Birchfield Harriers have high hopes for place at European Clubs Cup Championship
Jul 8 2010 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Post
Birchfield Harriers’ two decade wait for European competition could be about to come to an end after their blistering start to the season.
Long-suffering men’s team manager Dave Lawrence guided his squad to a rare first place finish in last weekend’s British Athletics League Premier Division match at Alexander Stadium.
The Stags enjoyed a resounding 50-point victory on home territory which included 13 individual wins, several outstanding performances and a man of the match award for discus thrower Brett Morse.
As a result at the midway point of the campaign the Perry Barr outfit sit at the top of the table where they enjoy a one-point lead over traditional powerhouses Newham & Essex Beagles.
And Lawrence believes his squad could go all the way, win the most prestigious title in domestic athletics and for the first time since the late 1980s the right to represent the UK at the European Clubs Cup Championship.
“I would like to think we could get into Europe,” Lawrence said. “I think we are strong enough to do it.
“We just need to get a good team out in the next match, which won’t be as easy because it clashes with the European Championships.
“It’s just a shame Sale couldn’t come third to push Newham into fourth at the weekend because that would have given us a two point lead.”
But Lawrence knows Birchfield still have a long way to go, with two more matches to decide the eventual winner.
With the remaining fixtures at Eton on July 31 and Lea Valley on August 21 Newham will effectively enjoy home advantage and having finished fourth in Europe in May will be determined to continue their dominance of the club scene.
“We are in a great position and we are still going to go down there and have a got but we have to be realistic about it,” he said.
“A couple of the London clubs are very strong in London so it will be a different proposition going down there. They can just flash the chequebook and put out a phenomenal team.”
The men’s team’s success comes on the back of two wins in three matches for the women’s squad.
Lyn Orbell’s team also sit top of their table, the UK Women’s League, with just one event to go.
