Eastbourne Eagles have put old favourite Mark Loram on red alert for the play-offs.

The 34-year-old Arena-Essex star will guest for Eagles in their skybet Elite League play-off semi-final at Belle Vue on Monday if Nicki Pedersen is less than 100 per cent fit.

Pedersen will see how he feels after today's final Grand Prix of the season, at Lonigo in Italy.

If he is still suffering the after-effects of a recent crash in Denmark, he will stand down from the semi, which will be decided over a single meeting at Kirksmanhulme Lane.

Eagles boss Jon Cook will then call upon Loram, a former Eagles star who guested for his old club in the recent league win over Wolverhampton.

The Maltese born 34-year-old would be up against his fellow former world champion Jason Crump in the No. 5 spot and would get an extra ride in place of the absent David Norris.

Eagles are operating rider-replacement for Norris with Belle Vue doing the same for injured Kenneth Bjerre.

Loram's only trip to Belle Vue with Arena this season was hugely successful.

He scored 14+1 from five races, one of which was for double points, when the Hammers scored a shock 48-47 win in Manchester.

That haul included leading a match-winning 5-1 in heat 15. He was beaten only by Andy Smith from the home ranks.

Loram's latest meeting with Crump, however, went very much the way of the Aces man when he guested for Eastbourne at Arena on Wednesday.

Cook said: "I couldn't think of a better bloke than Mark Loram to have with us in the trenches."

Pedersen competes in Lonigo today aiming to hang on to third place in the overall Grand Prix standings.

Cook has given his top scorer his full backing to try and represent Eagles on the final podium, behind Crump and new champion Tony Rickardsson.