Scorpions complete, as Captain Birks and Matt Williamson sign

Dec 27th, 2013
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07.-Ashley-Birks-11FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions have completed their 2014 line-up, after signing their final two riders. Skipper Ashley Birks will return after missing the final few weeks of the 2013 season through injury, while the very promising Matt Williamson will fill the No 7 position for the Scorpions. Williamson joins the club as a full asset.

23-year-old Birks broke his back in the Westernapolis individual meeting at Plymouth in September 2013, after being brought down by a stray bike. He underwent surgery, and had metal pins inserted in his spine.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey had initially ruled Birks out of his 2014 plans, but he admits: “I was totally wrong with what I said at the time regarding Ash. I said Ash definitely would not be back for the start of the 2014 season. But he is going to be ready. I’m delighted to be proven wrong.

“His application to getting himself better has been second to none. I met up with him before Christmas and I was actually quite shocked because he was just the normal Ash.

“What we have done is take the burden off Ash of being No. 1. That was a key part.

“It worked out so well that Anders Mellgren was released by Rye House, because that means Ash can probably slip straight back in at No.4 with no pressure on him at all.

“The lad has put four points on his average in the last two seasons. It was a shame the season ended like it did for him, but coming back to Scunny is good for him and it’s good for us because he’s local and he will be our captain again.

“If the winter is going to be mild, he’ll be out practising and I know he’ll be giving it 110 per cent in terms of the amount of laps he does, because he’s so dedicated. He’ll be raring to go before anyone else.”

21-year-old Matt Williamson is a regular at Scunthorpe’s monthly Amateur meetings at the Eddie Wright Raceway and rode for National League Buxton last season.

Godfrey said: “Matt is another one with a fantastic motocross pedigree.

“We’ve signed him as a full asset. He’s another Richie Worrall really, although his motocross pedigree is better than Worrall’s. From the very beginning, we saw a future in him and now he’s come back to us to say he wants to do it, so I’m very happy with that.

“I let Oliver Greenwood go because he didn’t want to ride for us, but now we’ve got somebody in Matt who does want to ride for us. It’s not all about owning assets, it’s about having people who want to ride for you. Just having a name on a piece of paper is not what we’re about.

“There will be no pressure on Matt. I’m expecting everyone to get going and it will be so nice next year not to have to make any team changes. That’s another goal for next year, to start and finish with the same seven and win the league”, Godfrey concluded.

M_Williamsonwww.fluidair-power.co.uk

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