PETERBOROUGH boss Rob Lyon has confirmed the club are actively looking for a new signing to replace the injured Ulrich Ostergaard.
The hugely popular Dane, whose average rocketed in the first half of the season, is out for the remainder of the campaign with the serious back injuries he suffered in a smash at Edinburgh last month.
The Crendon Panthers have mainly covered for his absence with the rider replacement facility and maintained their play-off charge with spectacular wins at Belle Vue and King’s Lynn – before Danny King guested in Monday’s thrilling victory over Wolverhampton, which secured a top-four finish.
Although King’s Ipswich side are out of the play-off race, he will not be an option for Panthers in September as his average is set to rise.
But Lyon says the forward planning started some time ago as he is understandably reluctant to go into a play-off tie as a six-man side, with the risk attached that another rider is hurt during those meetings – and with some clubs’ foreign seasons now winding down, additional options could become available.
Lyon said: “We’ve discussed it many times and we’re already planning for what we can do in terms of Ulrich’s situation, it’s a topic of conversation every day at the moment.
“Rider replacement has served us well, and the boys have responded magnificently, but it’s not what we want to go into the play-offs with, and we need to do something about it.
“We’ve been looking for the last couple of weeks or so, and we will bring someone in if we can.
“But that person has to be the right rider, the right personality, the right experience, and if that doesn’t happen then we will run with guests quite potentially as we go into the play-offs.
“We’ll see how it goes. We’re working really hard to get someone in.”
Panthers have a week off before they head to Ipswich next Thursday in another meeting which will be crucial to their hopes of finishing top of the table and securing choice of play-off opponents.
Lyon has paid tribute to the club’s travelling support, who were out in force at King’s Lynn earlier this month to witness a fifth away victory out of seven so far this season.
And he was also delighted with the atmosphere at the East of England Arena on Monday, where the feel-good factor around the club was summed up by a packed crowd for the top-of-the-table clash with Wolves.
He added: “To win on the road is great anyway, and with the run we’re having it’s nice for the fans to come and support us knowing the team is going to give 100 per cent and potentially come away with something.”