# Mike Broadbank

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British motorcycle speedway rider

Mike Broadbank Born (1934-09-23) 23 September 1934 (age 91) Hoddesdon, England Nationality British (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](/source/Hoddesdon)) is an English former international [motorcycle speedway](/source/Motorcycle_speedway) rider who made 560 appearances for the [Swindon Robins](/source/Swindon_Robins), scoring over 4,200 points.[1][2]

## Career

Broadbank was first discovered at the [Rye House track](/source/Rye_House_Stadium) after working there as a young boy. He won the [Southern Area League Riders' Championship](/source/Southern_Area_League_Riders'_Championship), held at [Rye House Stadium](/source/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](/source/Wembley_Lions_(speedway)) 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](/source/Hackney_Hawks), [Reading Racers](/source/Reading_Racers) and the [Stoke Potters](/source/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](/source/Speedway_World_Championship) on five occasions.

Broadbank was also a regular visitor to Australia and won the [Australian Individual Speedway Championship](/source/Australian_Individual_Speedway_Championship) at the [Rockhampton Speedway](/source/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](/source/Ivan_Mauger), to win the title.

At retirement he had earned 28 international caps for the [England national speedway team](/source/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

- [1958](/source/1958_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, [Wembley Stadium](/source/Wembley_Stadium_(1923)) - 12th - 5pts

- [1961](/source/1961_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Malmö](/source/Malm%C3%B6), [Malmö Stadion](/source/Malm%C3%B6_Stadion) - 16th - 2pts

- [1962](/source/1962_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - 15th - 2pts

- [1964](/source/1964_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Gothenburg](/source/Gothenburg), [Ullevi](/source/Ullevi) - 9th - 6pts

- [1965](/source/1965_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - Did not ride

- [1966](/source/1966_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - Göteborg, Ullevi - 13th - 4pts

- [1967](/source/1967_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, Wembley Stadium - Reserve - Did not ride

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Montague, Trevor (2004). *The A-Z of Sport*. Little, Brown. p. 515. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-316-72645-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-316-72645-1).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-URI_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-URI_2-1) ["ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022"](https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf) (PDF). *British Speedway*. Retrieved 17 June 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Trophy ends the Speedway season"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001928/19551005/210/0022). *Eastbourne Gazette*. 5 October 1955. Retrieved 10 June 2023 – via [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Red Devils enter a new era"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000756/19600826/184/0014). *Hertford Mercury and Reformer*. 26 August 1960. Retrieved 24 May 2024 – via [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Rye_House_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Rye_House_5-1) Jacobs, Norman (2007). *70 Years of Rye House Speedway*. NPI Media Group. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-07524-4162-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-07524-4162-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SwinAd_6-0)** Eaton, Dave (28 September 2006). ["Broady's big night"](http://www.thisisswindon.co.uk/display.var.942292.0..php). Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 29 October 2007.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Broadbank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Broadbank) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Broadbank?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.