1989 - A New Chapter
In 1989 John returned to Foxhall as a co-promoter with Dave Pavitt and Mike Western. They brought three riders from Hackney with them: Chris Louis, Mark Loram and Alan Mogridge, who was appointed team captain.
The new management team then attracted a new sponsor for the club, Hunting Hire Centre Ltd., and for the first time the sponsor's name was included on the team's race jackets and in the team name.
Full team line-up was: Alan Mogridge (C), Robbie Fuller, Mark Loram, Steve Widt, Dean Standing, Chris Louis, Craig Hyde.
The new Witches team lined up for the first time on Good Friday in a KnockOut Cup meeting against Middlesborough. In front of a 3000+ crowd they won convincingly by 60 points to 36. At the end of the season they had finished fourth in the National league.
Nineteen year old Chris Louis won the prestigious Star of Anglia Speedway Trophy (held at Foxhall) at his first attempt, following in his dad's footsteps - John had won the first staging of this event, ten years earlier, in 1979.
John & Mike Western were named 'Promoters of the Year'.
Adam Callacott - submitted July 31st, 2009
At the end of the Shears era in 1989 John returned to Foxhall, from Hackney, as Promoter of the Witches.
At the start of the opening meeting of that season, the first bike to appear on track was ridden by a witch clad fully in a black witches costume complete with a witches hat. It was impossible to tell who the rider actually was, although I would think many suspected!
At the end of his lap, as I recall, he removed the witches hat, and the roar that went up from 3,000 or so supporters as it became obvious that it was indeed John Louis I remember to this day.
