HANS TIED TO SWINDON

Thursday 1st December 2011, 09:35

Returning Grand Prix star Hans Andersen has joined this year’s Elite League wooden spoonists Swindon for 2012.

Andersen, who regained his place in the SGP series after Darcy Ward turned down a wild card, joins fellow Dane Peter Kildemand in a new-look Robins side.

The Odense-born man endured a nightmare 2011 season after breaking his leg in April and losing his spot at Coventry to Emil Sayfutdinov. Even after he returned to the track in June, the injury continued to hamper him throughout the rest of the campaign.

Andersen finished the season at Peterborough, but missed out on a place in the Panthers one-to-seven for 2012.

However, Swindon co-promoter Alun Rossiter says the former world No.5 is determined to bounce back to his best at Blunsdon.

"I believe his return to the Grand Prix will see him take his performances up to the next level."

- Alun Rossiter

He said: “Hans is bursting with enthusiasm and is delighted to be joining us here at Swindon.

"I believe his return to the Grand Prix will see him take his performances up to the next level and we will see him once again emerge as a No.1 in the Elite League.

“He’s a good character. I get on well with him and it’s a very pleasing piece of the team building jigsaw to put in place.

"I'd like to thank Trevor Swales at Peterborough for his help and co-operation in making the deal possible."

Rossiter’s fellow promoter Gary Patchett is thrilled with the news and has praised former Peterborough and Birmingham promoter Mick Bratley for helping make the move happen.

He said: “I have kept in touch with Mick since we worked together at Birmingham and he also played a massive part in bringing Hans to Swindon.

“Mick is a terrific guy with some great ideas for the sport and I look forward to seeing him at Swindon on a regular basis now Hans has joined us.”

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