Ricky’s back in town!

Saturday night’s hospitality box at Shielfield will be filled with some familiar faces as former club owner John Anderson holds court behind the glass.

And, fingers crossed, one of those guests will be the multi award-winning master butchers’ most popular signings, Ricky Ashworth.

When Kozza Smith was injured back in his native Australia in January 2012 the Bandits’ promotion was left with a major headache, one that they chose to fill with the Salfordian.

A signing not universally lauded by some Berwick fans in the beginning  – Ricky had some “previous” in Sheffield colours involving largely, but not exclusively, Michal Makovsky. But that all-action style soon endeared him to the Bandits’ faithful scoring nearly 300 points in just 32 appearances.

Current captain Leon Flint also credits Ricky with putting him on the road to becoming a double British Champion and still proudly displays the Ashworth Racing logo on his kevlars.

Highlight of his heartbreakingly brief spell in black and gold was being part of the legendary 2012 Premier League Fours’ winning side at Peterborough but then, on August 2013 he crashed at Scunthorpe, emerging from a coma 91 days later with life-changing brain injuries.

The fact that Ricky only celebrated his 40^th birthday last year underlines just how prematurely his racing career was cut short.

Sheffield and Berwick staged benefit meetings and the speedway community rallied around with sponsored rides, charity football matches and fundraising specially commissioned wristbands among the events which raised funds to help him adapt his life and home to the new reality, but Ricky has risen to the challenge and been a regular visitor to Ben Fund meetings showing off his new passion for cycling.

Having ridden in, among others, the Berwick staging of the season-opening fundraiser in 2013 Ricky was back at Leicester four years later lapping Beaumont Park on a tandem to the cheers of the crowd having benefitted directly from the charity.

He also acts as an inspiration for those who have found themselves in a similar position, his efforts being documented by, among others, BBC’s Breakfast programme.

Ricky’s last visit to Shielfield was in 2017 but he keeps up to date with his former club via good friends made during his time in our colours.

One of those is club co-owner Scott Courtney who admitted: “It will be emotional to have Ricky back at Shielfield.

“As riders we were all fully aware of the dangers we faced every time we took to the track but what happened at Scunthorpe that night brought it all home to us in no uncertain style.

“Despite everything he has had to overcome Ricky has remained positive and determined to rebuild his life while having no regrets.

“Along with John Anderson it will be like having Berwick speedway royalty in the hospitality box on Saturday night.”

Pictures: John Somerville Collection and Steve Dixon (Ben Fund picture)