Club legend Hans is back for an eighth season with Peterborough Panthers

The Dane is the third member of last year’s side to make a return, along with youngsters Benjamin Basso and Jordan Jenkins, and it will be the eighth campaign in total in which he has represented Panthers.

He memorably led the team to victory in the very last heat of the Elite League Grand Final against Reading in 2006, and was then an integral part of the incredible ‘Dad’s Army’ story of 2021 even though he crashed out in the first leg of the Premiership decider against Belle Vue.

Co-promoter Carl Johnson insists Andersen has the ability and experience to bounce back from a below-par 2022 which mirrored the fortunes of the team as a whole, when Panthers went from title winners to wooden spoonists in the space of under twelve months.

Johnson said: “We believe in what Hans can do. We believe in his ability and we’ve got faith in him.

“If we didn’t have that faith then he wouldn’t be in the team, it’s as simple as that.

"We wouldn’t bring someone in who we didn’t think was going to be able to do a job for us.

“He struggled last season with different things, but towards the end of the season he put in some good scores, and I’m confident Hans can put at least a point on his average from last year.

“I think we have a strong middle order with him and Richie (Worrall) there, and it’s one that’s capable of scoring points on a lot of tracks.

“We also have a rider in Ben Cook who has the potential to move into the main body of the team, although ideally in his first season we’d like to keep him at reserve where he can learn.

“But if it does happen that he moves up, then we should be strong at reserve whoever drops down, and certainly with riders capable of winning Heat 2 on any track.

“It’s a fresh start for Hans with a different team around him, something different to get his teeth into, and it should work out for him - it’s good to have him back.”

Andersen comes into the Panthers’ side on a 4.93 average, joining Niels-Kristian Iversen (7.59), Benjamin Basso (6.81), Richie Worrall (6.05), Ben Cook (4.06) and ‘Rising Star’ Jordan Jenkins.

The points limit this year is set at 39 for the top six riders, meaning Panthers have 9.46 available for their final signing – which is more than sufficient to complete the team with an out-and-out number one.

Former World Champion Chris Holder, who went public last weekend to confirm the collapse of his move to the club, would have been available at 7.16, having last raced in the UK for King’s Lynn in 2017.

Holder was infamously dropped by the Stars in August of that season after both he and fellow Australian Troy Batchelor failed to complete a meeting against Poole, and he has since concentrated on other European leagues.

Panther start their Premiership season at Ipswich on Thursday, March 23 with a return fixture against the Witches at the East of England Arena to follow on Monday, March 27.