PROMOTER Danny Ford said Vinnie Foord’s numbers ‘did not fit’ to keep him at Poole next year, but he hopes to see the young rider back at Wimborne Road in the future.

Foord was announced as a Workington Comets rider earlier this week after he helped the Pirates to the treble in October.

Asked about Foord’s departure, promoter Ford said: “Unfortunately, speedway's a points game, a numbers game, and Vinnie's number simply did not fit.

“Initially, the points limit was looking like it was going to be the same.

“We started this year off with 38, in which case Vinnie would have slotted in very nicely into the team plans.

“But there was an increase in the points limit up to 40, and if by that stage, if we'd have put Vinnie in, we'd simply come in way too far into the points of the net.

“And that's really hard to say.

“We were incredibly impressed by Vinnie last season. He was fantastic and a real crowd pleaser.

“I don't think the promoters here are the most popular people at the moment for letting him go, but hopefully people can understand why we have done it. But, it's nothing against Vinnie.

“There's been no fallout or anything.

“We'd have loved to have him back, but simply the numbers did not work on this occasion. But I really do hope we'll see Vinnie back in the skull and crossbones sometime in the future.”