KING’S Lynn chief Jonathan Chapman revealed they could have got more money for teenage sensation Darcy Ward by selling him to an undisclosed rival Elite League club.

But Chapman, who led Stars to a Premier League treble this year, insisted he let the world under-21 champion decide which top-flight outfit he wanted to join.

That outfit was Poole Castle Cover, who the 17-year-old Aussie ace joined for a new undisclosed club record transfer fee of more than £28,000 late on Tuesday night, as exclusively revealed in yesterday’s Echo.

Chapman, who discovered Ward as a 13-year-old, said: “Every single Elite club wanted Darcy. We had offers from all of them.

“It was an individual decision. We didn’t dictate where Darcy went. It wasn’t down to the money. It was where Darcy wanted to go.

“We have such a good relationship with him. We left it to him to decide. He knew what the offers were from all the clubs and we had a higher offer than Poole’s bid, but we just left it to him.

“So he genuinely does want to be at Poole because we could have got more money selling him to another club.”

Chapman, who along with Pirates chief Matt Ford has just been elected on to the British Speedway Promoters’ Association management committee, added: “Poole are going to be envied by every other Elite club.

“I echo Matt’s words – they’ve probably made the signing of the decade. Darcy was certainly the signing of the past 20 years for King’s Lynn.

“He helped us clinch the treble and I think he’ll make an even bigger impact than Chris Holder.

“To have both of them in Poole’s team is amazing.

“I wish Darcy all the best and think Matt has done Poole proud to take him to their club.”

Every winter for the past few years there has been speculation about whether second-tier giants King’s Lynn would decide to join the Elite, especially this month with Ward in their ranks.

Chapman said: “We had to decide whether we’d move up with Darcy in our team or not move up without him.

“Once we had decided we wouldn’t go up, it would have been wrong to stop his progress.

“Now, after one year with Poole, I think he’ll be in the Grand Prix with Chris because everyone knows Darcy is the hottest property in speedway since Michael Lee.

“Mike was brilliant as a teenager and had lifted the world title by the age of 21.

“Darcy is no doubt a future world champion and all speedway fans believe that as well.”

Ward, currently in Australia, blasted from Stars reserve to heat leader inside three months this year in his debut Premier League season – evoking memories of a young Leigh Adams for Pirates in 1989.

The Queenslander, who scored three maximums for Poole’s junior team in challenge matches in 2008, rode more regularly for Boston in the Conference League that year, his first at senior level in Britain.

Chapman added: “Darcy had been coming to King’s Lynn since the age of 13 and is a great friend of mine who had lived with me and my family even before we signed him.

“I suppose we’ve nurtured him and really hope Poole take good care of him. I feel a bit sad to be losing Darcy, but I’m proud he’s moved up and I know he’ll do well.

“King’s Lynn discovered him at 13 and Poole’s job now is to make sure they keep him on the straight and narrow so he can achieve all his aims.”