BARKER BACK WITH BRUMMIES

BIRMINGHAM have signed Ben Barker – over a decade after he last represented the club in the top-flight.

Barker completed three seasons at Perry Barr in the early 2010s, being part of the side which topped the old Elite League table in 2013 before missing out in the Grand Final.

He now returns to the West Midlands to fill the place left by Danish international Michael Jepsen Jensen, who left the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership club last month.

Brummies CEO Nigel Tolley said: “I already know some people’s reaction will be ‘how is Ben Barker a replacement for MJJ?’, but those people have to be realistic and remind themselves of a few things.

“The reality is that there is a lack of riders available, particularly of MJJ’s quality.

“So we studied our options and Ben is actually someone who opted to put his name in the frame in the build-up to this season.

“You know you’re going to get maximum effort from Ben, you know he’ll fight for every point and he likes to put on a show and ruffle some feathers.”