TIGERS BOSS BACKS CHRIS

SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead feels former World Champion Chris Holder could prove to be one of the bargains of the season.

Holder, who joined the Owlerton club in the latter stages of 2023, became a title hero for the Tigers back in October in a dramatic finale to the Sports Insure Premiership campaign.

Now he’s signed on for a full year with the defending champions where he is set to provide top-end support for younger brother Jack and another ex-World Champion Tai Woffinden.

Stead said: “We asked him to go out there and help get the job done in that last-heat decider against Ipswich, and for him to race at that level and finish on a real high note when under immense pressure deserves so much credit.

“So if he can do things like that after only a couple of months then I really am excited to see just how he can perform if he’s racing competitively consistently, and he could prove to be an absolute bargain on a 7.16 starting average.”