Mike Broadbank
Encyclopedia
Michael 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.
The training track operated a team known as the Roosters, however, with the involvement of Broadbank, the team were renamed the Red Devils, with reference to the red leathers worn by Broadbank, when almost all riders wore black.
. He then started his long association with Robins before moving on to the Hackney Hawks
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.
In 2006 Broadbank was awarded a belated testimonial for sixteen years of service with Swindon.
Hoddesdon
Hoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a former international motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who made 560 appearances for the Swindon Robins
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
, scoring over 4,200 points.
Rye House
Broadbank was first discovered at the Rye House track after working there as a young boy. In the 1950s the track was threatened with closure so Broadbank built a new track on an adjacent site to continue training. After a season the owner of the stadium relented and Broadbank built the track on the site that is still there today.The training track operated a team known as the Roosters, however, with the involvement of Broadbank, the team were renamed the Red Devils, with reference to the red leathers worn by Broadbank, when almost all riders wore black.
Career
After impressing at Rye House he managed to get a full time ride with the Wembley LionsWembley Lions (speedway)
The Wembley Lions were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1929 until their closure in 1971. Their track was located at Wembley Stadium, London. The original stadium which hosted speedway has been redeveloped.-Pre-war:...
. He then started his long association with Robins before moving on to the Hackney Hawks
Hackney Hawks
Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London and operated until 1983.-Early days:Originally opened by Mike Parker, the promotion was then sold to Len Silver who was the club's promoter for the next twenty seasons....
and the Stoke Potters
Stoke Potters
The Stoke Potters are a British Speedway team currently competing in the National League. The team races at Loomer Road Stadium.In the late 1940s, early 1950s and the early 1960s, the club was based in Sun Street in Hanley, and were originally known as the Hanley Potters when crowds of over 12,000...
. Whilst with Robins he captained the side to the British League title in 1967. He reached the final of the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
on five occasions.
Broadbank was also a regular visitor to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
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.
In 2006 Broadbank was awarded a belated testimonial for sixteen years of service with Swindon.
World Final Appearances
- 19581958 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 20, 1958 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: E. G. Cope-Classification:...
-
United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 5pts - 19611961 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1961 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1961 Malmö, Malmö Stadion...
-
Sweden MalmöMalmöMalmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Malmö StadionMalmö StadionMalmö Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Malmö, Sweden which is currently the home of Swedish football Division 4 club IFK Malmö and athletics club MAI...
- 16th - 2pts - 19621962 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1962 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1962 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: C. H. King-Classification:...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 15th - 2pts - 19641964 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1964 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 18, 1964 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 9th - 6pts - 19651965 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1965 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 18, 1965 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - Did not ride - 19661966 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1966 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 23, 1966 Göteborg, Ullevi...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 13th - 4pts - 19671967 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1967 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 16, 1967 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - Did not ride