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Hammers career : 1993, 2001-2002, 2006
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SHAUN TACEY is a former Hammers skipper from the early part of this decade, another rider who was a product of the Ipswich academy of the early nineties.
Shaun originally linked up with the Hammers in 1993 when he was signed on a temporary basis to cover for the injured Troy Pratt towards the end of the season. He spent most of the next few years riding in the colours of Coventry, completing his seventh season with them in 2000. The exception came in 1997 when he linked with King's Lynn and the Isle of Wight.
Shaun was signed by the Hammers in 2001 and was the result of a long winter search for a new Club number one. He signed on the dotted line during a busy public forum in January of that year.
Shaun was burdened with a high opening average of 10.98 and it was not expected that he would be able to maintain that high figure. But by coming into the side the pressure would be taken off a returning Leigh Lanham, who was feeling his way back into the sport after a horrific thigh injury sustained twelve months previous. The strong top four should have ensured that the points potential was spread throughout the side.
Shaun, though, found it very difficult to live up to the ten point plus average and his season was hampered by lots of niggling injuries. He often rode through the pain barrier in an effort to turn out for the team - and amazingly was an ever present despite his continuous knocks.
Come 2002 and Shaun was appointed club captain, riding alongside Kelvin Tatum, Leigh Lanham and Colin White. Shaun performed well in a solid second string capacity and so nearly led the team to four team championship glory at his old track Coventry - the Hammers missed out in the final heat to Berwick.
Come 2003 and Shaun was allowed to move on as the team was rebuilt following the introduction of Joonas Kylmakorpi and Henning Bager. Shaun moved on to Hull, King's Lynn and Workington in consecutive seasons before linking up with Mildenhall as club captain as the Fen Tigers returned to the Premier League.
Shaun juggled his Fen Tigers duties with his capacity as official number eight for the Hammers - and he turned in some good efforts when called into action, most notably when he took to the track at Ipswich last Easter.
Despite this, Shaun was released just two months into his contract at Mildenhall and as a result his number eight duties with the Hammers came to an end. He moved back up into the Elite League to ride for Poole when his Fen Tigers opportunity came to an end but, despite this, Shaun did return to West Row to celebrate his 10-Year testimonial on 10th September last year.
Shaun, who was Mildenhall mascot when he was just fifteen, returned to the Fen Tigers at the start of this season when he was re-signed by the Suffolk club.
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1993 |
3 |
14 |
12 |
1 |
13 |
3.71 |
0 |
0 |
2001 |
42 |
189 |
304 |
36 |
340 |
7.20 |
0 |
0 |
2002 |
42 |
200 |
308 |
55 |
363 |
7.26 |
0 |
0 |
2006 |
4 |
16 |
12 |
1 |
13 |
3.25 |
0 |
0 |
TOTAL |
91 |
419 |
636 |
93 |
729 |
6.96 |
0 |
0 |
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