TOM Brennan broke Poole hearts a year ago but now he wants to bring tears of joy back to Wimborne Road.
The flying Great Britain star scored 21 points over two legs for Glasgow as they ended the Pirates dominance of the league last season.
Until that point Poole had won back-to-back doubles. But Brennan is the man with the Midas Touch as he prepares for an incredible fourth Grand Final in as many years.
He raced for Belle Vue in their final loss to Peterborough in 2021, won it for the Aces in 2022 and then took victory again for the Tigers last season.
Now it’s another big finale against Oxford in what promises to be an epic crescendo to the Cab Direct Championship.
Brennan, 23, admits: “At the start of the year you do want to pick a winning team.
“The first goal is to make the Grand Finals, that’s what we all work for. But once you get there, you have to win them. No one remembers the losers.
“I was in the Championship final last year with Bomber (Chris Harris). He taught me a lot over those two meetings.
“Previously I’ve raced against Scott Nicholls and Bomber when they were at Peterborough in 2021 when ‘Dad’s Army’ won the title.
“Every final I’ve been in I’ve come up against or ridden with very experienced riders. I’ve only gained from that and how to handle the finals and big meetings.
“It’s a funny thing to think I’m now at No.5 and one of the experienced guys in the Poole team. If you’d asked me that two or three years ago, it definitely wasn’t the case!
“I definitely hope we can go the full way with Poole. Everyone at the club deserves it massively.”
It was a major winter move for Brennan from Ashfield to Wimborne Road. But he believes it has helped him push onto a new level.
He added: “I would probably say that Poole has been one of my best career moves I’ve ever made.
“Strangely enough at the start of the year it nearly didn’t happen, it was definitely touch and go.
“We ended up working out the positives which were way more than the negatives.
“I don’t think many people can explain what it is like to be part of the Poole set-up, until you are in it.
“Because Danny (Ford) is in charge and he’s a bit younger, that brings a different aspect to it. You’ve got Matt (Ford) and Middlo (Neil Middleditch), so there’s so much experience and guidance.
“They work really well with the riders which is something that gives you a lot of confidence.”
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