MARK Loram today claimed Pirates co-promoter Matt Ford never really wanted him in their 2001 line-up.

The reigning World champion - the first to win the title in Poole colours - admitted he was "gutted" by the fact he wasn't riding for Pirates this year. He also stressed he felt Ford could have been "more up-front with me" while negotiations for a contract with him were going on.

Loram, replaced by top Swede Tony Rickardsson as Poole's number one, has joined their Elite League rivals Peterborough and stressed he would do his best for them.

But Loram added: "I told my manager Norrie Allan that if there was a problem, ask Matt to telephone me direct.

"That was two weeks before they signed Tony and I'm still waiting for that call today. All Matt had to do was talk to me and I think we could have come to an agreement.

"How could I not ride here again after the amazing reception I got from the 6,000 or so people who turned up at Poole to welcome me back as World champion? That is something I will never forget.

"I'm not one to bear grudges, but I feel there are a few things that have been overlooked. I think it is fair to say Matt had a bee in his bonnet that he wanted a new number one rider or he wanted Tony Rickardsson at Poole.

"Fair enough, he was talking to Tony about riding this year. But what I don't like about it was he wasn't up-front with me. He kind of strung me along.

"At the same time we (Allan and Loram) are trying to do a deal with Poole, Matt is waiting for Tony to commit.

"But at the same time, Matt is saying that I am asking for too much money, which I wasn't. Matt didn't want to compromise. He was totally unreasonable, which is what I don't understand.

"I honestly feel if he didn't have a bee in his bonnet about Tony going there a deal would have been done with me. I would have totally understood if Matt had said he wanted Tony from the start.

"Nobody is irreplaceable. And if anybody can do my job it is Tony. But it is too easy for Matt to say it is all about money when it wasn't. I got heckled by a few people at the BIC Spectacular but they don't know the full story. I did ask for a rise, I felt I deserved it. If I don't deserve one when I am World champion I never will, especially as I only got a small one last year.

"There are two sides to every story and I am not happy people think it was me wanting too much money because the Poole fans have been good to me. I don't want one person out there thinking I am greedy because I am not, it is not in my nature.

"Besides, does anyone think Tony would be cheaper than I am? If so, it is down to pence, not pounds. The nice thing is a lot of my sponsors, both new and old, I have in the Poole area have stuck by me.

"The irony is, within five minutes of talking to Peterborough, I had done a deal. I am a professional and I am going to give my best to my new team. But this whole thing has really left me gutted."