Poole 2026

[ASpeedwayfan]

2 hours ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

But if we go from Danny Ford's comments at the end of season do, 6 were already signed and one (who we now know was Rowe) was in discussion. This was near enough confirmed when he questioned Rowe's attitude in the pits at times last season which was a kind of smoke signal that things were far from going well with Anders.

I do find it a little confusing that Zach Cook has still said nothing about NOT racing in Championship in 2026. If he isn't what did he have to lose by saying so just as Ben did in his last meeting for Poole at home in 2024. Other than signing in POL for Sundays in 2026 have not seen any articles on the  2 well informed POL sites about his signing in SWE or DK. Which leads me to think maybe he will stay UK.

Also odd comments about Bailey not coming  UK in 2026. He has said nothing on his own social media sites about not coming to UK in 2026 and why do a recent interview  on a POL site saying he was hoping to race in UK for 2026 subject to qualifying for his UK Visa which he now has at the first attempt last weekend when he won the Victoria State Champ.

As for Rushen - again in an interview last season he allegedly said he had/was signing for a South Coast Club in 2026.That would indicate Poole or Plymouth.

 

I’m not sure if there’s any news on when the next announcement will be?

The next 3 are the interesting 3, Lawson Cairns were always coming back. Kerr was almost always coming back, and we all knew Bowes was in his way. 
 

Hoping the next one is Rushen putting those Oxford rumours to bed 

[old bob at herne bay]

You don’t really do reading well in your haste to condemn anything and everything about Poole. Look 5 posts back from yours and you have your answer. 
With uncertainly surrounding the Premiership, many doubling up riders have looked to sign for a European team to try to safeguard their earnings. 

 

>>>>>>Nothing against Poole  ...  think they are a well run club .... Matt Ford  is a good businessman who knows how to make money.

Just struck me as pretty silly for any rider to sign for teams who both ride their fixtures on  Wednesdays. Poole ride home fixures ONLY on  a Wednesday ( unless absolutelty no other options) and all Danish league fixtures are on a Wednesday.  Don't really care whehter Dickie Lawson rides for timbuctoo in the Championship on a Wednesday .... 

Lets hope Tim Lahti isn't injured and Lawson has a choice to make  ???

Seems Charlie Rushen  is also rumoured to be signing for a Danish side too .... although he's probably haggling over money with Oxford and Poole ...... so the Wednesday fixture clash might not arise. 

[Pirates Of Poole]

1 minute ago, old bob at herne bay said:

You don’t really do reading well in your haste to condemn anything and everything about Poole. Look 5 posts back from yours and you have your answer. 
With uncertainly surrounding the Premiership, many doubling up riders have looked to sign for a European team to try to safeguard their earnings. 

 

>>>>>>Nothing against Poole  ...  think they are a well run club .... Matt Ford  is a good businessman who knows how to make money.

Just struck me as pretty silly for any rider to sign for teams who both ride their fixtures on  Wednesdays. Poole ride home fixures ONLY on  a Wednesday ( unless absolutelty no other options) and all Danish league fixtures are on a Wednesday.  Don't really care whehter Dickie Lawson rides for timbuctoo in the Championship on a Wednesday .... 

Lets hope Tim Lahti isn't injured and Lawson has a choice to make  ???

Seems Charlie Rushen  is also rumoured to be signing for a Danish side too .... although he's probably haggling over money with Oxford and Poole ...... so the Wednesday fixture clash might not arise. 

The last paragraph 😂 clearly your source isn’t in the know! 

[M.D]

12 hours ago, Pirates Of Poole said:

The last paragraph 😂 clearly your source isn’t in the know! 

Is Charlie Coopers brother that know body has heard of?

[YeOldPitGate]

1 hour ago, M.D said:

Is Charlie Coopers brother that know body has heard of?

Reg and Ron in contention for the numbers 6 & 7 spots so the rumour mill reckons 

[STEVEHOLS54]

On 12/2/2025 at 4:48 PM, Pirates Of Poole said:

Like I say Bailey isn't coming to UK in 2026 and I was told that directly from his camp! 

