Coventry Cycle Speedway will have a new team manager for the upcoming new season starting in March with Lee Marsh replacing long serving Steve Bromwich in the top job at Hearsall Common.
The change was confirmed at the Coventry clubs' AGM, held in the city last Sunday evening. The appointment of Marsh was the main news following a packed two hour agenda.
Marsh, a keen Coventry Bees Speedway fan and local Cricket enthusiast, stepped forward when the meeting was informed club stalwart Bromwich was stepping down after a 12 year tenure due mainly to health reasons.
The genial Marsh has followed the pedal sport in Coventry since the glory days of the team in 2005 – 2006, when the club tracked the greatest side in the history of the sport in the city, which included triple World champion Dave Hemsley and Damian Wozny, the 2006 European champion.
With the Coventry club now adopting a 'home grown' policy, Marsh accepts any further glory lies in the future, as the club awaits for its host of junior talent to emerge at senior level, including his own 13 year son Josh.
And, in another team managerial change, Coventry has appointed another new face in Andy Drewett to take charge of the second and junior team, including entry into the British Junior and Youth League.
In other appointments, Dave Frith was elected club captain, Dawn McCarroll continues as welfare officer and Shaun Reynolds becomes website manager.
In a wide ranging meeting, the AGM was given exciting news of initial plans for the 2013 British Final, the 'blue riband' event of Cycle Speedway calender, which races into the city on Bank Holiday Monday, 26th August, when Hearsall Common will be transformed for the day.
Members were told that their successful indoor Cycle Speedway racing events at the Sports Connection, Ryton, would restart on Sunday 27th January, from 7pm – 9pm.
Treasurer Richard Burnett, a professional accountant, reported that after many years of relying on loans from its senior members to finance its activities, the club were returned to the black in 2012, thanks to booming advertising and sponsorship revenue.
The meeting agreed that 'secondary registration' riders Norman Venson, Mark Winwood, Joe and Lee Kemp would continue to be part of the first team squad and that travel funding for a Polish rider would be available to augment the senior team for Midland League division one matches.
Coventry are likely to start the new season by racing at East London on Sunday 17th March, before receiving the Londoners at Hearsall Common one week later on 24th March, both in challenge matches.
The Coventry club chairman Dave Foster was delighted with the turnout at the AGM and the course set for 2013, commenting: “We now have three relatively new committee members in Lee Marsh, Andy Drewett and Richard Burnett, who blend seamlessly with older servants. With the club staging the British Final this season, a tremendous year is in prospect”.
For more information on Coventry Cycle Speedway, please ring: 07955 897482.
