\u201cSaturday nights work for me, I was captain there before, so I know the place and I know the track\u2019s going to be slightly different, but there will be familiar faces and I am looking forward to getting back with Plymouth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t had the greatest of times since I left, but I am recovering from a shoulder operation now and hopefully you will see a bit more of the old me. That\u2019s where I want to be at.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Newman\u2019s departure from Poole is largely down to the lower points score in the Championship for 2024 with clubs having to build their teams within a 38-point limit. Newman\u2019s Green Sheet Average was 5.86 in 2023 and after averaging 7.07 for the season, it has increased for this year which meant Poole struggled to find a place for him in their septet.<\/p>\n Hopefully, the Pirates\u2019 loss will be the Gladiators\u2019 gain with Newman joining Ben Barker, Alfie Bowtell, Dan and Joe Thompson and Aussie reserve Jacob Hook in the team for next season.<\/p>\n \u201cI improved my average last year \u2013 not as much as I wanted to \u2013 but it puts the likes of me in that middle zone where it is awkward to fit us in,\u201d<\/em> Newman said. \u201cWith all due respect, I see myself as better than a reserve position, I actually feel I could take a heat leader role, but I wasn\u2019t quite there with my average last year.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou then get caught in that middle zone and get pushed to the side or the back when it comes to team building. I understand that, it\u2019s frustrating for me as a rider but it is what it is. I just have to keep pushing on and next year, push that average back up to where it should be.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI like the responsibility of heat leader, but I will go wherever he puts me. I think it is a lot more balanced side than last year, but my responsibility this year will be to step up, as it will for the likes of Alfie and then the heat leaders to push on from where they are as well.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAs long as all the other boys do their job and get some points on the board, then we will be there or thereabouts. Jacob has had a few years in England now and we need him to push on as well and showing what he is really capable of.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n May was delighted with the acquisition and said: \u201cKyle lives at Wimborne and I am in Poole, so he\u2019s almost my neighbour! But when he got dropped by Poole, he rung me up and I told Mark (Phillips), but we were dealing with other things at the time and I couldn\u2019t give him an answer straight away because he wasn\u2019t in our plans.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe scored points everywhere last year and he rides Plymouth well because he\u2019s been there before. We have used him as a guest and he rode well then, but I am sure he will score points again. He is a gutsy little rider and gets stuck in and I am sure he will improve.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The club are still seeking sponsors for the new season and welcome people and business to discuss a host of sponsorship opportunities that the club can offer. For further details, please contact Mark Phillips on mark@plymouth-speedway.com or Paul Swarbrick on paul@plymouth-speedway.com.<\/p>\n Words and Images by Plymouth Speedway<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" AFTER being released by Poole Pirates at the end of last season, Kyle Newman said it was a no-brainer to get in touch with Plymouth Prow Park Gladiators boss Garry May and get himself fixed up for the 2024 campaign. Newman, who turns 32 on Thursday, is no stranger to the Coliseum, of course, having […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,4,51],"tags":[8,45,9],"class_list":["post-882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-british-speedway","category-speedway","category-the-championship","tag-british-speedway","tag-plymouth-gladiators","tag-speedway"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/speedwayhub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/410928445_381453097577541_5933786937047014220_n.jpeg\")
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