TEAM boss Neil Middleditch insisted the SGB Championship reminded him of a throwback to “old school speedway”.

Pirates are competing in their first campaign back in the second tier since 1990, after last season was wiped out due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Club legend Middleditch made 340 league and knockout cup appearances for Poole as a rider, before going on to guide them to eight top-flight league titles as team manager.

He saw his side record a 45-45 draw at Plymouth last time out.

Asked by the Daily Echo whether he was still learning about the new division for Pirates this season, Middleditch replied: “It’s interesting watching some of the boys – particularly the English boys I don’t know and watching them come through.

“It’s good fun, I am enjoying it. It’s kind of feels a little bit back to old school speedway.

“There’s not so much pressure on things, the riders aren’t all rushing to get home or rushing off to Poland or Sweden.

“It was quite nice after Plymouth, we stood at the bar and had a Polish sausage to eat and a beer and it was quite a social evening, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I’m not saying it’s not going to get pressurised toward the latter part of the season but at this moment in time I am enjoying it.”