PREMIERSHIP PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM

IT was a baptism of fire for Birmingham as they made their top-flight return last year after a decade away, and a tough campaign saw them finish bottom of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership table.

There were frustrations along the way with a multitude of team changes, and they won just four of their 24 league matches, along with a Super Heat defeat against Sheffield in a dramatic opener.

However, a glance at the Brummies’ results showed there was more than that to the story as they were rarely on the end of heavy defeats, and the vast majority of their eight home losses saw them just miss out in a string of close contests.

It’s all change at Perry Barr for 2025 as Chris Adams steps up into the managerial hotseat, having previously acted as assistant to Sam Ermolenko, and the Brummies will be represented by seven fresh faces this year.

Top of the riding order is Polish star TOBIASZ MUSIELAK, a previous title winner with Swindon and Sheffield, who is back in British racing after an aborted spell with King’s Lynn last year.

Brummies have tempted classy Slovenian MATEJ ZAGAR back to the UK having been part of Belle Vue’s successful side of 2022, and they also pulled off a shock in the latter stages of team building by moving for former World Under-21 Champion and GP winner MICHAEL JEPSEN JENSEN, who last rode in the UK for Coventry way back in 2014.

The new arrivals continue with another Dane, JONAS JEPPESEN, whose only previous Premiership experience was with Somerset in 2018 but who has impressed on the continent since then, whilst there are high hopes for KEYNAN REW as the Australian moves to Perry Barr after two seasons with Ipswich where he has produced several displays which underline his rich potential.

In the reserve berths, the Brummies have moved for Finnish racer ANTTI VUOLAS whose debut season in the UK saw him part of a title-winning Belle Vue side, whilst the Rising Star berth is taken by JASON EDWARDS who makes the switch from Sheffield and has often ridden well at Perry Barr in the past.

2025 STARTING LINE-UP:

Tobiasz Musielak 8.21

Michael Jepsen Jensen 7.50

Matej Zagar 7.20

Keynan Rew 5.67

Jonas Jeppesen 4.50

Antti Vuolas 4.13

Jason Edwards (RS)

*Line-up subject to approval