Sheffield speedway: Josh firing on all cylinders

Josh Bates has paid tribute to team-mate Kyle Howarth for his quick thinking after he suffered a dislocated shoulder in Sheffield's meeting with Berwick.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2016, 11:42 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 16:20 BST

Bates has been through a tough spell with crashes and his confidence has taken a battering. Now he is ready to relaunch his season.

“I’ve had a tough old time of it but it’s time to get things going again,” said Bates. “I had a really nasty crash against Berwick. If it hadn’t have been for Kyle avoiding me and reacting so quickly it could have been so much worse. It was frustrating because I’d just been starting to hit form here and it came just before a massive weekend for me. It ruled me out of the U21 World Team cup semi in Denmark and that was the lowest point of my career. You work so hard to get in a position like that and then having to admit defeat and say I wasn’t going to be fit enough killed me. It took me days to get over it and my confidence hit rock bottom.

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“It taught me a lot of things and hopefully it will make me stronger in the long run. I’m my own worst critic and that’s only because I want to do my best and when I don’t do that I get annoyed with myself. I never give anything less than 100% and when you do that and things don’t work, it makes me scratch my head as to what went wrong.

“I’ve had some real tough times this season but it’s the memory and the thought of the high points that keep you going.”

Sheffield host Rye House tonight, with Jason Garrity having to take a late fitness check.