PETERBOROUGH have confirmed the signing of Jordan Jenkins to take the vacant Rising Star position in their Premiership squad.
20-year-old Jenkins, who rides for Redcar in the Championship and Oxford in the National Development League, comes in for Dan Gilkes who suffered long-term injuries in a crash at Scunthorpe last month.
But with this season’s regulations enabling clubs to pick between their Rising Star riders on a match-by-match basis, Jenkins is set to come into the Crendon Panthers side in place of Jordan Palin for next Monday’s trip to King’s Lynn.
Jenkins is just back from a short injury lay-off himself, which delayed Panthers’ plans to announce him last week, but having ridden in Poland he now plans to return for Redcar on Friday.
Jenkins said: “I was surprised to get the ‘phone call but it was nice to finalise everything with Dale (Allitt) and I’ve had a good conversation with Rob (Lyon).
“I spoke to my granddad because it’s a step I need to make at some point, whether it be now or next season.
“I feel I’m riding well and I’m scoring good points in the Championship, the National League and Poland, so why not add to the already busy calendar and fill it up a bit more!
“Fair play to Jordie (Palin), he was on fire last year, and this is like a squad system where I’ll step in if I’m needed to, and hopefully I can do a job. It’s a good opportunity for me.”
Boss Lyon has stressed that Palin has only been rested from the team after tough start to the new season, and the club are right behind him in his bid to recapture the form he showed in the title charge last year.
Lyon said: “We looked at what was available and felt that Jordan Jenkins was probably the best option for us. “I know him from No Limits (training) days and so on, so it did make sense and it was just a shame he had an injury last week which meant he couldn’t ride on Monday in the Pairs. “With Jordan Palin, it’s just a couple of matches that we’ve rested him for, and that’s what the No.7/No.8 scenario is all about this year.
“It provides some competition, and hopefully Jordie will come back all guns firing, and we’ll see him back in the team in the future.”
Panthers’ trip to King’s Lynn on Monday is followed up by a vital home clash with Wolverhampton at the East of England Arena next Thursday (June 2).