MATT Ford revealed he is hoping to line up with a second team in the newly-created National League – but with the side riding under the Bourne-mouth Buccaneers banner.

Speculation had linked Poole with running a side in the third-tier, which replaces the old Conference League, earlier this month.

And last night, Ford said: “There will be a slightly better rider in the National League which will allow possibly anyone in the Premier League below a six-point average.

“They must be British and so we’re hoping, and I must stress at this point we’re only hoping because we are in talks with our landlords at the stadium, that we can run a team in this league next year.

“But if it does go ahead it won’t be run as a Poole Pirates team. We’ll be entering that league as the Bournemouth Buccaneers.

“Basically, what that means is that it’ll be a team of younger riders and I have already had a chat with Danny Warwick about it and a few others.

“The reason we’re entering it is you are allowed to sign riders and have them as assets.

“I won’t go into my feelings on that because I felt it wouldn’t be good for the Premier League.

“But I don’t believe as a professional business we can afford not to be in it. They will have a 42.50 average and I envisage going with a team including Jay Herne and a few others like that.

“I’ve spoken to Garry May and he will also be involved and lead it. It means for a start we would be working not just with Poole Tourism but also with Bournemouth Tourism.

“We hope to run on Thursdays or some Thursdays. It’s not every week but something like 10 to 12 meetings a year.

“We can publish a race card in our Wednesday night Elite League programme and Poole Pirates season ticket holders can come to Bournemouth Buccaneers meetings for half price, with a family of four able to get in for £10.

“There won’t be so many Pirates meetings next year. People showed they didn’t want challenge matches, under-21, four-team tournament or those sorts of meetings last year.

“They just want league and KO Cup matches, and there will be no Craven Shield next year.

“I think as a club we had something like 30 home meetings this year. I envisage dropping down to about 24 next year.

“I’ll run Poole and Giles Hartwell will run the Buccaneers. We’ll probably have one or two meetings in April, then May, but the rest will primarily be in the summer.”

Pirates hope to stage press and practice on March 19, and have an away trip to Eastbourne on March 22 and home meeting against the Eagles on March 25 in the Elite Shield.

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