Mike Broadbank

Last updated

Mike Broadbank
Mike Broadbank.jpg
Born (1934-09-23) 23 September 1934 (age 89)
Hoddesdon, England
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1955 Rye House Roosters
1956 Wembley Lions
1957–1972 Swindon Robins
1973–1974 Chesterton/Stoke Potters
1973, 1975 Hackney Hawks
1973 Reading Racers
1973 Poole Pirates
1973 Oxford Rebels
1976 Crayford Kestrels
1977 Newport Dragons
Individual honours
1963 Australian Champion
1964 London Riders' Champion
1955 Southern Area League Riders' Championship
Team honours
1955 Southern Area League Champion
1957 National League Champion
1967 British League Champion
1967, 1968 Midland Cup

Michael John Broadbank (also known as Broadbanks) (born 23 September 1934 in Hoddesdon, England) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who made 560 appearances for the Swindon Robins, scoring over 4,200 points. [1] [2]

Contents

Career

Broadbank was first discovered at the Rye House track after working there as a young boy. He won the Southern Area League Riders' Championship, held at Rye House Stadium on 25 September 1955. [3] After impressing at Rye House he managed to get a full-time ride with the Wembley Lions in 1956.

In 1960, the Rye House speedway track was rebuilt by Mike Broadbank, along with his father Alfred. [4] Broadbank ran the speedway team known as the Red Devils who raced in challenge matches from 1960 unil 1966. [5] The name Red Devils related to the red leathers worn by Broadbank, when almost all riders wore black. [5]

He then started his long association with Robins before moving on to the Hackney Hawks, Reading Racers and the Stoke Potters. Whilst with Robins he captained the side to the British League title in 1967. He reached the final of the Speedway World Championship on five occasions.

Broadbank was also a regular visitor to Australia and won the Australian Individual Speedway Championship at the Rockhampton Speedway in 1963, to date the last time a rider from England won the Australian title. Broadbank defeated Queensland rider Keith Gurtner, and a rising star from New Zealand named Ivan Mauger, to win the title.

At retirement he had earned 28 international caps for the England national speedway team and 8 caps for Great Britain. [2]

In 2006, Broadbank was awarded a belated testimonial for sixteen years of service with Swindon. [6]

World Final Appearances

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References

  1. ↑ Montague, Trevor (2004). The A-Z of Sport. Little, Brown. p. 515. ISBN   0-316-72645-1.
  2. 1 2 "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Trophy ends the Speedway season" . Eastbourne Gazette. 5 October 1955. Retrieved 10 June 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Red Devils enter a new era" . Hertford Mercury and Reformer. 26 August 1960. Retrieved 24 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. 1 2 Jacobs, Norman (2007). 70 Years of Rye House Speedway. NPI Media Group. ISBN   978-07524-4162-7.
  6. ↑ Eaton, Dave (28 September 2006). "Broady's big night". Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 18 July 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
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