Pirates: Ford confirms Miskowiak signing (From Thisisdorset)

Pirates: Ford confirms Miskowiak signing

7:00am Tuesday 4th December 2012 in Latest Sport By Neil Meldrum

MATT Ford believes Robert Miskowiak can be Pirates’ surprise package for 2013.

Ford this morning confirmed the Pole would become Poole Coastal Aluminium’s second winter signing, joining on loan from Ipswich.

Miskowiak, who won the world under-21 title in 2004 and finished top of last season’s Polish Division One averages, failed to find another Elite League berth after the Witches dropped into the Premier League in 2011.

The 29-year-old replaced injury victim Nicolai Klindt at Wolves last season, however, and scored nine points for the Midlanders at Wimborne Road in the Knockout Cup in May, before plundering 12 at the same venue in the league in July.

Miskowiak comes into the Poole one-to-seven on a 5.81 average and joins Kyle Howarth, who agreed terms last week.

Ford told the Echo: “I tried to sign Robert after he won the 2004 world under-21 title, but we lost out to Ipswich.

“That was a blow, but sometimes these things take time and I am delighted he is joining us eight years later!

“Robert is a heat leader, but it is likely he will be our fourth rider next season.

“Every year, there is one shock for the Pirates fans and, perhaps, Robert is this year’s surprise. He will do a great job for us.

“From the moment we showed an interest in him, he was keen to come to Poole. He knows Wimborne Road is a track he can ride well and I think he can make it a real home.”

Miskowiak’s move to Dorset plunges Dennis Andersson’s Pirates future into doubt, with the Swede currently recovering from a broken leg following a track spill in Poland in August.

Ford, though, stopped short of ruling out Andersson completely and revealed the remainder of Pirates’ 2013 line-up was hinging on the potential signing of an as yet unnamed rider.

The Pirates promoter has already offered deals to world champion Chris Holder and fellow Aussie Darcy Ward, but is waiting to finalise terms with both men.

While Holder looks likely to return as Poole’s captain, Ward’s future is less certain after he accepted a Grand Prix wild card for 2013.

Should Ward (9.76) not commit, Ford could opt to bring back Krzysztof Kasprzak (8.39) and free up some team-building points further down his line-up.

He added: “The fans have told us what they want and we will try to achieve that. If we can’t, we will turn to other options.

“There is one other rider I have been in contact with and a lot depends on him as to how the rest of the team will materialise.

“There are a few options and more than one proposed team sheet – it depends how things pan out in the next few days.”

Ward’s future has been thrown into further doubt, meanwhile, after long-term Pirates backer Draper Tools decided to opt out of motorsport sponsorship in 2013.

Draper acted as a main sponsor for both Ward and Holder last season.