ADAM Roynon is hoping to end his wait for another league title and become a part of Poole Pirates’ long history of success, as they prepare to get the defence of their SGB Championship title underway tonight.

After various cup fixtures over the past month, the league meetings kick in this evening, with Pirates hosting Scunthorpe Scorpions at Wimborne Road (7.30pm).

Poole have won the trophy in each of the past two years, since dropping back down to the second tier in 2021.

But those successes came without Roynon, the 34-year-old joining Pirates as a reserve over the winter.

The experienced Brit’s career has spanned almost two decades, but his only league title to date came way back in 2007, whilst competing for Rye House Rockets in the second tier.

Cumbrian Roynon has impressed during his early outings with Pirates, racking up 36+9 from eight meetings, including paid eight during Saturday night’s 52-38 BSN Series semi-final second leg win at Redcar Bears.

Discussing his decision to pick Poole as his club for 2023, Roynon told the Daily Echo: “An absolute no-brainer.

“A few clubs were knocking and I’m on an attractive average for my potential, so when Poole came in, it was a done deal pretty much straightaway.

“I’ve been involved in the club as a mechanic before, I’ve ridden here for a lot of years against some great opposition and I’ve always dreamt of riding for a well-established, big club in the sport.

“To come to the reigning champions for the last two years, you couldn’t have asked for a better move for myself.

“It’s one I’m going to make full use of and give it my all, like I do with everything in life.”

Asked about his hopes of getting back among the trophies again, Roynon added: “2007 was the last time I won the league, which was a hell of a long time ago.

“I’m pretty sure some of the boys weren’t even born then!

“It would be nice to have that winning feel once again. The group of lads we’ve got here and the mentality within this whole club is about winning.

“I fully intend on just exaggerating on that and bringing in some silverware. It’s what the fans expect as well.”

Discussing the strength of the Championship this year, Roynon, who also works as a pundit on with the British Speedway Network, said: “It looks even closer than it did last year and I thought last year looked extremely close.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of away victories this year, so we’ve really got to make this track a fortress, just to get us the points we need at home.

“But all the riders are, especially in our team, are all capable of doing things on the road as well.

“I’m fortunate enough to know a lot of the tracks and it’s all down to set-up.

“If we just gel as a team, then we can bounce ideas of what set-up has been working for one rider might work for another one.

“I think we will be formidable around here, so getting the points on the road will be what we need to stay up the top of that table.”

Pirates will be without their top-scoring rider of 2023 in Richard Lawson, who is recovering from a crash suffered whilst riding for Leicester Lions on Monday.

Australian Justin Sedgmen has been drafted in as a guest.

Scunthorpe will operate rider replacement for the unavailable Michael Palm Toft, while new recruit Nathan Ablitt faces his former club.

Pirates: Steve Worrall (c), Anders Rowe, Ben Cook, Zach Cook, Justin Sedgmen (guest), Kyle Newman, Adam Roynon.

Scunthorpe: Ryan Douglas, rider replacement, Simon Lambert (c), Max Clegg, Jake Allen, Nathan Ablitt, Connor Mountain.