BRILLIANT teenager Taylor Poole has pledged his future to Peterborough.The Panthers have pulled off the coup signing of the 17-year-old Australian whizzkid who was a sensation in last season's National League.

BRILLIANT teenager Taylor Poole has pledged his future to Peterborough.

The Panthers have pulled off the coup signing of the 17-year-old Australian whizzkid who was a sensation in last season's National League.

He rode in a handful of matches for Mildenhall, regularly hitting double figures, smashing the long-standing West Row track record and winning the Young Guns Trophy at Sheffield.

Poole will start the 2010 campaign with an as yet unnamed Premier League side but when he is ready to make the step up into the top-flight it will be with the Panthers.

It's the second big Panthers' swoop in a week as fellow Australian Dakota North agreed to join the club last weekend.

Poole is the son of former Peterborough legend Mick Poole and will be based in Whittlesey when he arrives back in this country in the spring.

Peterborough have beaten a host of rivals to capture the youngster and it's another major sign of the club's new youth policy.

He joins 18-year-old North and 19-year-old Dane Rene Bach, who will be spending a second season at Premier League Newcastle, on the club's books.

Taylor's father Mick - who rode in 217 official matches for the Panthers before ending his British career at the end of 1995 - is planning to fly across with him for the opening weeks of the new season. And he is sure to be given a tremendous Alwalton welcome in what is the club's 40th anniversary season.

Peterborough are anxious to give Taylor time to build his own reputation and are adamant they won't rush him into their Elite League line-up.

Club Owner Rick Frost said: “We have signed Taylor Poole - and not his father.

“He has to be given time to find his feet in Britain and it would be totally unfair of anyone to start comparing him with his Dad at this stage in his career.

“It wouldn't matter what his name or family background was - we wanted him purely based on his form last season which was little short of sensational.

“He is a tremendous addition to the club and we are all looking forward to seeing him have a long and successful career in the Panthers' colours.”