Trevor Geer today promised Eastbourne Eagles' rivals a few surprises in the new Elite League season.

But the long-serving man of Arlington insists it will take a fair bit to catch him unawares on race night.

Geer has given up his job in the building industry to take over as full-time team manager after the departure of Jon Cook to Lakeside Hammers.

He will be pitting his wits against a team led by world champion Jason Crump as Eagles open their season with a challenge fixture at home to Poole Pirates tomorrow (7.30pm).

Not that it will be anything new for the 53-year-old from Eastbourne.

He has worked as manager and promoter at various times since retiring through injury in 1983, facing the television cameras and wound-up riders in the process.

Geer, who spent most of his riding career with Eagles, said: "The team-managing side is not a problem.

"It's just the day-to-day running which will be a challenge.

"I've given up my work to do this full-time. It was the only way to do the job, either properly or not at all.

"Mainly in the pits it's a case of trying to gee the lads up and keep them motivated.

"If someone is not performing, I've got to pull him out. That's the last thing I want to do but it has got to be done.

"But you couldn't have a better leader than Nicki Pedersen. He is captain this year and he will be superb in the role."

Geer, who retired as a rider after a crash in which he lost a toe, has seen some well-known faces come and go since first joining Eagles as teenager in the late Sixties.

He said: "When I came to Eastbourne, you had Dave Lanning, Bob Radford. We've had some really good characters over the years.

"Arthur Nutley was team manager then and everybody knew him.

"He was about 25 stone and hard to miss.

"Then there's Bob Dugard. He is one hell of a figurehead and it is through him that speedway has always kept going at Eastbourne.

"(New promoter) Bob Brimson is a hell of a businessman. He has come in with good, fresh ideas and he is making sure they are all implemented. I'm looking forward to the year now.

"There are a lot of back room boys who have been working really hard and there is a really good buzz about this year."

Eagles' team to start 2007 shows two changes from the end of last year but no new faces.

The two winter signings, Stefan Andersson and Davey Watt, have both ridden for Eastbourne before, though the Swede's second spell at the track ended five years ago.

Andersson said: "My first year at Eastbourne was 1994. I know so many people here and it's the club I want to ride for."

Edward Kennett (Poole) and Adam Shields (Lakeside) have left an Eagles line-up which provided lots of entertainment and drama in home meetings last year. Too much for their own good in fact.

Eagles were involved in plenty of thrillers on the way to 20 wins out of 23 on their own circuit.

But those narrow winning margins and a poor away record left them in the lower reaches of the table.

Swindon, Peterborough and unchanged Coventry are seen as teams to watch this year while Poole will arrive in Sussex tomorrow with lots of top end firepower in Crump and Bjarne Pedersen.

Heat one tomorrow should get the season off to a spectalar start as David Norris and Dean Barker take on Kennett and Crump.

Nicki Pedersen now lines up at three for Eagles, who this week completed the permanent signing of Cameron Woodward from Edinburgh.

The fact five-sevenths of last season's under-performing team are still on board means Eastbourne will not be among the title favourites.

And that is where the surprises could in come in.

There is a tremendous sense of cautious optimism around Arlington.

Geer said: "Every year we talk about other teams but one injury can wreck their chances.

"You can have such a brilliant team to start with. Every year we say one team is going to run away with it but something always happens.

"They always get a few surprises. And I think we are going to surprise a few people this year."

Eagles: Norris, Barker, N. Pedersen, Andersson, Watt, Woodward, Bridger.

Poole: Crump, Kennett, B. Pedersen, Darkin, Boyce, Doyle, Batchelor.

>b>Can Eastbourne Eagles win the Elite League this season?