Mildenhall retain Hedge and Lydes-Uings.

Mildenhall's team building plans are under way for the new Conference League season ahead as promoter Tony Mole confirmed the return of two of last year's heat leaders to the team.

Captain and Rider of the Year Gavin Hedge will be back for his fifth campaign with the Fen Tigers and he will be joined by Paul Lydes-Uings in his fourth year at the club.

Mildenhall's team building plans are under way for the new Conference League season ahead as promoter Tony Mole confirmed the return of two of last year's heat leaders to the team.

Captain and Rider of the Year Gavin Hedge will be back for his fifth campaign with the Fen Tigers and he will be joined by Paul Lydes-Uings in his fourth year at the club.

Mole also confirmed that former Rye House and Oxford rider Darren Andrews is close to agreeing terms with the club.

Andrews, who in fact rode a handful of meetings for Mildenhall in 1994 and 95, is contracted to Mole's Premier League club Workington and averaged 5.67 from 20 meetings in the Conference League last year with Tigers' rivals Rye House.

The search for a top rider/coach to lead the team is still on, as Mole said: "It needs to be a rider not in a current 1-7 position in the Elite League or Premier League and preferably one with an average of over seven."

General manager Graham Drury has also been appointed as the club's new team manager and will be dealing with all matters appertaining to the club when he starts on March 18.

He said: "We intend to build a team of riders who
are looking ahead maybe to Premier League racing and not just content to potter around in the Conference League."

Meanwhile, local youngsters are set for a boost by the announcement that Mildenhall will be holding training sessions for the first time in a number
of years at the West Row circuit throughout the year.

Mole explained: "We are proposing to have training sessions on Saturday's when there's no stock car racing, that's agreed with the stadium. We hope
to have a high profile rider who will be the trainer/coach but have yet to make that appointment.

We will be running two training sessions per month
from May onwards until the end of October.

"This is an opportunity for riders to make their way in the sport. If they show up well enough then certainly a team position is possible, but they've
got to show it on the track and convince Graham Drury they can do it."

When asked if the Conference League truly is an amateur league, Mole said: "The short answer to that is, if we're honest, is no.

But the money they receive doesn't really recompense them for the costs they have to undertake and therefore I think it's fair comment to say it really is an amateur league if you allow for the payments that are made to them being very modest."

Mildenhall's press and practice day, which was last season cancelled, has been announced as Wednesday 12 April. Mole stated that this will be for
invited riders only, but any non-contracted riders can apply to Graham Drury and they may be invited along.

Mole also spoke of his plans for Mildenhall's future and he said the aim for the club is to get back to the crowd levels of the late 1970s and early 1980s, to win the Conference League and then apply for the 2003 Premier League.

"We do have ambition, and we will be a professional set-up even if its an amateur club.", he commented.

Read More