THROWBACK THURSDAY: THE THREE KING'S APPEARANCE

12/03/20

The year was 2014. Poole, already Elite Shield winners were chasing a second successive league title and they were without their number one, Darcy Ward who was serving his FIM ban `for an indiscretion at the delayed Latvian GP.

The Pirates`, as expected, secured their place in the play-offs and had to head to King's Lynn so Matt Ford called upon the services of Danny King to wear the number one race jacket, the first time King had actually guested for Poole. `

King at Lynn scored just five points, but it was a handful that helped steer Poole to first leg victory by a single point, 45-44 on that Monday evening late in September. It was to be seventeen more days before the two sides could meet again in the deciding second leg, yet Danny was back in the Poole line-up this time as one of FOUR guests for the Pirates. Troy Batchelor covered Ward's suspension, King taking the place of Vaclav Milik who was engaged in the Czech play-offs. An injury to Josh Grajczonek ruled him out, Edward Kennett deputising, whilst a dislocated shoulder for reserve Benji Compton meant Poole would call upon Brendan Johnson, leaving on Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Maciej Janowski and Kyle Newman as season regulars.
Those 'seasoned' Pirates contributed 28 of Poole's winning 47 score, with King mustering paid seven from his four rides as the play-off final was attained.
Coventry `were the opponents and Poole still needed cover for Ward, Grajczonek and Compton for the Friday 17th October away leg, Batchelor and King being retained with Matt Williamson in at reserve. Danny had completed his four programmed rides with a four point tally by the time the meeting was abandoned after heat 12 due the weather and track conditions. With Poole leading 37-34 at the time they comprehensively finished the job off on the other side of the weekend, to claim what was to become the mid of three on the bounce league titles, although Nick Morris was selected as guest in place of King. Nevertheless, Danny King had appeared in three successive meetings for Poole, covering three different riders!

It was to be five more seasons before King again guested as a Pirate (23rd May at Peterborough scoring paid 6. Now, with the 2020 campaign almost upon us the he will be pulling on the captain's armband, metaphorically speaking, and leading the Pirates into a new era.