POLISH star Grzegorz Walasek is unlikely to be in Pirates' seven-man starting line-up this year - but co-promoter Matt Ford admitted he might use the Grand Prix rider as cover later in the season.

Ford stressed it would be a "catastrophe" for Walasek if he were left out of Poole Meridian Lifts' line-up in March.

But Ford hinted Pirates probably had no other option because they had gone too far down the line in negotiations with probable replacement riders to go back on their words to them.

The British Speedway Promoters' Association's U-turn on switching their original decision to allow only one GP rider per team to two is to blame for Poole's problem over re-signing Walasek.

At first, the Pole ruled himself out of returning to Wimborne Road because he believed he had to choose between riding in the British League or the GP and he elected to go for the GP.

But Walasek re-entered the equation to continue racing for Pirates when the BSPA later changed their minds and he was eligible to compete in both competitions.

Ford said: "It is a catastrophe for Greg who would love to come back now. He desperately wants to return to Poole but at this point I don't think I can grant him that.

"The fact we were led to believe Greg would not be available to us has been a big problem. It made the question of him returning a difficult decision when it shouldn't have been.

"We obviously started talking to other riders when we believed we couldn't use him and that has left us in a slightly awkward position now.

"We'd gone a substantial length in negotiating contracts with targets whose names I clearly can not reveal now.

"The matter is made worse for Greg because he can't go out on loan to any other Elite League club because they all have their own GP riders fixed up.

"Unfortunately, it is not in our club's policy to let down riders we have already started to negotiate with and, although Greg is not 100 per cent ruled out, it is unlikely he'll be in the starting line-up.

"However, maybe we should play that to our advantage and keep him back as a rider who could come into the side later on if we need him.

"It will put more pressure on riders coming in knowing there is a very capable rider who can take their place at any time. But that is the nature of speedway."