Workington Comets starlet Matt Williamson has hinted he would return to the club next year after a stellar season at the place he calls his ‘Premier League home’.

Despite the team falling short of the Premier League play-offs, Williamson hopes to finish the season with a flourish and is delighted with his own progress this campaign.

Williamson said: “As a team we’re disappointed we have not done as well as we hoped, but on a personal note I think I’ve had a fantastic season.

“Between myself and Steve Whitehead we said it would be good if I could get my average up to 4.00.

“I’m on a rolling average because I’ve been in the league before so I actually started lower than 1.00 and I’ve basically put three points on my average.

“We’ve learned a lot with bike set-ups and it’s started to be set up as a speedway bike rather than a motocross one, which is thanks to help from Ricky Wells and Kenneth Hansen.

“You’re always thinking about next year and I absolutely love Workington so we’ll see what opportunities come my way, if they want me back and it could work.

“I need to do more than one league to improve and make it pay and I could end up doing all three leagues which would be great.

“But Workington is my Premier League home.”

The 24-year-old, who also rides for Belle Vue Colts, came agonisingly close to winning the National League Riders’ Championship at Leicester last Saturday until a nightmare final heat cost him a shot at the title.

Williamson said: “It shows how far I’ve come this year to not only be selected for it but to be so close to winning it and being on the podium.

“Going into my last race, a win would have guaranteed second place and I was just making the pass for the lead when my steel shoe came off, got caught and pulled me off the back of the bike.

“That is disappointing because I always want to do the best I can, but at the same time I have to sit back and remember that I rode really well.

“In the National League my average is at about 9.40 which is huge and I’ve put nearly two points on it this year.”