Speedway: Craig Cook ready to step up to plate

Edinburgh MONARCHS star Craig Cook today promised to “screw his head back on” this season after finally signing his contract for a second spell with the Capital speedway outfit.

Although he was named in Monarchs’ starting line-up last month, the Englishman, 24, revealed he had stalled on putting pen to paper due to personal problems.

Cook explained: “Three members of my family have been quite ill and over the Christmas period speedway was the last thing on my mind, to be honest.

“But now that I’ve finally sorted out a new contract, I’m back in the gym to get myself fully fit for the new campaign, I’m also eating properly again and I can’t wait to get started.”

Cook upped his average by a point during last season but admitted towards the end of the league programme he allowed his on-track performances to go astray, saying: “I lost track of things a bit, but I’ve got my head screwed back on now and I’m not going to let it come loose again.”

On Monarchs’ chances of pinching the Premier League crown back from arch-rivals Glasgow Tigers, Cook added: “I think we have got a good side and we’ll do okay. I also think we will surprise a few sides away from home.”

Monarchs chief Alex Harkess commented: “We are delighted that Craig has signed on again, he was the only rider we considered for our final place.”

Co-promoter John Campbell added: “I offered Craig a contract in December but for reasons he has explained he wasn’t able to sign it. But he made contact with me last week and following an exchange of e-mails, everything was sorted out.”