7:00am Saturday 26th July 2008
By Phil Chard
NEW Pirates co-promoter Giles Hartwell already has experience running a speedway club after spending a spell at Premier League outfit Exeter.
The Poole-based businessman has taken over from Mike Golding as Matt Ford's partner at the Dorset club, although he doesn't have a financial stake in the outfit.
Hartwell, 42, said: "It's a privilege to be involved with Pirates. I'm really enjoying it and it's a new challenge.
"Poole as a club has an awful lot going for it and I'm here to work with Matt and help him.
"I ran Exeter in 2005 with Terry Russell and Matt after Colin Hill had sadly died, so I gained valuable experience there.
"But Poole is a different level. It's a much higher standard and a much bigger club.
"Matt and I have been friends for about 10 to 12 years and I've had a few other business dealings with him.
"He was also best man at my wedding - so we're close."
Hartwell, a fan and sponsor of Pirates since 2000 and individual backer of Bjarne Pedersen in 2002, added: "My job is operations manager.
"I'm involved in everything that needs to be done, including the menial tasks and more important work.
"We have difficult times ahead, not just in speedway but in the whole business world.
"One of my tasks is making the club more efficient on a financial level, while Matt's time is better spent on the sponsorship side."
Hartwell, a Milton Keynes supporter as a child, continued: "This season is the first time I've been to all the other Elite League clubs and I can see why Poole is the best.
"I want to use 2008 to see how everything works, get a bit more experience and next season look at how we can make it better and get more people into Poole speedway to enjoy the racing."
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