PIRATES chief Matt Ford has strongly hinted he would be prepared to either sell or lease the club to another promoter.

The Wimborne Road supremo is exasperated by his fellow Elite League promoters’ astonishing mid-season decision to reduce the play-offs from six to four teams.

That has effectively ruled out bottom-of-the-table Poole Castle Cover’s chances of successfully defending the title they won last season.

And it could also prove to be the final straw that breaks Ford’s love affair with the Poole club – and speedway in general – which stretches back almost 40 years since he was a young child standing on the terraces as a fan.

Ford, who took over Pirates with Mike Golding from Mervyn Stewkesbury and Pete Ansell in 1999, exclusively told the Echo: “I’ve always said from day one when Mike and I first took the club on that we would do it for five years.

“I bought Mike out last year and I now completely own the club, but I would not stand in the way of progress for Poole Pirates.

“If anyone thought they could move the club forward, I would perhaps consider letting the club out on licence or maybe put the club up for sale.”

Coventry owner Avtar Sandhu is currently letting that club out on licence to Bees co-promoters Colin Pratt and Allen Trump.

Ford, whose high-profile outfit have also come under fierce attack from some rival promoters over their signing of Hans Andersen, added: “I’m very proud of what we have achieved in 10 years at Poole.

“Our on-track success has been second to none (with Pirates carrying off 10 pieces of team silverware).

“We have probably won as many trophies as anyone else in 10 years.

“In fact, Coventry are probably closest to us in that respect. Between us, we’ve won the lion’s share.

“But I have always said I would never step in the way of progress and you do get to a point that, if rules can just be changed at the drop of a hat, it’s almost too much for anyone to take.

“If you are going to build a winning team, perhaps people are going to change the format of an actual meeting to stop you doing that.

“If it’s that simple to do now, I fear for the supporters of this club.”