Scott Courtney is stepping down as co-owner of Berwick Speedway after seven years at the helm.
Along with brother Jamie the 41-year-old bought the club from John Anderson during the winter of 2016.
The son of Berwick legend Mark, Scott acted as mechanic for a number of riders and as Bandits’ team manager before the brothers became the youngest owners in British speedway.
Jamie, who is also promoter at Oxford Speedway, becomes sole owner with Steven Dews continuing as promoter of the Shielfield Park outfit. The vastly experienced Stewart Dickson was recruited as team manager before the 2024 season.
Scott, who runs a very successful Berwick-based flooring business is also guitarist with rock band Fire in Middle who released their debut album, The Sound, earlier in 2024 and father to 15-year-old Owen.
While his decision to step away caught fans by surprise it was revealed to the club’s management team last winter.
Courtney explained: “Towards the end of 2023 I decided I would like to commit to one more season to try, alongside Jamie and our fantastic group of friends who are also colleagues, to build something fresh and exciting for 2024.
“If it wasn’t for a horror run of injuries which decimated our original one-to-seven, I feel we could’ve been pushing for playoffs and even silverware.
“It was never going to be forever but stepping down from this unique club, which continues to punch above its weight while so many others with so much more in their favour in terms of catchment area and access to big business have fallen by the wayside, is a wrench.
“In other ways it’s pretty straight-forward and one thing I am certain of is that the club’s present and future is so much more secure going forward than when we took over.
“I knew what Berwick Speedway meant to so many people, the town and the surrounding area. Quite simply we had to give it a go and make sure it survived – and I’m so glad we did – but now is the time for both myself and the club to embark on a new direction.
“Making my decision last winter allowed us to ensure the club has the right people in the right places moving forward and on the face of things, I expect things to appear largely unchanged with a few new faces where required.
“I couldn’t be signing off and leaving my part of the club in better hands than with Jamie and the people I’ve worked so closely with over the years.
“I won’t be a stranger and will happily muck in when I can on race nights, remaining a proud supporter of the Bandits, spreading the word and most importantly, enjoying the speedway.”
Under the watch of the brothers the club, despite failing to reach the play-offs, has been put on a sound financial footing thanks in no small part to the branding and sponsorship work of Scott Courtney along with the hugely successful 5-1 Draw which has raised £55,000 – and paid almost as much out in prizes – since being launched by the brothers in 2019.
Part of the money has been used to widen the racetrack, the biggest in Britain, and upgrade the speedway facilities at the venue which first saw speedway in 1968.
The also constructed a training track at nearby Duns and are now looking for someone to take over the running of that facility.
“Although we haven’t achieved a huge collection of trophies we’ve done lots of progressive, forward thinking, positive things together and I will be forever grateful that I took the opportunity to do my best for my home town club”, Courtney added.
Words by Berwick Speedway – Images by Keith Hamblin/Nia Martin
