MATT Ford is adamant age will be of no concern as Pirates bid to stay on top in 2012 and insists: Our young guns will fire.

Poole chief Ford believes the team he has put together for the upcoming season is one of the youngest in the Dorset club’s history.

The reigning champions will go to the tapes with an average age of under 22 – with two teenagers included in Ford’s one-to-seven.

Adrian Miedzinski, at 26, is the oldest Pirates rider, while 24-year-old captain Chris Holder is arguably the most seasoned campaigner in the Poole Coastal Aluminium side.

Ford has built the joint-youngest team in the 2012 |Elite League – alongside Wolverhampton – with a number of years separating Pirates and rivals including Belle Vue, Coventry (average age 28), Lakeside and Birmingham (both 29).

The Pirates boss last week picked out the experienced outfits of Birmingham and Lakeside as potential dangers to Poole’s title defence.

But Ford is confident age, or lack of it, will be no barrier to his team’s chances and he says Pirates possess enough quality.

He told the Daily Echo: “People like Darcy, at 19 years of age, don’t let anything faze them.

“Chris and Adrian have the experience and Ricky Kling has been riding in the UK for five years.

“There is enough experience in there to see us through and I think it is the perfect mix and blend of age and youth.

“It is onwards and upwards and I am just looking forward to the season starting now.”

Wimborne Road promoter Ford believes his 2012 team has the potential to provide both excitement and success for the Poole faithful following last season’s treble-winning campaign.

He added: “Since the club has been in the top level, I would say this is the youngest team that we have put on track.

“It is certainly the youngest team I have put on track as a promoter and it is certainly the youngest I can remember the Pirates fielding overall.

“I think it is exciting. The public tend to like the young guys coming through and they appreciate their efforts.

“You always know what you are going to get – you are always going to have this excitement with the younger riders in the team.

“I am really happy. The young guys never know when they are beaten.

“It looks like we should have a very exciting year of speedway.”