By John Walsh

Last updated 11:43, Monday, 21 April 2008

WORKINGTON star Carl Stonehewer wants to do his bit for the young riders in the Comets team for 2008.

Stoney, who first joined the Comets back in 1999, is offering his help and advice to the club’s crop of youngsters.

He is predicting a successful season for the new-look Premier League side after the Keith Denham buy-out, but a lot will depend on the success or otherwise of Charles Wright, Craig and John Branney – and the new kid on the block Joe Haines.

Manchester-based Stonehewer says: “The youngsters will add plenty of enthusiasm and effort and I think they can help the club to some success for the new management.

“People like myself, who have been around a while, are there to help them should they want our advice. I hope they will soon realise that I’d be only too happy to help.

“I want them to score some points on a consistent basis and if there’s any way I can help for them to achieve that they only have to ask.

“The Branney brothers know Workington inside out and have some experience under their belt.

“Charles is popular with the fans and going to get even better while Joe is a great prospect.

“I just hope the lads have realistic expectations, both for the team and for themselves on an individual basis.

“I like the way the team has been put together and it seems like there is a real buzz about the town now with the new season just around the corner.

“I’m not going to make any predictions about what we can achieve.

“But I certainly feel we can be competitive as a team and it would be a major surprise to me if Workington are not challenging for a top four slot. Something will have had to have gone wrong for that to happen.

“Daniel Nermark is now the top rider in the Premier League and Workington have got him as a club asset and I can see Kauko (Nieminen) continuing his upsurge in form.

“All the ingredients appear to be there for the team to do well, but it’s easy to talk a good game, the real answers will be when the tapes go up.”

Haines will be the baby of the side at 16 years of age and Stoney feels there a special need to give the youngster as much help as possible.