STOKE have moved to fill the gap left by Claus Vissing’s ban by signing 22-year-old Swede Jeremia Thelaus.

STOKE have moved to fill the gap left by Claus Vissing’s ban by signing 22-year-old Swede Jeremia Thelaus.

Vissing is unable to ride for the remainder of the season after being banned by his Federation, and Thelaus will make his debut in Saturday’s home clash with Newport.

It has been reported Vissing was involved in a fight with Henning Bager and Henrik Moller in a Danish Division One match last week.

Manager Malcolm Vasey said: “We will miss Claus. But I’ve seen Jeremia a couple of times last season when he rode at Redcar and Scunthorpe in a couple of individual meetings and have kept my eye on him this year. He was eager to come to Stoke and has bags of potential and is full of promise.

“He has very good equipment and also looked quick on the occasions I’ve seen him. After Claus was suspended for the rest of the season we felt that rider-replacement was not an option and it was decided we’d bring the lad over.”