THE Daily Echo today launches a campaign to find out who Pirates' fans think is the greatest Poole rider of all-time.

Speedway has been staged at the Dorset club's Wimborne Road track every year since Poole Pirates were formed in 1948.

The debate about who is the best Pirate has been raging ever since.

Could it be Brian Crutcher, Malcolm Simmons or Craig Boyce, who all stood on the World Individual Championship podium after finishing in the top three in old style one-off finals?

Or would you chose a present day racer like Mark Loram or Tony Rickardsson - the only two riders to lift the World title while riding for Poole - who were crowned champions in the competition's present guise of a Grand Prix series.

You might think one out of a legendary band of loyal Pirates stalwarts like Pete Smith, Ken Middleditch, Tony Lewis, Steve Schofield, Neil Middleditch or Lars Gunnestad is the tops.

Or maybe you believe a completely different rider to the ones I have mentioned above is the best.

That's the beauty of our campaign. The choice is solely an individual one, down to you. To enter, and have the chance to win four tickets to the Elite League title play-off showdown at Poole on Monday, October 11, this is what you have to do.

Write your top five Pirates riders of all-time on our voting slip above and post it to Pirates Greatest, Sports Desk, Daily Echo, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, BH2 6HH, to arrive first post on Thursday, September 23.

Alternatively, email your top five to piratestop10@bournemouthecho.co.uk by the same date, remembering to include your reason for selecting your top choice, your full name, address and daytime telephone number.

We will collate our findings from your votes (remember you can only put forward your top five riders) and then come up with a final top 10 list.

The first entry drawn out of a hat with the overall top rider also as their number one will receive our prize.

Result of our poll and our prizewinner's name will be announced in the Echo on Saturday, September 25.

We will then produce a Pirates Greats poster that will be available at Poole Stadium on Wednesday, October 6 and Monday, October 11.

Normal Echo competition rules apply.

Jean Mason, of Verwood, and Tom Turner, of Poole, are the winners of our most recent speedway competiton.

They both correctly answered the question 'which Pirates great left the club in April this year?'

They win a copy of the book '50 Poole Pirates Greats', supplied by WH Smith in Poole.