LEICESTER have appointed Chris Harris as their new team captain.
The three-time British Champion is one of five newcomers to the Watling JCB Lions this season as they make the step up to the Premiership, but the skipper’s role is not a new one for him.
Harris most famously led Coventry to the top-flight title in 2010 during a total of seven seasons at the helm at Brandon, and he has also been the choice of several of his clubs at Championship level.
Promoter Stewart Dickson says Harris is the ideal man to take the responsibility of leading the side on race-nights and also providing the vital link between team and management.
Dickson said: “Bomber put himself forward really as soon as we started talking, and he showed a real willingness for the role.
“He wants the responsibility and I’m happy to put it on his shoulders. I think the two of us can work together well, and hopefully he can help the parts of the team which may need help on certain occasions.
“I know he’s been training in the gym and he’s really hungry for this season, and as a rider who’s been there, done it and worn the T-shirt I think this will be good for his motivation as well.
“He knows his job is to get us in the top four, which is going to be a tough ask looking at the rest of the Premiership which looks really competitive – but that’s going to be the aim for myself, Chris and the rest of the team.”
Harris is just back from a pre-season testing session in France, where he offered support and advice to several of the Great Britain youngsters, including Leicester duo Dan and Joe Thompson.
And he insists his desire for club honours remains undiminished, having already claimed a total of five league titles at Premiership level throughout his glittering career – with team spirit the number one priority.
Harris said: “I spoke to Stewart about it straightaway and I said to him that if they were looking for someone to be skipper, I’d put my name forward.
“I always take good pride in being skipper, it’s something I enjoy doing with geeing the boys up and everything, so when he said I could have the job I jumped at it.
“The team we’ve got is pretty solid and well experienced at all levels, and really you need seven captains out there to be successful.
“That’s what I’ve found over the years in winning things, it’s not about one person, it’s about all seven of the lads geeing each other up, and that’s how we had success at Peterborough and places like that.”
