WEYMOUTH Wildcats’ captain Jon Armstrong will be welcomed back with open arms to the seasiders’ squad next season, if he can prove his fitness over the winter.

The 35-year-old injured his knee in April and has not featured since after discovering it needed specialist treatment, and was even told at one stage that he had a “less than 50 per cent chance” of ever riding again.

However, promoter Phil Bartlett has kept the door wide open for the Mighty Midget as attentions begin to turn towards next season, following Friday night’s final meeting of the season – the Halloween Trophy.

“That space is available whenever he is fit to ride,” said Bartlett. “He’s had his operation and is getting fitter and fitter and fitter so will hopefully be ready to race, subject to him proving his fitness in fitness tests over the winter.

“The main thing I have got to check is that he hasn’t lost his bottle.

“He will fight for every point so I don’t think he’d have lost it and once he’s put a few laps in then I’m quite confident he’ll be back there fighting, as soon as he has the confidence that his leg will hold him up when racing.”

The future of Terry Day has been up for much speculation in recent weeks since a falling out between the 24-year-old rider and Bartlett at the fixture with the Isle of Wight in September.

Day pledged his future to the Wildcats after finishing third in Friday’s Halloween Trophy and Bartlett plans to sit down with him soon to try and thrash out a new deal.

“I don’t have any issues with Terry Day as a rider, or his capabilities,” said Bartlett.

James White-Williams should also be a Wildcat next summer, with the future of others looking set to be decided during a busy close season.

Tim Webster, 20, has already agreed to join Newport while Lee Smethills quit speedway altogether ahead of the final National Trophy clash with Plymouth.

Defending champions Weymouth finished second in the National League, behind Bournemouth, and second in the National Trophy qualification table, behind Plymouth.

Number one rider Mark Burrows suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung just five days after the window shut on August 31, while the absence of Armstrong has also been felt this season.

“Overall, we should be fairly happy because we finished second in the qualification table as opposed to fourth last year,” said Bartlett. “We won the league last year because I strengthened up just before the transfer window closed and in the final we were against a side ravaged by injury.

“We won the league by good fortune as well as being more consistent.

“This year we had the same problem as Bournemouth did last year after the transfer window with injuries and I couldn’t bring anyone in more than a three-pointer. We suffered with injuries and that’s where we lost it.

“We were still one of the top teams because we qualified second and our away winning record was only second to Bournemouth, who won the league.

“On reflect, I think we have had a very reasonable year. We were strong right at the beginning but tailed off towards the end, but that was due to injuries.

“Obviously we’ll regroup and build a competitive team again for next season and be back up there fighting for honours. It was difficult to try and win back-to-back titles, you just have to look at Poole, who finished second-bottom after winning the league.”

n Terry Day won two awards at the Cats’ presentation night. He was handed the Dorset Echo rider of the year award, as well as the most improved rider trophy.

Tim Webster (most bonus points), James Cockle (website rider of the year) and James White-Williams (best newcomer) were the other winners.