You seem to be spot on.

Beau Bailey Racing has confirmed to me on FB overnight when i messaged saying that some rumours around that he won't be doing UK Champ in 2026. His response was "It is true, sorry"

Hammer blow for my hopes of the line up for 2026.

Back to the drawing board for who our last 3 will be.

If Rushen is signed then would leave us 12.21 for 2 riders. IF Cook returns it would leave us with 4.87. Short of an overseas rider with experience on the Continent who would normally be a 5.

I  wonder if the Fords do have the signings all sorted. If Cook is returning the 4.87 covers an underwhelming choice of what's available looking at the final GSA's.

[poole keith]

Wouldn't have thought zac cook was planning on riding championship next yr but now perhaps just waiting on the belle Vue situation, his first choice in the UK

[STEVEHOLS54]

9 minutes ago, poole keith said:

Wouldn't have thought zac cook was planning on riding championship next yr but now perhaps just waiting on the belle Vue situation, his first choice in the UK

If his decision is subject to what happens at the AGM and then he decides no Champ, then its going to be interesting what combo of riders the Ford's will then be left with as would have thought majority of Champ riders will already have their team plans sorted.

Of course if they name the other 2 by Xmas it will narrow the field on what points are left to play with.

[Pirates Of Poole]

54 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

You seem to be spot on.

Beau Bailey Racing has confirmed to me on FB overnight when i messaged saying that some rumours around that he won't be doing UK Champ in 2026. His response was "It is true, sorry"

Hammer blow for my hopes of the line up for 2026.

Back to the drawing board for who our last 3 will be.

If Rushen is signed then would leave us 12.21 for 2 riders. IF Cook returns it would leave us with 4.87. Short of an overseas rider with experience on the Continent who would normally be a 5.

I  wonder if the Fords do have the signings all sorted. If Cook is returning the 4.87 covers an underwhelming choice of what's available looking at the final GSA's.

As I said Beau isn't doing UK! he is only doing Poland and Denmark for 2026. It was a tough decision for him to turn down Poole's offer but what he has chosen suits him for now. He will be over at some point in the next year or so. 

The last 3 are signed and sealed and all will be announced by Christmas. 

Edited 9 hours ago by Pirates Of Poole

[SteveLyric2]

1 hour ago, Pirates Of Poole said:

As I said Beau isn't doing UK! he is only doing Poland and Denmark for 2026. It was a tough decision for him to turn down Poole's offer but what he has chosen suits him for now. He will be over at some point in the next year or so. 

The last 3 are signed and sealed and all will be announced by Christmas. 

That's Matt's/Danny's usual plan and its still 3 weeks away. As for the timing of the announcements, they will be seeking to avoid AFCB fixtures to ensure maximum coverage of each announcement in the local/regional media.

So plenty of time to stagger the announcements and avoid any last-minute 'rushen'  around!!😃

[STEVEHOLS54]

3 hours ago, Pirates Of Poole said:

As I said Beau isn't doing UK! he is only doing Poland and Denmark for 2026. It was a tough decision for him to turn down Poole's offer but what he has chosen suits him for now. He will be over at some point in the next year or so. 

The last 3 are signed and sealed and all will be announced by Christmas. 

Does that mean you know who they are but prefer to keep quiet until announced officially. Or you think you have an idea who they might be.

Just trying to gauge if we should be excited by who it might be or if its a case of hoping to stay in touch of a play off place, in view of the fact we had to shed 4.53 points off last seasons squad and so far other than Bowes who is less than inspiring having near enough shown the door in POL after 4 under achieving years there and also burning his bridges at Worky so UK was really only real option for him in 2026 and maybe SWE 2nd Div.

Must admit I'm struggling a bit on the last 2 outside of Cook and another and that's IF Rushen is one of the 3 remaining.

