PREVIEW: NEIL MIDDLEDITCH TESTIMONIAL, Poole

POOLE manager Neil Middleditch finally gets the deserved honour of his second Testimonial meeting at Wimborne Road tonight (Wednesday).

Middleditch was first awarded a benefit event in 1984, but he was unable to call upon the proceeds due to the club’s promotion at the time going into administration.

Now nearly 40 years on, Middleditch will receive his reward having served the Pirates as both rider and manager, a role he took up in 1999.

He said: “I am truly grateful to Matt (Ford) for being true to his word, although I can’t help thinking that there has been a curse put on me as far as the Testimonial is concerned.
“I lost out back in 1984 and then, due to Covid-19 we had to shelve the plans to stage it back in 2020 and last year’s shortened season made it impossible to fit in.

“Now, in the build-up to the event it has been something of a nightmare to be honest, with injuries and unforeseen circumstances causing changes to the original plans.

“First and foremost, I wish all the riders who have taken knocks and can’t ride all the very best for speedy recoveries, especially Chris Holder who seems to have suffered the worst. 

“I think that I have been able to assemble two good sides and we have a number of stars from the past, both of my racing time at Poole and also since becoming manager, so it is going to be a packed programme for sure.”

COUNTY CREST ALL STARS: Jack Holder, Frederik Jakobsen, Paul Starke, Richard Lawson, Scott Nicholls, Kyle Newman, Ben Cook.
MERIDIAN LIFTS HEROES: Jason Doyle, Danny King, Chris Harris, Hans Andersen, Brady Kurtz, Dillon Ruml, Zach Cook.