“IT HAD so much potential and promise, that just failed to deliver.”

That is how Adam Roynon described his time at Poole Pirates, after injury curtailed his spell with the club.

Roynon joined Pirates ahead of the 2023 campaign, adding some valuable experience at reserve.

And things were going well, Poole clinching the BSN Series title in July, the first major trophy Roynon had lifted in more than a decade.

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However, just two weeks later, the Cumbrian suffered a shoulder injury on the infamous night at Armadale, which would ultimately end his season early.

After Roynon crashed out in heat two, by heat six the meeting had been abandoned after Edinburgh Monarchs photographer Peter Hill was injured in freak circumstances, Craig Cook’s bike flying over the air fence and towards him trackside.

Pirates would not lift any more trophies in 2023, beaten in the finals of both the Championship and Knockout Cup.

Reflecting on his season-ending injury, Roynon told the Daily Echo: “It was a disappointing end for myself to have the injury at that time. It really just curtailed my whole season.

“I thought I could get back after a few weeks, but it wasn’t to be the case.

“I had broken the shoulder blade in four places and I’d also broken three ribs. Because the shoulder blade had multiple fractures on one bone, that normally requires surgery to piece that back together.

“It wasn’t until three weeks after I had the accident I got a CT scan to tell me what the actual problem was.

“I could see it was pretty much healed, which was good, but I just couldn’t get it signed off to then come back racing because it would’ve jeopardised my whole insurance and everything going forward. So it was very frustrating.”

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Joe Thompson was signed up to replace Roynon, who watched on in his role as a presenter and commentator with the British Speedway Network.

Ahead of the campaign, Roynon could not hide his delight at getting the opportunity to ride for Poole, describing it as a “no-brainer” to sign for the club.

Discussing his time as a Pirate, the 35-year-old said: “It was fantastic. I loved the opportunity.

“It had so much potential and promise, that just failed to deliver.

“I know for a fact if I would’ve been in those finals, then it would’ve been a completely different outcome. Just because of the experience to be had in those situations.

“To be an eye-witness on the terraces rather than being on track, it was a hard watch.

“But I was still very appreciative and thankful of the opportunity before that. It just shows what I am capable of when in that situation.

“It gives me food for thought going on in my career and also shows people that I can still put in the points.”

He added: “To get a trophy, the BSN one and my tie in with the BSN as well, it was really a fitting way for me to have the win in that, and in its first staging as well.

“To have it happen with Poole, so quickly into the season, it just clarified the fact of the winning mentality that Poole have.

“To get a trophy that quickly, that was supposed to be the springboard to go forward and pick up the rest of the trophies and get the treble. But sadly that didn’t happen.

“The rest of the guys put in a good effort, I just felt if I would’ve been there, I know it would’ve been different.

“The season started off really well, it just went sour rather quickly.”

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Roynon, the 2006 Conference League Riders’ champion, scored 72+17 points from 71 races across 20 meetings with Poole last season.

He looked particularly at home around Wimborne Road, failing to score in just five rides, averaging well over four points per meeting.

Roynon has been no stranger to injury woes throughout his career and has previously spoken about using his studies in psychology to help him mentally deal with such setbacks.

Recalling being let go by Pirates whilst injured, he said: “It’s tough. The emotional and the mental side, all of that comes into play.

“Luckily I was still around the speedway with BSN, but it’s difficult.

“I spoke to Danny Ford many times, even when I was injured. He said ‘if you can get back fit for the play-offs, you’ve only been replaced whilst you’re injured, you’ve not been dropped from the team, so if you can get back to be fit, we’ll gladly have you back’.

“Then all the bad weather hit, I couldn’t get out on the bike and that just put paid to that really.

“It was naturally disappointing for myself. For my 20th year in the sport, it could’ve been by far, easily the best.

“It’s a shame it went the way it did, but I’ve still got good memories of it.”

He added: “Everyone at Poole was superb. I was very honoured to be a part of the team.

“The fans and everything will stay with me for a long time.

“I hope to be back there again, whether it’s racing at the track or racing with Poole, who knows?

“But I’m just very thankful to the fans, all the support and everything that came with the club, I was very appreciative of.”

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Now comes the time of year where teams are finalising their septets for 2024.

Roynon featured in the second tier with Poole and third tier with Edinburgh last season.

Asked what this part of the year is like and his hopes for the future, the veteran racer said: “I definitely don’t want to be doing National League.

“Championship is the only place I want to be, to get back there and get myself going.

“This season was purely down to engines, why my form went off. I still gave it the best that I could.”

He added: “It’s just a case of getting myself back fit and back mentally ready and bike ready.

“If that phone should ring, I shall also be ready.

“You just have to wait. There is a lot of riders for not a lot of team spots.

“The sport isn’t in a good way at the minute, so everyone is probably going out on a limb to try and get riders on the cheapest deal.

“I’m not really too fussed about sitting out until the phone rings. We’ll just see what happens.”