The Birmingham Brummies are a historic club dating back to 1946, but they have only come north to race the Monarchs on 11 occasions, and not since 2010.

Therefore their visit on Friday to race the Staggs Bar Monarchs in the Championship will be a continuation of the series which began in 1948.

Star men for the Brummies are Adam Ellis, an established UK international, and Jason Garrity who can be brilliant and spectacular but who has missed some recent trips to Armadale for an assortment of reasons. He is fully expected to be there on Friday and his recent form is outstanding.

Their Italian rider Paco Castagna has been having a much improved season and they also track a Finn (Tero Aarnio) and a Dane (Nick Agertoft, who has not been to Armadale before).

Sadly the Brummies’ captain James Shanes is missing due to a serious back injury sustained last weekend. Rider replacement will apply.

Monarchs meanwhile will be at full-strength.

Birmingham’s best recent result was an away draw at Scunthorpe which is a far better result than Monarchs achieved there.

Team manager Alex Harkess (pictured) said: “We should be strong enough. The Brummies did get a draw at Scunthorpe recently which shows they are capable of producing a score, and that we should not take anything for granted. We need to do the job and do it well.”

STAGGS BAR MONARCHS: Sam Masters, James Sarjeant, Josh Pickering, Ricky Wells (capt.), Cameron Heeps, Connor Coles, William Lawson.

BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES: Adam Ellis, rider replacement for James Shanes, Tero Aarnio, Paco Castagna, Jason Garrity, Jordan Jenkins, Nick Agertoft.

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