LEICESTER Speedway are delighted to announce the return of Australian star Sam Masters for the 2026 season – and he will be taking over as club captain.
Masters, 34, enjoyed a spell with the Lions in 2015 as a doubling-up rider but was primarily associated with Wolverhampton in the top league before the sad closure of Monmore Green.
He made the switch to the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park ahead of the 2024 campaign and was vice-captain to Max Fricke as the Watling JCB Lions reached two Premiership Grand Finals and also clinched the KO Cup last season.
Masters returns on an average of 7.28 after a consistent campaign with a string of high scores at home where he hit double figures on eight occasions in the league.
He said: “I don’t like switching clubs too much, I feel pretty settled and when you feel like that there’s no point in leaving!
“I’ve enjoyed the last two years at Leicester, and although two second places is hard to take, at the same time it’s shown how successful we’ve been. There have been plenty of other teams below us in those two seasons!
“When you’re winning, like we have been, it’s been fun, and although it was always going to be hard to leave Wolves after so long, Stewart (Dickson) and everyone at the club have made me feel more than welcome and I’m grateful that they want me to stay.
“It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t fit Max in because we had a lot of good team-rides and we were a pretty good pairing in Heats 13 and 15, so we’ll miss him, plus he was a good captain.
“It’s big boots for me to fill as captain, but it’s something I’ve done before and I can only do my best and I’m already looking forward to it.
“I’m back home at the moment looking to prepare and get as fit as I can ready for another big season, and it was good to hear that the league itself is under control and we can look forward to next year.”
Masters is the Lions’ second confirmed signing for 2026 along with Dan Thompson, who has rejoined the club from Ipswich, and more news is expected to follow soon.
