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COVENTRY boss Gary Havelock has confirmed he will return for a second season in charge of the Bees.The Brandon club finished bottom of the Elite League last year but promoter Mick Horton has made wholesale changes for 2014 and Havelock believes their prospects are good.He said: “We have a proper No.1 (Hans Andersen) who we can expect to be scoring twelve out of fifteen home and away at just about every meeting, and we’ve got a team of mainly English-speaking guys.“To get a really good team spirit and to have a tight unit, you’ve got to have a laugh and a joke and that will be easy to do straightaway because all the guys know the English humour. I think it will be much easier to form a tight unit right from the start.”
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CRADLEY are one rider away from finalising their 2014 team to defend the National League title after agreeing a new deal with teenage ace Nathan Greaves.The 15-year-old will be going into his second season with the Heathens, who will continue to race home meetings at Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green stadium.Greaves said: “I'm really glad to be back - I never wanted to leave and I'm proud to be a Heathen again. I really enjoyed my first season with the club last year. It was a great year which I don't think any of us will ever forget.“Hopefully this year can be just as good and I can personally up my average a bit. It's going to be a bit more difficult in the main body but I'm looking forward to the challenge.”
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KENT boss John Sampford believes he will this year be working with the keenest group of riders in his time as a team manager.The Kings have completed their line-up for 2014 as they chase a place in the National League play-offs, and Sampford says they can’t wait to get started.He said: “I have never known such a keen bunch of riders in all my years as a team manager, some are phoning me every day about training schools.“But in the current wet weather period, it is not likely that I can get anything organised for a couple of weeks. Nonetheless I am very happy that the riders we have chosen are so keen.”
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CRADLEY have completed their line-up to defend the National League title with the signing of Matt Williamson.The Bury-based former motocross rider spent his first season in speedway with Buxton, and has also secured a Premier League place with Scunthorpe alongside his switch to the Heathens in the third tier.Williamson said: “I felt having been to Dudley as an away rider and seen the whole setup it was a place I'd love to be if I had the chance.“I'm just over the moon that I've managed to get a ride for the Heathens and I'm really looking forward to the start of the season.”
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STOKE have moved back in for James McBain – after injury prevented the 25-year-old from racing for the Potters last year.McBain will take one of the reserve positions for the Loomer Road club, whose hopes of including him in 2013 were ended by a crash at Edinburgh.Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “James is just 25 and has been knocking on the door for some time, but our contacts north of the border have advised us how close he is now to the Premier League riders so we felt it appropriate to give James his chance.“He is desperately keen to grasp with both hands what he sees as an outstanding opportunity to move his career forward and is well kitted out with good equipment and unbounded enthusiasm.”
