KENT'S only speedway team Sittingbourne Crusaders are preparing to compete in this year's Conference League.

The league is speedway's third division, a national competition which includes 10 teams from across the country.

The club have assembled a squad of 10 riders for this year's campaign. It has a decent balance of youth and experience and is managed by former Crusaders skipper Chris Hunt.

FIXTURES (CL = Conference League; KOC = Knockout Cup; home fixtures in capitals):

April 22: CLEVELAND (CL)

April 22: RYE HOUSE (KOC 1st Round; 2nd leg)

May 13: STOKE (CL)

May 18: CL Fours at Plymouth

May 20: BOSTON (CL)

May 30: Stoke (CL)

June 10: BUXTON (CL)

June 17: WEYMOUTH (CL)

June 24: Scunthorpe (CL)

July 1: PLYMOUTH (CL)

July 7: Cleveland (CL)

July 13: Boston (CL)

July 14: Rye House (CL)

July 22: CL Pairs at Scunthorpe

August 5: OXFORD (CL)

August 10: Weymouth (CL)

August 12: Oxford (CL)

August 19: RYE HOUSE (CL)

August 24: Plymouth (CL)

September 9: SCUNTHORPE (CL)

September 15: CLRC at Rye House

September 16: Buxton (CL)