OWNER Matt Ford confirmed Poole Pirates will return to the tapes again next year, amid longer-term uncertainty in the sport.

Three of the 16 teams in the top two British speedway leagues this season are facing the possibility of dropping out in 2024 in Wolverhampton Wolves, Peterborough Panthers and Edinburgh Monarchs due to ongoing stadium issues.

That comes against the backdrop of the likes of Swindon Robins, Newcastle Diamonds, Somerset Rebels and Kent Kings all pulling out of the league in recent years.

The future of Poole Stadium at Wimborne Road could eventually see Pirates facing up to the same issues, but Ford insists they will continue to compete for the next couple of years at least.

Asked for an update on the financial state of the club, Pirates’ owner told the Daily Echo: “We’ve never effectively pleaded poverty in terms of the finance of the club.

“There’s enough people coming in to pay the wages and the expenses. Where the issues long-term will come will be whatever happens with the stadium.

“That could be as early as 2025 and beyond.

“I want people to enjoy speedway for the rest of this year, enjoy next year, because we know that’s a certainty. After that, there is no certainty. I just want people to come and enjoy it.”

Asked how concerning for the future of the sport it has been to see recent announcements from the likes of Wolves and Peterborough over their uncertain futures, Ford added: “Very much. It is a worry.

“We can only hope that things improve and that we get a chance to extend our stay at the stadium.”

Speaking ahead of the campaign, Pirates promoter Danny Ford revealed more season tickets had been sold than in previous years.

Discussing the numbers coming through the gate at Wimborne Road, Matt Ford, who took on team manager duties for the club’s last competitive home fixture, said: “It’s hit and miss. Against Plymouth, the crowd wasn’t tremendous, but then again, I think they’ve been here three or four times this year already. We’re riding against them in particular a little too often.

“But the rest of it is all good. With crowds like in the last one against Oxford on the bank holiday, it was a tremendous crowd.

“Of course you always want them to be like that. That isn’t always the case, but we’ve got some really interesting meetings coming up.”

Matt Ford, who has run the club for more than two decades, overseeing 28 trophy wins, now spends most of his time in France, with son Danny running things day-to-day.

“Nothing changes. Still the most important thing to me is that the Pirates are winning,” he insisted.

“Everything we do is still based around the club.

“It’s built on success, we’ve had a tremendous amount of success in the last 20 years and you don’t want it to end.

“I joke about it with Dan, because I think he thinks this is how it is – you just ride and you win. It isn’t that simple.

“We’ve had the heartache, many years of heartache pre-1999, the club were not super successful. But it’s good.”

Pirates host Glasgow Tigers in the first leg of the BSN Series final on Wednesday (7.30pm).