PIRATES chief Matt Ford has stressed it is "unfortunate" they have to put riders and fans through a "waiting game" over 2008 team places.

But he has admitted his hands are tied until after the British Speedway Promoters' Association conference has finished on December 2.

When young guns Karol Zabik and Chris Holder signed Poole Castle Cover terms last month, Ford said it would be "unlikely" any other riders would follow suit before the conference.

Reiterating that stance, the co-promoter told the Echo: "While you can comfortably fit in five point riders, you can't fit in 10-point riders at this stage.

"We wanted to get Karol and Chris sorted so they could start planning.

"They are both assets to the club and needed to know what was going on next year.

"But now we have to take our time and make sure the rest of the team is compiled properly so that we have the right people to fill the right positions.

"There will be riders phoning looking for answers having seen us sign Karol and Chris, but we can't do anything else.

"It's unfortunate to put them all in a pot and play a waiting game, but we just have to hang fire a little longer and properly understand what rules will be levied on the Elite League and then make decisions."

"So we can't do anything else until the conference."

Leigh Adams has become the first top liner to put pen to paper for 2008, having just signed a two-year deal with Swindon.

With the tapes having fallen on the 2007 campaign just eight days ago, it's no surprise the only other heat leader to have signed a contract is Robert Miskowiak (Ipswich).

Reserve Ricky Kling (Lakeside) has also done a deal.

Promoters, riders and fans have to wait just under four more weeks to learn whether the current team-building points limit of 42.5 will be retained, increased or decreased.

That, and the possibility of only one eight-point-plus rider per team being introduced, continues to cast doubt on both Bjarne Pedersen and Jason Crump remaining at Poole next year.