Crump is on standby for the Pirates (From Bournemouth Echo)

Crump is on standby for the Pirates

7:00am Saturday 6th March 2010 in

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WORLD champion Jason Crump has told Matt Ford he’s ready to answer a SOS call from Pirates.

The Aussie ace – who swept to his third Grand Prix title in October – gave Britain a miss for most of last season.

Crump has decided to sit out the British campaign again this term to concentrate on his World Championship, Polish and Swedish league commitments.

But the 34-year-old has put himself on standby to come to Poole Castle Cover’s aid if they need cover for injury or another emergency.

Pirates chief Ford said: “Jason only plans to do four or five individual meetings in Britain this year. Because his registration to ride in Britain is owned by Poole, he phoned to ask for permission to ride in those events.

“I was then pleasantly surprised when Jason said ‘if there are any problems, you don’t need to look anywhere else. Just call me’.

“It was a lovely surprise and a great thing to hear from such a fantastic rider.”

Ford, who chose Bjarne Pedersen ahead of Crump when a drop in the points limit forced him to reluctantly decide between them to spearhead Poole’s 2008 line-up, added: “It isn’t that there has ever been a fall-out between us.

“Jason decided the best thing for him would be to not participate in the UK at this time because he probably has a great ambition to become world champion once, twice, or even more times, in the next few years.

“To get a call from Jason to say if any problem comes up he would help the club is a wonderful gesture by him and I can’t thank him enough.

“It’s lovely to know we have that sort of help in place should there be any problem at the top end of our team.

“I stress there was never any fall-out when we took Bjarne and not Jason. It was just one of those things.

“Jason is an exceptional rider that everyone would like in their team.

“But we run points limits that don’t always allow us to use the best rider in the world and who wouldn’t want him in their team?

“I hope the Pirates fans get to see Jason during the course of the year, but not because we sustain injuries.

“Let’s hope we can persuade him to visit us anyway because he’s always welcome here.”

Crump cost Poole £28,000 when they re-signed him from Belle Vue in 2007 following previous spells with Pirates in 1991 and 1994-95.

He is currently recovering from a serious arm injury sustained in a track spill while riding on loan for Aces at the tail end of last season.

“Jason feels he’ll be fit for tapes-up,” said Ford. “He’s riding in the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund meeting at Rye House on March 14.”