Pirates: Ford set to back British young guns (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates: Ford set to back British young guns

7:00am Saturday 7th July 2012 in Sport By Ian Wadley

MATT Ford has revealed he is considering backing the Brits next season by handing Kyle Howarth and Kyle Newman a coveted Pirates team place.

The Wimborne Road chief has tipped the young guns to play a major part in the club’s future – with the possibility of them featuring more prominently in 2013.

Pirates promoter and owner Ford is convinced the prospects are worth supporting as they are homegrown and steadily improving.

Doubling-up rookie Howarth, 18, has registered 22 points in eight appearances for the Elite League leaders this term.

Compatriot Newman, the Poole-born racer who is popular with the Pirates faithful, played an occasional role in the club’s title triumph in 2011.

But he could be set to return to Dorset in a shared berth with Howarth next year as Poole ponder giving their British assets a doubling-up spot.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “That would seem to be the right move.

“At the moment, it is too soon to say. But that would, potentially, be on the cards.”

Ford believes the pair could become Pirates regulars in the years to come – especially if a ruling on tracking British riders is introduced.

His comments come as the issue of giving opportunities to homegrown riders is likely to come under the microscope next week when Neil Middleditch’s Great Britain team compete in the Speedway World Cup.

Ford said: “I think there is a chance, in the future, that a rule will come in that Elite League clubs will have to use British riders.

“If that does happen, clearly we are in a position where we will be able to track a couple.

“At this point in time, they might not be as experienced or quite as good as one or two others that are available to other clubs, but you sometimes have to grow with these people.

“I have seen it happen several times. In particular, I look at Josh Auty at Birmingham. He had one or two years learning the ropes at Coventry and, this year, he is one of the top two or three most improved riders in the league. He has been absolutely outstanding.”

Ford added: “I think the best is yet to come from Kyle Howarth in the next few years.

“We have all seen it now – and all the Pirates fans will know – that he is putting himself on the line to try to achieve positive results for the club.

“It is really encouraging because he is improving, as is Kyle Newman, and they are both Poole assets.

“Kyle Newman has been unfortunate with injuries and it has taken him a bit longer to get going and be back in the position he was before.

“But, of late, his results for Somerset have been improving rapidly. Hopefully, the two of them can be a major part of the club’s future.”