WORKINGTON Comets and Lakeside Hammers star Phil Morris, has been forced to retire from the sport due to a persistent shoulder injury.
The popular 33-year-old Welshman has dislocated his left shoulder several times over the past few seasons, including a severe dislocation last May at Rye House. An operation last September allowed Morris to resume his racing career this year, but he was told he would require additional surgery at the end of the 2009 campaign to repair the damaged shoulder further.
Unfortunately a simple fall at Workington against Edinburgh on 22nd August resulted in another dislocation and after visiting a specialist in South Wales last week, Morris had little option but to take the gut-wrenching decision to retire from the sport.
Phil explained: "After the last MRI scan the specialist advised me that my shoulder has a lot of internal damage including a complete tear of the suprasinatus tendon, major tear of infraspinatus tendon, rotator cuff damage and moderate arthritis. He advised me that I risk permanent damage if I was to injure it again. "The prospect of not being able to use my arm properly in later life is too much of a risk to take and it is with great sadness that I have to retire from speedway with immediate effect.
"I have struggled to score the points expected of me this season, especially in the Premier League. My shoulder has been a factor in that, particuarly on the deep and rutted tracks.
"Naturally I am absolutely gutted that I have to retire. I have been a professional speedway rider for more than half my life, so it is going to leave a massive void, but I am old enough and wise enough to realise that I need to think about my future health.
"I do hope to stay involved in the sport in some capacity or another, as anyone who knows me will appreciate speedway was more than just my job. Unfortunately 2010 would have been my twentieth season in speedway which would have been a great achievement, but I have lots of great memories along the way." Morris, who spent the majority of his career as an asset of Reading before being transferred to Birmingham in 2008, would like to thank all the promoters, sponsors and especially the fans that have supported him over the past nineteen seasons.
He commented: "I have been so lucky to be associated with some wonderful people over the years; Pat Bliss, Graham Drury, Chris Shears, Ian Thomas, Tony Mole, Dave Tatum, John Cook and Stuart Douglas, to name just a few. The supporters at all the tracks I have ridden for have been wonderful, with those at Reading and Birmingham being extra special to me.
"The encouragement of my family, sponsors and friends within the sport, who have continuously backed me through thick and thin, means a lot. "I'd like to say a massive thank you to my dad John, who has spent countless hours in the workshop and acted as my mechanic for the majority of my career. Without his support I'd have never made it in the sport.
"I would also like to thank superb sponsors like Dave Faithful, Bill Brown, Brian Gay and Tim Lovell along with great friends Ivan & Mark Shears, Paul Hunsdon, Andy Hutton, Andy Povey, Clive Upright and Eric Rein."
