not from the expected E.L. reserve birth, instead thrown into the deep end with hard number 2 position races against the Worlds top men. Having said that, when Raun left Peterborough, their team manager, Trevor Swales stated that in his opinion they had all seen a massive talent in Raun and that he was well and truly capable of taking his career a lot higher in the future, a future now assured at Newcastle.

This kids as keen as mustard to do well for us, stated co-promoter and director Darryl Illingworth, so keen in fact hes asked and we've agreed he goes to a pre-season training school held at Eastbourne early March. It will do him and us a world of good. He has a fortune of good racing to give us in 2007!

All in all this leaves the Diamonds with the 2 reserve places to fill, although mathematically it is now obvious those places will be filled by 2 3.00 averaged youngsters. Names will be released soon.