SWINDON Robins manager Alun Rossiter has not ruled out the possibility of Dakota North returning to the Abbey Stadium next season despite him signing for Poole Pirates.

It emerged earlier today that the Aussie had been snapped up by the Elite League champions, despite Swindon inquiring several months ago about the services of the Aussie rider.

The Blunsdon outfit put an offer to Peterborough Panthers which included last season’s captain Troy Batchelor, but had no correspondence back.

Rossiter has spoken to North and is still hoping to bring back the rider, whose arrival at the Abbey last year sparked a change in the team’s fortunes and a charge into the play-offs.

“He has been signed up by Poole I am led to believe, but I still think he is still free to go where he wants to, but I am not sure,” said Rossiter.

“I have been caught a bit on the hop. This came out via a Poole radio station, so I don’t know 100 per cent.

“I spoke to Dak and he is still very keen to come back next year. I have had a message from him.

“We approached them (Peterborough) but we never got a reply from them, which was a bit frustrating and disappointing really.

“We did it quite a few months previously, asking to acquire a cost for Troy and what they would want.

“With Troy, they have had three loan fees out of us already, so with a little more added on top we’d buy Troy and asked how much would they want for Dak, but they never came back to us sadly.

“It is not out of the question (that Dakota could be riding for Swindon next season), he has made it clear that he would still like to come back to Swindon.

“It is just the fact that he has signed for Poole, which direction we are going to go in.”