MIKE Golding plans to continue running Poole's Academy team but has stressed the club won't be entering a side in next year's Conference League.

He revived the Dorset club's junior side in 2006 after a 13-year gap and they celebrated by winning the British Academy Cup last month.

The enterprising move has also already produced promising youngsters like Jordan Frampton, Matt Bates and Brendan Johnson.

Golding said: "We are hopeful that something along the lines of this year's Academy League can be sorted for 2008.

"Sadly, because of stadium commitments, we can't enter a team in the Conference and time restraints mean we can't run more than six heats after the main match on a Wednesday.

"But I think running the junior team worked well this year and the riders enjoyed the competitiveness of the league.

"They made good progress, although that worked against us a bit near the end of the season because some riders like Matt and Brendan were required by Conference teams after they had reached that standard.

"That's part of the enjoyment of the Academy, seeing riders step up."

Only five teams - Poole, East-bourne, Lakeside, King's Lynn and Rye House - took part in the Charles Foot Section of the Academy, one fewer than 2006.

Golding said: "I would love to see the Academy continue but we need to fine tune some of the arrangements about which riders can ride for which teams.

"We have some good youngsters coming up like Kyle Newman and Steven May who are probably the next batch of youngsters who'll come through in 2008.

"I think other teams are planning to continue with the juniors.

"What we have to guard against is the travelling arrangements because some of the youngsters are only 15 or 16 and have to rely on parents for travel.

"We have to keep travelling down to a minimum and look into the possibility of staging some away matches at the weekend when they don't have school or college commitments."

Golding stressed "it was a tremendous achievement" for Poole to beat Newcastle 45-26 in the Academy Cup final.

He added: "The lads totally deserved it because they had improved so much during the year.

"The league season didn't get to a play-off situation because of shortage of time, so it was great to get the cup final in.

"The lads acquitted themselves well and it was great to win some silverware for Poole in front of their own fans in the last meeting of the season.

"I'd like to thank Garry May for his unstinting work with the juniors.

"He has travelled to all the meetings and given the riders invaluable advice and support as team manager, and I'm extremely grateful for that."