Pirates: Matt won't tolerate rival Doyle interest (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates: Matt won't tolerate rival Doyle interest

7:00am Saturday 28th November 2009

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MATT Ford has issued a ‘hands off our rider’ warning to possible pursuers of Pirates asset Jason Doyle.

Poole Castle Cover’s chief says he has kept a place back in their 2010 team for the gritty Australian rider if he can prove his fitness following injury.

But Ford is concerned other clubs might be tempted to try and lure Doyle away from his parent club.

Doyle has only ridden in one meeting since sustaining a serious shoulder injury in a nasty spill at Mildura in January.

He aggravated the problem when he crashed in an individual meeting at Newport in March and was ruled out for the rest of the 2009 campaign.

Since then, the 24-year-old former Somerset star has successfully undergone surgery and is back on a bike.

Doyle has pledged to let Poole know when “he feels 100 per cent race fit,” and his competitive comeback meeting is at Tamworth in a New South Wales state title round next Saturday.

Ford, who hopes Doyle can join Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Darcy Ward and Leon Madsen in Pirates’ team, said: “I’ve made it absolutely clear I will keep a place for Jason.

“The situation is still the same. There’s a place waiting. We just have to make sure he’s fit.

“I did read with interest an interview with Jason that stated other clubs may have been allegedly talking to him.

“So I’d go on record to say that if that has happened, they would have done that without my agreement.

“If I find a club is unsettling Jason at this time I will report them to the British Speedway Promoters’ Association.”

Ford added: “I don’t feel I’m being at all unreasonable.

“Jason has my support, as he has always had my support.

“It’s just making sure the boy is totally fit to ride a speedway bike.

“I believe he will be after a few meetings, that he possibly won’t need the whole Aussie season to prove that, and that he can be a really valuable asset to us.

“Jason can have a huge part to play in our challenge for success next year.

“After all, he’s a rider who just two years ago was not so far behind Chris Holder, when Chris just had the edge on him.

“Jason is a very quick rider who is capable of stepping up into the Elite League like he was going to do with us this year.

“He can bounce back from having one season off through injury because Jason is a naturally fit and strong guy.

“I don’t think sitting out 2009 here will affect the development of his career in a major way.”

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