OUTGOING Team Great Britain boss Neil Middleditch insisted he had “given it my best shot” after announcing his resignation as national manager.

The Pirates boss today confirmed his decision to end his involvement with GB, as exclusively revealed by the Daily Echo via Twitter.

Middleditch, the most successful manager in current British speedway, has won five Elite League titles and a total of 13 trophies in 15 years in the Pirates hot-seat.

He was first given the Great Britain job in 2001 and, in 2004, watched his GB outfit miss World Cup glory by a single point.

In February 2008, Middleditch quit the role to focus on his business commitments before re-taking the reins in 2011. But the former British under-21 captain has now opted to step aside following a troubled 2013 World Cup campaign which saw his selection choices come under fire from some supporters.

He told the Daily Echo: “I have always given it my best shot. People who know me know that I don't go into things to finish in second place.

“It is not nice that we had a dreadful World Cup this season, by our standards. I picked, and Phil Morris (assistant boss and under-21s manager) helped, a team that we thought would be competitive but it just wasn't and I think that is going to be the case for a few years yet.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel with riders coming through like Craig Cook and Richie Worrall but they are still a fair way off the Aussies and the Poles.”