Speedway: Sheffield confirm Josh Pickering to replace Kyle Howarth as new club captain

The rider who won the Championship League Riders’ individual title in his capacity as an Edinburgh rider last season will be the first new captain at the club since long serving Howarth was appointed, and takes over after Howarth moved to Leicester this season.

He already has experience as a captain, having led both King’s Lynn and Edinburgh in the past, and team manager Simon Stead has known who his choice would be since he first announced this season’s team.

Pickering played a big role in the Tigers lifting the Premiership trophy in 2023, and had a successful 2025 season.

Team Manager Simon Stead says Picko suits the captain’s role perfectly.

He said of the 28-year-old: "He's just a true captain in every sense of the word.

"He looks out for the other boys in the team both on and off track, he's always been vocal, he's great for team morale, he always gives it 110 per cent, he always gets stuck in - he's just a dream from a team manager's point of view.

"Being a captain isn't new to him either; he's done it at Edinburgh in the Championship before and it's a role that won't faze him, in fact, I think he'll revel in it."

Pickering, who lives in South Yorkshire, in Doncaster, added: "I love Sheffield, I love the track, the fans, the promotion - everything that makes up Sheffield as a whole.

"It's just effortless and it's cool and nice to say that I am the captain of such a great, prestigious team.

"The last couple of seasons I've been vocal in the pits anyway, so that's not going to change and it's not going to change my direction in the pits at all.

"I'm really hoping that we can collect some more silverware this year - and once it says that Sheffield Tigers are the 2025 Premiership Champions, then that's when being the captain will feel even better."

Sheffield's Pre-Season launch will take place at Owlerton Stadium next Thursday (March 27) with free admission to the public from 6pm.

Their first team fixture of the season sees them host Birmingham in the Steel City on Thursday, April 3 (7.30pm).

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