Capping off a brilliant week for supporters of the Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – is the news of the signing of a sensational top two riders to lead the West Row-based side into the forthcoming 2023 National Development League [NDL] season.
Many fans were wondering who could come in as the team’s new number one and the answer to the question, “what’s it all about?” has been Alfie!
Yes, the rider who finished second in the NDL averages last term and widely recognised as the top number one going into this new campaign, Alfie Bowtell is returning to the club where he first made his name in the sport. The 25-year-old from Chelmsford in Essex rode for the Fen Tigers back in 2016 and has gone on to appear for Lakeside, Isle of Wight (where he was runner up in the Divisional individual Riders’ Championship in 2018 and last year led the line for the Kent Royals – before injury prematurely curtailed his season.
Self-styled as ‘Alfie Bo’ in his first spell at West Row, the news that Alfie will be donning the number one race jacket in 2023 is enough to get the fans singing from the rooftops!
And if Alfie’s signing is the perfect late Christmas present, then the ribbon and bow on top is the news that coming in as club captain for 2023 is another huge fans’ favourite, in Lee Complin.
The experienced Complin returned to the sport after a decade away last year and quickly re-established his reputation as one of the most stylish and exciting riders in the sport. A series of ‘Guest’ appearances at Mildenhall as well as for his 2022 club Armadale Devils absolutely wowed the West Row faithful and it was the least well-kept secret in the sport that the Mildenhall management would move heaven and earth to get the 38-year-old who hails from North Yorkshire on board as a permanent Fen Tiger in 2023.
With vast experience going back to being a member of his home county side Sheffield’s League title win right at the beginning of the noughties, Complin is the perfect man to get the crowds through the turnstiles and as captain will be a massive inspiration to his charges in the Fen Tigers’ famous orange & black race jackets.
The Mildenhall promotional team expressed their delight as getting their team building underway with such positive and well-received news,
“We are delighted to welcome Alfie & Lee as our top two for the forthcoming season. Alfie first made his name in the sport as a teenager with Mildenhall and we’ve followed his progress and development through the sport with great interest. It was clear that last season he has become now one of the absolute top riders in the NDL and his position as second in the overall averages for the division confirms this. We couldn’t be more satisfied that Alfie is returning now as our number one.
“Lee was an absolute sensation last year and so many seasoned devotees of the sport commenting on how his style of riding was so exciting to watch. He’s truly one of those riders of whom it can be said, he’s worth the admission money alone to watch and it’s fantastic news that it’s going to each week at West Row where we’ll be seeing him, as skipper of the Fen Tigers”.
There’s good news regarding the NDL itself with Complin’s former club Armadale Devils confirming they will be coming to the tapes in 2023 – the Edinburgh-based club had appeared lost to the sport but a last minute reprieve sees them continuing and with the addition of new club Workington Comets, the NDL looks like it’s going to be a hugely competitive national division again when the Speedway season gets underway again come late March/early April.
