The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Harris a top first signing for 2019
Panthers’ first signing for 2019 was SGB Premiership title-winning specialist Chris Harris.
The 36 year-old former Grand Prix ace has enjoyed two previous spells in Panthers colours and helped them to SGB Championship Fours and KO Cup success in 2017.
But he now returns for 2019 with Panthers having climbed back into the bigtime and it is at this level where Harris has enjoyed great success.
He helped Coventry to top-flight glory three times before also starring for Poole as they won the crown last season.
Panthers promoter Ged Rathbone said: “Chris loved his time at Peterborough in the past and we’re absolutely over the moon that he has chosen to come back to us.
“We saw what he can still do in the play-offs when helping Poole to glory this year and hopefully he can do that for us while enjoying his speedway again.
“It’s a really good move for Chris as there’s not too much travelling involved for him to get to Peterborough, and it’s a very strong start to our team building.”
And Harris is delighted to be back at a club who gave him his first break in the top-flight all the way back in 2003 as well as those secondtier successes in 2017.
He said: “I’m very pleased to be back at Peterborough. It’s a really good track, the management there are great and the fans have always made me welcome.
“It’s fantastic to see Peterborough in the top league again and it looks like they’re assembling a really competitive team.”
Harris is expected to arrive on a 7.78 average. SGB Premiership sides have 42.5 points available for team building.
Carl Johnson has performed a U-turn to continue as Peterborough Panthers team manager.
Johnson led the city club to three trophies in the last two seasons but stepped down with the intention of spending more time with his family.
However, following Panthers’ rise into the SGB Premiership and the decision of promoter Ged Rathbone to stay on, Johnson has also had a change of heart and will now be in charge again next season.