CASTLE Cover Pirates team manager Neil Middleditch has quit his role as speedway's national team boss after eight years in the job.

Middleditch has cited excessive work demands in the family business as the reason for standing down.

The 51-year old revealed: "This has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in speedway.

"For the past eight years I have been proud to have led the country in speedway's World Cup.

"But when I quit racing at the relatively young age of 30 it was because my mother and father needed more help in the family business.

"With the increase in workload over the last couple of years, I was finding myself devoting more and more attention away from home again. It's not fair to my parents, my wife and my children for them to have to carry the burden of the business.

"My heart would love to continue in charge, but my head has to rule the day."

But Middleditch revealed there was "not a chance in hell" of him ever quitting the Pirates.

"Wimborne Road is my second home. Unless Matt (Ford) chucks me out or there's a change of management, I'll forever be playing my role in helping Pirates to as much success as possible."

Middleditch came within four laps of lifting the World Cup four years ago, but is sad to be departing from the role without any major success.

"We should have won the World Cup at Poole in 2004. Scott Nicholls stopped in one race when he thought he saw a red light and then was baulked on the first lap of the final race.

"The fact is we didn't win which will always be the one that slipped away.

"I believe we were the best team that night. But the fact is we finished second."

And Middleditch added: "Whoever takes on the role as Team GB boss has my best wishes."

Among the favourites to replace Middleditch is another former Pirates legend Alun Rossiter, now in charge at Swindon, and ex-world finalist and England star Chris Morton, now a co-promoter at Belle Vue.