Ecco Finishing Bears 2014 side gathered for the first time at the weekend for press and practice day :: 2014 fixture list in full
Redcar Bears team manager Jitendra Duffill has backed his new-look team to make an impression this year.
The Ecco Finishing Bears 2014 side gathered for the first time at the weekend for press and practice day and for a team bonding bowling session.
And Duffill believed the septet - new arrivals Richard Lawson, Richard Hall, Jan Graversen and Luke Crang plus 2013 favourites Aaron Summers, High Skidmore and Carl Wilkinson, have enough top and bottom end power to be a force in the Premier League.
But he says they must all be prepared to work hard to improve.
Redcar Bears 2014
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“I think we look properly balanced,” said Duffill, whose side reached the play-offs last year.
“We’ve certainly got a good No 1 in Richard Lawson and that’s something we’ve been missing for a couple of years, since Jason Lyons was here really.
“Knowing your No 1 can pick up points home and away and can go out in heat one and beat the other team’s No 1 really sets you up.
“And then at the bottom end we have Jan who comes in with one of the highest averages at reserve in the league.
“That’s going to keep the top five on their toes because it gives us the option of putting him in for one of them if they’re not performing and no-one likes being taken out of a race.
“Obviously his partner at reserve, Luke, is still very new to speedway. It’s incredible to think he only rode a speedway bike for the first time a year ago so we shouldn’t expect too much straight away, but he’s come a long way in a short space of time and has a lot of potential.
“We were all disappointed when Kozza Smith couldn’t come because we’d built our team around him - we felt he was in for a big year. But Richard Hall is a great replacement - he’s told me he wants the No 1 jacket and he’s a battler.
“Carl never gives up either and he’s put a lot into his machinery so I think he could be in for a big year.
“We know what we’re going to get from Aaron and Hugh and I hope they press on and improve.
“I’ll be wanting the lads to give everything in every meeting and if there’s a track where they don’t go well, don’t just accept it’s a track you don’t like, work at it and go out after the meeting to try to get it right. That’s what champions do.
“It comes down to ambition and how much you want it.
“I want to win everything this year - just like any team manager - but my aim is to get into the play-offs.
“And our record in the cups hasn’t been good so I’d like to put that right.”
Redcar Ecco Finishing Bears - 2014 fixture list in full
MARCH
27 Berwick (TTT) H
29 Berwick (TTT) A
30 Newcastle (LC) A
APRIL
3 Scunthorpe (LC) H
6 Scunthorpe (LC) A
10 Newcastl e (LC) H
17 Sheffield (LC) A
18 Sheffield (LC) H
24 Glasg ow (PL) H
25 Plymouth (KOC) A
MAY
1 Somerset (PL) H
4 Glasgow (PL) A
8 Plym outh (KO C) H
15 Op en H
16 Somerset (PL) A
18 Newcastle (PL) A
21 Ipswich (PL) A
22 Ipswich (PL) H
29 Berwick (PL) H
31 Workington (PL) A
JUNE
3 Peterborough (KOC)* A
5 RESERVED FOR KO C* H
6 Scunthorpe (KOC)* A
12 Plym outh (PL) H
19 Rye House (PL) H
21 Berwick (PL) A
26 Peterborough (PL) H
27 Plymouth (PL) A
28 Rye House (PL) A
JULY
1 Peterborough (PL) A
3 Edinburgh (PL) H
4 Edinburgh (PL) A
10 Op en H
11 PL Pairs at Somerset
17 Workington (PL) H
24 Scunthorpe (PL) H
25 Scunthorpe (PL) A
31 Newcastl e (PL) H
AUGUST
7 Berwick (PL) H
14 Open H
21 Sheffield (PL) A
22 Sheffield (PL) H
25 Scunthorpe (PL) A
28 Scunthorpe (PL) H
30 Berwick (PL) A
SEPTEMBER
4 Open H
11 Reserved play -offs H
18 Reserved play -offs H
21 Premier Riders Ch’ship at Sheffield
25 Open H
OCTOBER
2 Reserv ed play -offs H
9 Reserv ed play -offs H
KEY
TTT - Tees Tweed Trophy
LC - League Cup
KOC - Knockout Cup
PL - Premier League
* denotes fixture dependent on outcome of first round tie
All fixtures subjectto change
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