Pickering snubs Stars to rejoin league rivals Sheffield

King’s Lynn have been snubbed by former skipper Josh Pickering, who has controversially agreed a deal to return Sports Insure Premiership rivals Sheffield.

Pickering, who has endured an injury-hit season so far, was taken out of the MacInnes Stars’ team declaration as part of the changes which saw Artem Laguta and Kye Thomson join the club.

However, that move was not as a 28-day injury replacement, as a one-to-seven featuring both Laguta and Pickering would have taken the Stars over the points limit at the time.

It was, though, always Lynn’s intention that Pickering would resume his place, and the last week has seen the loss of Michael Palm Toft to injury and Frederik Jakobsen who quit British racing – both riders who Pickering could now have slotted back in for.

Club owner Keith Chapman said: “It’s obviously disappointing, but there’s nothing we can do to stop it as he was taken out of our one-to-seven, at his request I’m told.

“I wasn’t involved at the time, it wasn’t my team, but all I can say is I would have kept him in all the time, I would never have taken him out.

“Josh said he would ring me back when he’d practiced and ridden in Poland, to let me know what he was doing, but I’ve heard nothing.

“I’ve been left holding the baby so to speak with the team, and I know it seems a bit bonkers. I would have wanted in the team here but this is the situation we find ourselves in.”