Pirates: Middlo and Ford slam King's Lynn as row rumbles on (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates: Middlo and Ford slam King's Lynn as row rumbles on

7:00am Thursday 19th July 2012 in Sport By Ian Wadley

PIRATES chiefs Matt Ford and Neil Middleditch last night slammed King’s Lynn as the row between the clubs took yet another twist.

Poole promoter Ford and team boss Middleditch both hit back at their Stars counterparts following the ‘cheats never prosper’ slur aimed at the Dorset club last month.

King’s Lynn became the first team to defeat Pirates when they won a stormy clash at Norfolk Arena on June 29.

But the showdown hit the headlines after King’s Lynn co-promoter Jonathan Chapman continued the pre-meeting war of words over Poole’s use of guest Artur Mroczka by criticising the Pirates promotion in a heated interval interview.

Fellow Stars chief Buster Chapman later roared “cheats never prosper” over the stadium’s public address system, with the younger Chapman repeating the jibe on social networking website Twitter Writing in their programme notes for last night’s Elite League home clash with Belle Vue, Ford and Middleditch took the chance to respond.

Middleditch said: “The fact there was such an outpouring of joy by members of the opposing management, jumping up and down as though they had won a trophy, shows just how far your Poole Pirates side has come in terms of stature.

“I take it as a huge compliment that they should feel so consumed with elation at winning one meeting against us.

“What I found very sad about the evening was the unprofessional behaviour of certain members of the management at the Norfolk Arena.

“Comments in their programme and their words on the public address system after the meeting were unnecessary and incorrect.”

Ford added: “It has been interesting to see how some of our ‘rivals’ have been trying to stir things up with claims from one of how they rate themselves as an Elite League club this season to all sorts of accusations from another club who apparently we should fear if – and it’s a big if – they make the play-offs.

“That is the same club, by the way, we rode against in last season’s play-off – with half a Pirates team – and beat over two legs.

“I would suggest big words on a social network equals nothing when it comes to carrying them out on the biggest stage.”

The row began after the Speedway Control Bureau had given Poole permission to use Mroczka as a guest replacement for Adrian Miedzinski.

In his interview at last month’s meeting, Jonathan Chapman said: “I thought it was rah-rah about how much Matt Ford tries to get away with things but now I am part of it, I can see it.”