HANS BACK AT THE HELM

2016 skipper Hans Andersen will be back at the helm for the Pirates as they embark on life in the Premiership.

The recently turned 36-year old signed a two-year deal at the start of last season and Poole boss Matt Ford made no secret that he had every intention of honouring that arrangement, subject to the provisions of the BSPA A.G.M. With a 50-point team building limit imposed and a converted average of 10.01 Ford is delighted to welcome the Dane back for the 2017 campaign

"It is great to have Hans back for another term. He is totally committed to Poole and once again he will play a vital part within the team, not just through his captaincy but because I believe he can offer us so much. We did a deal last season and I was determined to commit to bringing him back for a second year. It is not always possible in speedway because of the effect the points limit can have on team building, but the maths fit, the rider is keen and so to all intense and purposes it was a no-brainer. "

Andersen made a phenomenal start to the Pirates' campaign in 2016 and he was desperately upset that he had to miss the all-important run-in to the season following a hand injury sustained at Leicester at the end of August which effectively ended his year far too early. It will be his fifth season as a Poole rider having first ridden for them in 2001 and 2002, returning in 2009 before signing that two-year deal in October 2015.

Andersen is the second named Pirate for the 2017 season, joining Jack Holder who steps up into the top flight of British Speedway for the first time in his career, but despite only having declared the two names thus far Ford admits the team-building process is "coming together nicely".