LATEST NEWS ~ MARCH 2006

SPEEDWAY STAFF APPLICATIONS
Wednesday 29th March 2006
Following the Redcar Bears speedway press and practice session on Thursday April 6th - which is NOT open to the public for health and safety issues - club owner Chris Van Straaten will be available at the South Tees Motorsport Park in Dormer Way, Middlesbrough between 5pm and 7.30pm to interview and sign on prospective track staff. Contact is 07796441850.

Meanwhile the club has confirmed the appointment of Redcar-based Kirsty Sinclair as Commercial Manager. Enquiries for advertising and sponsorship opportunities via Kirsty on 07816 753619.

On the junior front Middlesbrough-based Jason Pipe is confirmed as team manager of the Cleveland Bays who will contest mini-matches at home and eventually full challenges away as the season progresses. Jason will work alongside Redcar-based Steve Harland who is the Junior Development Officer and will have a key role in the forthcoming training schools at the motorpark. Steve will also be a regular contributor to the matchday programme which will be edited by Bears' co-promoter Gareth Rogers plus assist both Gareth and Kirsty with commercial matters on behalf of both the senior Bears and the junior Bays.
 

GUEST OF HONOUR OPENING NIGHT
13th APRIL ~ Tuesday 21st March 2006
Stewart Downing will be cutting the starting tapes to declare the new speedway track open.

STEWART Downing is adored by football fans on Teesside. For, as well as his obvious ability, he has won a place in the hearts of the Teesside sporting public because they see the flying winger as one of their own. The local boy made good was born in Middlesbrough, raised in Pallister Park and now lives in Nunthorpe. He is Teesside through and through - he even loves parmos and there is no better badge of honour than that!

A product of the Boro youth academy, he made his Boro debut as a teenager in 2002 and really shot to prominence during a loan spell with Sunderland. In February last year he made his full England debut, coming on as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Holland at Villa Park. And, in doing so, he became the first Teesside-born current Boro player to win a full England cap since Alan Peacock almost 43 years earlier. He was voted North-east Player of the Year by the North-east Football Writers' Association and hotly-tipped for a place in Sven Goran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup finals in Germany this summer, only to be cruelly hit by injury.

He missed England's summer tour of the USA with a knee injury which flared up again early in the current campaign, requiring another operation and keeping him out of action for four months. But thankfully he has recovered fully now and has played an important role in Boro's amazing UEFA Cup campaign. So, although he has not yet been able to add to that single England cap, a seat on the plane to Germany could yet be his. And even if he doesn't make it this time, his time will surely come. Whoever inherits Sven Goran Eriksson's mantle as England boss can't afford to ignore such rich talent.
 

KERR LISTENS TO EXPERIENCE
Tuesday 21st March 2006
REDCAR newcomer Chris Kerr plans to use the advice to two former World Champions during his first season in the Premier League. The Bears will be captained by the experienced Gary Havelock, whilst Kerr is currently lodging with fellow countryman Billy Hamill.

Kerr said: "I'll do my best all the time, and I'll be listening to Gary and watching what he does, and also taking advice from Billy." HEAR Chris Kerr on Redcar ClubCall - Dial 09068 555 801 - Calls cost 60p/min.
 

FOLLOW THE LEADER
Martin Neal, Evening Gazette 1st March 2006
Skipper Gary Havelock believes fans of Teesside's new speedway team will be in for a treat this season. The sport returns to the region after almost ten years next month and former world champion Havelock has been snapped up to lead the Bears in their debut season. Despite being unable to commit to Premier League racing until mid-January, the Bears have completed their seven-man team and will stage their first match at South Tees Motorsports Park on April 13 when Sheffield Tigers are the visitors.

And Havelock, who has spent the last 19 years racing in the top flight Elite League, can't wait for his new challenge to begin. "I am really excited about it," he said. "I'm delighted we have completed our team-building and I can't wait for the season to start." The final piece of the Bears jigsaw was slotted into place when the experienced Kevin Little agreed terms to be the third heat leader alongside Havvy and American newcomer Chris Kerr. The remainder of the side is made up by twice Czech Under-21 champion Tomas Suchanek and French starlet Matt Tresarrieu at second string with young Brits, Jack Hargreaves and Daniel Giffard, taking the slots set aside for graded youngsters.

Havelock and Little aside, it's a young and inexperienced team - packed with potential nonetheless - and that's why the skipper was particularly pleased to welcome his former Bradford team-mate Little aboard. "I rode with him at Bradford so I know him well," said Havvy. "He is a good guy and he has a wealth of experience at Premier League level. That is going to be a big help to me because most of the team is quite young. You have to have the ability to listen and learn when you are young and ambitious. This is an opportunity for me to hopefully pass on some of my experience and knowledge, and for Kevin too. The team has got a nice balance to it and hopefully the young riders will live up to their potential."

The team's new stadium in South Bank is continuing to take shape and is starting to look like a speedway venue now. The recent bad weather was a temporary setback but Glyn Taylor - who is building the track - and Havvy hope to have a blast round the new arena on their bikes soon.