[foreverblue]

Personally I pray that Zach is back, he is vital to our team and having let Anders go it is now imperative, nobody else comes close on his current average. If as has been said the team is already sorted just not announced yet then the only issue seems to be a rider up to a max of 4.87.

[STEVEHOLS54]

17 minutes ago, foreverblue said:

Personally I pray that Zach is back, he is vital to our team and having let Anders go it is now imperative, nobody else comes close on his current average. If as has been said the team is already sorted just not announced yet then the only issue seems to be a rider up to a max of 4.87.

Jake Mulford & Declan Kennedy would be the only real options looking at final GSA's. Neither of whom spark much excitement which makes the whole thing intriguing.

[foreverblue]

4 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

Jake Mulford & Declan Kennedy would be the only real options looking at final GSA's. Neither of whom spark much excitement which makes the whole thing intriguing.

Personally I would go for Dan Gilkes, he has been very unlucky with injuries but if he could stay fit he would be a real asset.

[STEVEHOLS54]

12 minutes ago, foreverblue said:

Personally I would go for Dan Gilkes, he has been very unlucky with injuries but if he could stay fit he would be a real asset.

If you look at his rider stats at Poole Stadium going back to 2021 he has really only been a 4 point rider. One meeting last year was 5 points.

You would ideally want a rider who performs better at Poole over such a period. Having said that none of the riders on his kind of av have does a lot points wise at Poole.

Not an easy one but that said its guess work anyway without knowing the Cook situation and what would be available.

[SteveLyric2]

51 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

If you look at his rider stats at Poole Stadium going back to 2021 he has really only been a 4 point rider. One meeting last year was 5 points.

You would ideally want a rider who performs better at Poole over such a period. Having said that none of the riders on his kind of av have does a lot points wise at Poole.

Not an easy one but that said its guess work anyway without knowing the Cook situation and what would be available.

Dec Kennedy scored 6+1 at Poole this year!  Of course there is always Alfie Bowtell?!🤣

[lewy]

1 hour ago, foreverblue said:

Personally I pray that Zach is back, he is vital to our team and having let Anders go it is now imperative, nobody else comes close on his current average. If as has been said the team is already sorted just not announced yet then the only issue seems to be a rider up to a max of 4.87.

Tobias Thomsen would fit 4.81

Same Danish side as Lawson, so fixture clashes would be kept to a minimum 

 

[YeOldPitGate]

Is the lad Michael West any good ? could he be lured over on a 4 point average possibly .

[STEVEHOLS54]

27 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

Is the lad Michael West any good ? could he be lured over on a 4 point average possibly .

Think my best description/opinion  would be a 2 year younger version of Fraser Bowes, but with possibly more scope to improve.

His POL U24 stats show he was 42nd of 59 regular riders in 2025 and has raced there for 2/3 years.

could have some potential and seems to have a decent racing style. Still will be only 22 in Feb 2026.

Did some practice laps at Poole 2/3 years ago when on a flying visit. If he signed would in fact be on a 5 (I think) due to his POL U24 riding. Could be a half decent signing helped by his experience in Poland.

As a footnote - Was a fortunate winner of the Aussie U21 title in 2023 when he won the final on default after Rew/Zichke & Ryan Harrison were all excluded from the final after crashes/exclusions. Still a winner is a winner but Lady Luck was for sure on his shoulders that day

[ASpeedwayfan]

If it was 6/7 riders all signed and ready and it was Rowe who was the 7th and said no, then if Zach has been persuaded to stay the whole team should be signed sealed and delivered? 
 

or were we hoping for Beau and since he’s had a change of heart it’s now a bit of panic?

I wouldnt mind Gilkes but it seems strange us needing a rider around the 4.8 mark and not snapping up Toby, makes me think that we have already signed the rider in the number 2 position. 
 

Have we heard anything about Jack Thomas? I know he had that horrific crash at the start of the ‘23 season, he would fit the points nicely, but I’m assuming he’s retired? Real shame if so.