GORDON Pairman revealed he had stepped aside from his role as Pirates promoter in order to help boss Matt Ford avoid a predicament.

Pairman parted ways with the Wimborne Road club at the end of the 2018 season having informed Ford of his intentions in September.

The former Glasgow owner, who had been at Poole for eight years, has also left his role with the Speedway Control Bureau and says he has retired from British speedway.

Ford is planning to sell Poole in order to pursue a new business interest abroad, although the Broadstone resident has admitted any sale is unlikely to materialise before the start of next season.

Discussing his recent departure from Poole, Pairman told the Daily Echo: “Knowing the direction Matt wanted to go in, I decided the fairest thing I could do for him was to step aside.

“That would mean he could pursue his plans without needing to be concerned about where that would leave me.

“We had a lengthy chat about it in September and I appraised my colleagues on the SCB shortly after.

“My last SCB meeting was on October 2 and just before that, I advised the BSPA management committee that I would retiring at the end of the season and a replacement SCB member would need to be elected at the AGM.

“There was a general council meeting on October 9, the day between the play-off finals, and Matt advised the members then what was happening.

“I was still a promoter until the end of the season, October 31, and remained an SCB member until the AGM concluded.

“I remain a trustee of the Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund and a benefactor of the No Limits youth training scheme.

“In addition, I have an association with Tony Briggs on his various European ventures, including his tie-ins to the Grand Prix series and the Speedway of Nations.”