Tesar to return with Stead in the frame.

Sam Tesar will be back in Peterborough colours again next season where one of his team mates could be Simon Stead.

The veteran Czech rode just one meeting for Panthers last season and then missed the remainder of the season after injuring his achilles tendon during a training run

Tesar has ridden for Peterborough in all but one of the last eight seasons and club bosses had no hesitation in bringing back the 37-year-old despite his injury problems last season.

"We missed Sam badly last season," said co-promoter Ian Jarvis. "If he had been in the side all season I'm sure we would have finished in the top three of the Elite League".

"Sam has been a great servant to Peterborough and we never had any doubts about offering him a 2002 contract. He's a very fit man still, he has bags of enthusiasm and I'm sure his injury worries are behind him.

The club are still aiming to draft Simon Stead into their 2002 line-up - even though he is expected to sign for Premier League Sheffield this week.

Stead is a Peterborough asset but has turned down the chance of returning to his parent club for the last two years in favour of staying in the Premier League with his home town club.

But a new ruling, proposed at the promoters' conference in Edinburgh last month, means young British riders like Stead can compete in both leagues, fitting in Elite League meetings whenever their schedule allows.

Peterborough co-promoter Jim Lynch said: "Simon is obviously a rider we want next season and the new rule, if confirmed, will have really helped us out because I'm not sure he would have come otherwise."

If Peterborough do sign Stead they will have to find another Premier League youngster to double up for when Stead has commitments with Sheffield.

But the new rule has not yet been ratified, it goes in front of the management committee next week.