HANS Andersen suspects the Elite League promoters’ “ludicrous” decision to reduce the play-offs from six teams to four is directly related to his controversial move to Pirates.

The Dane also feels the decision has made a mockery of speedway, sending out a message that it is not a professional sport.

Andersen joined Poole Castle Cover on loan earlier this month, but his signature has appeared to trigger considerable resentment among some other top-flight clubs.

An established Grand Prix rider, Andersen’s arrival means the Dorset club have a particularly strong three-pronged attack of heat leaders, including Chris Holder and Bjarne Pedersen.

But the promoters’ surprising mid-season postal vote to stage fewer play-off meetings in front of Sky Sports’ cameras has already been labelled “moving the goal posts” by Pirates boss Neil Middleditch, while Holder claimed the decision was made because other clubs “are just scared of us”.

Now Andersen has waded in to the debate, exclusively telling the Echo: “From my point of view, it just seems odd they should change this rule after there has been a major hurrah going on about me joining Poole.

“I don’t know if it’s all been done because they all fear us as on paper we are a strong team and should quickly climb the table when everyone is fit.

“I feel, somehow, that might be the reason, to make sure Poole don’t make the play-offs.”

Andersen, who finished a disappointing 11th with six points in the Danish GP at Copenhagen on Saturday, added: “It’s just unfortunate that British speedway has shot itself in the foot like this.

“How can you make a rule and change it like this. I find it ridiculous and ludicrous.

“What they should have done was admit ‘we might have made a mistake this season’ but finish it off as per the rules and then next year say there should only be four teams in the play-offs.

“I don’t know whether they’re thinking they don’t want Poole in the play-offs, but it’s wrong to change in mid-season.

“In my opinion, it doesn’t send out a statement saying it’s a professional sport. Take football. They don’t change the rules halfway through a season.

“What they could have done is say ‘we think there are too many matches with six teams in the play-offs this year, so next season it will be four.’”

Pirates, meanwhile, are still awaiting the outcome of a Speedway Control Bureau inquiry into alleged doctoring of rider averages. The club strenuously denies any wrongdoing in away meetings at Swindon and Peterborough last month.

Bottom-of-the-table Poole head to Belle Vue tonight (7.30pm) without injured Holder so use rider replacement in their Knockout Cup semi-final, first leg.

The second leg of the outstanding last-eight tie is at Poole on June 24 with the winners meeting Coventry in the semis, while Lakeside have already booked their place in the final with a 95-85 aggregate win over Swindon.

Belle Vue: (probable) 1 Kryzsztof Kasprzak, 2 Ulrich Ostergaard, 3 James Wright, 4 Patrick Hougaad, 5 Morten Risager, 6 Charlie Gjedde, 7 To be confirmed.

Pirates: (probable) 1 Hans Andersen, 2 Rider replacement for Chris Holder, 3 Joe Screen, 4 Daniel Davidsson, 5 Bjarne Pedersen, 6 Paul Fry, 7 Karol Baran.