Phil Morris (speedway rider)
 |
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| Born |
10 September 1975 Newport, Wales |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Website | philmorris |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired |
| Career history | |
| 1991–1996, 1998–2004, | Reading Racers |
| 1997, 2009 | Stoke Potters |
| 2001 | Getingarna (SWE) |
| 2002 | Norpseed (SWE) |
| 2004 | Poole Pirates |
| 2004 | Lejonen (SWE) |
| 2005 | Newcastle Diamonds |
| 2005 | Arena Essex Hammers |
| 2006 | Belle Vue Aces |
| 2007 | Newport Wasps |
| 2007–2008 | Birmingham Brummies |
| 2009 | Lakeside Hammers |
| Team honours | |
| 1992, 2004 | Elite League Champion |
| 1993 | Elite League Fours Champion |
| 1992 | Inter League Cup Winner |
| 1998 | Premier League KO Cup Winner |
| 2004 | Premier League Pairs Champion |
Phillip (Phil) William Morris (born 10 September 1975 in Newport, Wales) is a retired British motorcycle speedway rider, who has been playing an active role in the development of young speedway riders in Great Britain, he is the former Team GB Under 21 team manager. He was also the team manager of the Birmingham Brummies for two seasons.
Phil Morris was the Welsh Schoolboy grasstrack champion at the age of nine and within two years was also the British Youth Grasstrack Champion, a title he won a total of five times. Morris was also a talented rugby player and his physical strength also attracted attention from a Wrestling promotion who wanted him to train with the legendary World of Sport Wrestling great Kendo Nagasaki but Morris declined to concentrate on his first love of Motorcycle racing and he quickly adapted his grasstracking skills to the shale circuit and was signed by the Reading Racers a few days before his 16th Birthday.
Plunged straight into first team action at the end of the 1991 season, the Welsh teenager was then named in the Racers starting line up for the 1992 season, and was part of the team that won the British League title that season. Morris later admitted in interviews that riding alongside established riders such as Per Jonsson, Jan Andersson and Armando Castagna helped him shape his speedway career. Morris became a key part of the Reading side over the next five seasons and although the club didn't repeat the success of the 1992 season, the Welshman was firmly established in the sport.
He spent the 1997 away from Reading, his home town club Newport Wasps look set to sign him but they changed their mind on a contract offer, so Morris joined Stoke Potters on loan from Reading, before re-joining his parent club for the 1998 season. In 1999 Morris proved himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League and continued this form into the 2000 season, when he won the first speedway meeting of the year, at the New Year Classic on 2 January 2000 at Newport Speedway. The 2000 season was Morris' tenth on the books of Reading Speedway and he was granted a testimonial meeting, which attracted over 3000 people to Reading's Smallmead Stadium. The event was a great success with not only an excellent individual meeting on track which was won by Craig Watson, but also off track the likes of Reading F.C Captain Phil Parkinson and Morris' favourite magician Paul Daniels mingling with supporters.
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