DB: I guess most people
here know about your time with the Potters, but maybe not that much about your
background. Where were you born?
MB: I come from Sheffield and was brought up in a smallish village to the north
of the city. I still live there to this day.
DB: And I understand you excelled at sports when you were
at school?
MB: Well, l don’t know about that but put it this way, if there was a school
team going I was in it!
Cricket, Cross Country, Football and others – my year group team actually were
Sheffield District and South Yorkshire champions at Football, which in a
soccer-mad city like Sheffield was a big thing for us.
I also did sprinting, so I was an all-rounder really, plus Badminton and
Squash. It kept
me fit!
DB: And that’s a level of fitness which sees you riding as
the oldest rider in the Speedway leagues today?
MB: Thanks for reminding me!
Well, yes I’m 45 in just under two weeks time and though there are some lads
racing
(my former Potters team mate, Tony Atkin stands out as one of them) also in
their 40s,
it is true that at PL level I often am giving 20 years away to opponents and at
National League level sometimes, amazingly, 30 years!
DB: So how do you keep fit for the physical demands of
racing?
MB: The answer to that, until a couple of weeks ago, is that I hadn’t.
What with one thing and another and looking very much like I had no team berth,
I
have to say I missed my normal winter training regime which is based, as well as
practice on the bike, on swimming mainly.
Then I got an unexpected call to replace another ex-Potter Jon Armstrong down
at Weymouth; and hot on the heels of that Dave Tattum was on the ‘phone asking
if I’d
return here to Loomer Road, so it’s been all systems go again since then.
DB: And is it good to be back at Stoke?
MB: Yes, of course.
I thoroughly enjoyed having g a full season back in the Premier with the
Potters last
year and there were quite a lot of highs – especially earlier in the season.
To have another chance, even it may be only temporary is something I relish.
DB: So is it going to be just a temporary move?
MB: Well I guess that’s up to the management here and dependant on how I keep
going. I’m pretty satisfied with the paid nine I got last Saturday – more
scoring like that and I’d like to think I’d remain in contention.
DB: And, of course, you’re still doubling up with the
Wildcats. From inactive to very busy in one fell swoop?
MB: Absolutely - take this weekend!
I had Weymouth matches due on Thursday and yesterday; and after tonight’s
meeting then I’m actually guesting for Birmingham up at Newcastle!
Thursday’s meeting was at Poole – that’s a track I’ve not ridden at, oh for
more than 10 years I’m sure!
DB: That’s certainly some schedule! From
the south coast to the north-east!
A bit like your career – how many teams have you ridden
for?
MB: Not sure I could list them all that easily! I started with Scunthorpe, then
had spells with Middlesbrough (where I’ve ridden at both tracks that club have
had on Teesside),
both Glasgow and Edinburgh. I had a spell with Belle Vue, and a great time
after
leaving Stoke the first time with another really famous old club, the Wimbledon
Dons, where I made many new friends!
There have been others - but I reckon you’ve more chance of naming them than
me!
DB: I think it’s up to 20-ish, - but Stoke must have an
important place in your heart.
MB: It does. The fans here have always been great to me and I hope I can reward
them for their loyalty with some more good performances this year!
DB: I suppose the question always asked of a rider of your
age is, do you still enjoy your speedway as much as ever?
MB: You know what – at the moment I’m sometimes too tired to enjoy it!
Its a case of racing, getting back to the pits and especially as I’ve not had a
mechanic until the last week, getting the bike ready for my next race.
Why, down at Weymouth (where the pits are out of view of the track) I’ve not
even had
a chance between races to see how the match is going!
As I gain my fitness back then I will, I’m sure, be able to answer, yes I do –
of course –
still enjoy it massively!
DB: You mentioned your football before and I guess we
could say that the Owls or the Blades’ loss was Speedway’s gain!
Returning to those early days and with other sports to choose from how did you
decide to take up Speedway?
MB: Well in our village as a kid Reg Wilson was always about and he was the top
man with the local side, the Tigers right then – the Wilsons lived just a few
doors up from us.
Obviously I used to go and watch the Speedway at Owlerton.
Then there was another local lad, a few years older than me called Pete Smith;
and my step-father John, who’d ridden himself on the grass, was doing Pete’s
engines up at Middlesbrough, so being involved I decided to give the sport a
go.
I started riding on the field down the road and moved onto the then new
mini-track at
the rear of the stadium at Owlerton.
I understand that the mini-track’s being tarmacked over for a car park now
which is a
real shame as lots of riders started up there.
DB: But not many can boast 20-plus years career, Buzz –
good luck for the rest of the season and welcome back!
