ATKINS WALKS AWAY!

RIDER OPTS TO LEAVE PLYMOUTH GLADIATORS

- STUART JAMES

PLYMOUTH Gladiators team manager Garry May says he is disappointed that reserve rider Henry Atkins has decided to leave the club and continue his speedway career elsewhere.

Atkins was a surprise omission from the team that secured the Gladiators' first away win for several years at Scunthorpe Scorpions on Friday night and he since put a statement out on social media confirming that he had not quit speedway, but that a 'change of direction' was needed.

May said it all stemmed from him being replaced for Dan Gilkes in heat 14 of last Tuesday's home win over Scunthorpe, which left Atkins disappointed. However, May said he was acting in the team's best interests in trying to ensure the team were winners on the night

"I didn't want Henry to leave, but I am the manager and I have to make changes within the team on race day to make sure that we win," May said. "Dan Gilkes was a better reserve and scored more points than Henry, so I am going to use Dan Gilkes.

“I didn't want Scunthorpe to score any points last week because I don't think they will be in the top six and I put Dan Gilkes in instead of Henry in heat 14 because I thought Dan would do the job for me.