Six of the seven riders that finished the season with last years runaway league champions have returned to the Robinson Arena for SL32 as Timperley seek back-to-back crowns. For a seventh season in succession Tobias Schneider will lead the Titans, the 31 year old German having been an ever-present in their league side over that period. A familiar looking top four is completed by Petr Bonus, Juhani Makienen and Trevor Putnam. While Connor Thurston and Jordan Gould also return to the champions septet, there will be at least one new face in Garry Robinson’s line-up when they take to the track for their first league fixture against Sawley, and the Titans boss has spent big in giving himself plenty of options to fill that reserve slot. A combined £3/4million on three riders in fact, the priciest of the trio at £325,000 being Harry Sanderson who spent much of last year on loan in the top flight at Eastbourne. An eye-watering fee given he hardly set the league alight in SL31, averaging just 2.48, although the 19 year old did tally very close to ten in the Junior League. Potential the key word too in his other two signings, teenagers Igor Lukashevich and Fredrik Fridell. The latter has made just ten career league appearances, all for Lakeside, but Robinson paid £150,000 for his services, earning the Aces a £129,000 profit on the rider in less than a year, one who averaged just 1.88 for them. Lukashevich has a bit more pedigree, the Estonian earning all his 3.00 point GSA over 13 meetings for Bournemouth, but again the £275,000 paid looks a big gamble for Timperley. Will it be one that pays off?