70TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING PREVIEW

Matt Ford is hoping for a degree of home rule when the tapes go up on the club’s 70th anniversary celebrations.

The Volvo Cars Poole Pirates boss will get a first competitive look at some of his class of 2018 when Brady Kurtz, Linus Sundstrom, Kacper Woryna, Mateusz Szczepaniak and skipper Josh Grajczonek line up at Wimborne Road tomorrow night.

The Pirates racers, who were unveiled to supporters and the media during the press and practice session yesterday, will line up alongside the likes of Niels-Kristian Iversen, Hans Andersen, Bjarne Pedersen, Fredrick Jacobsen, Nicolai Klindt and Nico Covatti.

Ford said: “I’m really excited with the line-up we’ve pulled together to celebrate this huge occasion for the club but hopefully one of the home boys can win on the night!
“It will also be great to see the likes of Hans and Nicolai racing on the Poole shale again - two great servants of the club in past years.
“And, of course, another highlight for myself and the supporters, I’m sure, will be the great Tony Rickardsson jumping on a bike at Wimborne Road again. He is one of the sport’s all-time greats and a wonderful servant to our club so it will be incredible to see him here on such a special occasion.”

Supporters are urged to arrive early due to roadworks on Wimborne Road. Gates open at 5.30pm with the presentation starting at 7pm.
Ford added: “We are expecting a bumper crowd so I would urge supporters to arrive in good time. It may also be prudent for visitors to park in the Dolphin Centre and walk the short distance to the stadium to avoid the roadworks.”
Meanwhile, supporters at tomorrow night’s meeting can get their hands on a special souvenir programme celebrating 70 years of the Pirates.

Celebrating the club’s ‘Magnificent Seven’, as voted by loyal supporters, the programme features an interview with legend Ken Middleditch, plus pieces with Bjarne Pedersen, Gary Havelock, Mark Loram and the Lanning family’s memories of Wimborne Road.
The programme is available for just £5 on entry to tomorrow night’s meeting.