FORMER Wimbledon Speedway chairman David Croucher is back on home territory as team manager of the Wightlink Islanders.

David, who is affectionately known as "Southampton's second Crouch" moves into the Smallbrook Stadium to work alongside promoters Dave Pavitt and Martin Newnham.

'Crouch' is the son of the former Southampton captain and team manager Bert Croucher, who helped Saints lift the National League title in 1962, the year before speedway was lost to Southampton fans.

He has been connected with the Isle of Wight set up before and ran his Wightlink Saints out of both Smallbrook Stadium and Wimborne Road Stadium at Poole, where he also team managed a Barry Briggs Select Side and helped run the 2000 Golden Greats with such speedway legends as Ove Fundin, Briggo himself and a host of other stars from the 1960s and 1970s.

"I started cleaning Barry Briggs's leathers in 1961 when I was still at school, recalls 'Crouch'. "We lived around the corner from Briggo in Bitterne at the time.

"I fell in love with speedway at Banister Court Stadium and, over 40 years later, it still gives me that same buzz every time a bike starts up.

"I had a few years on a 500 JAP on the grasstracks but spent more time in the ambulance than on the track, then went on to sponsoring riders like Tony Mattingly.

"My son Alex even started riding at one stage a few years ago, but then I progressed into promotion and management.

"It's been a privilege being instrumental in the resurrection of such a famous speedway club as Wimbledon, but the time came to move on.

"I was delighted and surprised to get the chance of team managing The Islanders, who have enjoyed a successful period in the Premier League, finishing in the top top five for four of the last five seasons."

The Islanders are led by the Southampton-based Australian star Craig Boyce and 'Crouch' says: "To work with Boycie will be an honour. He's one hell of a rider, a former world finalist and Grand Prix rider, who has had a very distinguished career with the likes of Poole Pirates, with whom he scored almost 4,000 points.

"He is spearheading a side that could go all the way this season. We have retained four of last year's team and signed three newcomers, all from abroad and all new to British speedway."

Jason Bunyan, Krister Marsh and Ulrich Ostergaard have been retained and will be joined by 19-year-old Australian Jason Doyle, who has just finished fourth in the Australian Under-21 Championship, Danish International Steen Jensen and young Austrian Manuel Hausinger.

Croucher says: "Hull Vikings pulled off the treble in the Premier League last year by getting their team structure spot-on before the season started, and I believe we may have achieved that this year.

"If we can stay injury free, and perform as we believe we can, we might just take some silverware."

The season starts on the Isle of Wight on March 22 with a Challenge match against an Italian Select side, including the former Reading number one Armando Castagna.

That meeting is preceded by two practice sessions on March 8 and 15.

Premier Trophy action starts with a visit from the Reading Racers on Tuesday, March 29 (7.30pm, £10 for adults and concessions for children and senior citizens).

Details of a Wightlink Flyer ticket, which includes passenger travel on the FastCat from Portsmouth to Ryde, bus service from the ferry to the stadium and entrance to the speedway, can be obtained by ringing Wightlink on 087 0582 7744.