PS. Hi Mike how are you and
what are you doing these days?
MS. I’m very well thank you and I am a self
employed electrician as I have been for
years even when I was riding speedway.
PS. How did you end
up riding for the Potters?
MS. The promoter John Dews approached me in
the winter he took over at Stoke and it was just after Nottingham had
closed and a deal was agreed.
PS. How did you find the
Loomer Rd track?
MS. Very easy to ride and a very fair track
which meant there was no home advantage,
I’d visited for other teams in years previous and always scored well
also. It was no
surprise after I’d joined Stoke when all other riders from other teams
scored well.
PS. Did you enjoy
your time at Stoke?
MS. Yes very much, John Dews was promoter at
the time and the reason I didn't return
for the 1983 season was because of the new pay structure at the time, no
signing on fee meant a pay cut and I wasn't prepared to do that so I
retired from the sport, so Stoke Potters was my last team in speedway. I
still have my old leathers in the loft somewhere.
PS. Who was the best
club you rode for during your career?
MS. I would have to say Eastbourne when I
rode there in the mid 70’s, we had a lot of success on track and also
the Dugard family were nice people to work for.
PS. What is your
favourite memory as a Potter?
MS. None what instantly spring to mind,
though I did win a Royal Wedding plaque which
is on my living room wall and that is special to me because it was from
the Potteries and was presented to me whilst I was riding for Stoke and
also because the late Princess Diana is on it.
PS. What was your
worst injury?
MS. That would have to be when I was riding
for Nottingham Outlaws and ironically the accident happened at Stoke
where I broke my coccyx. I’d blown the engine I was intending to use at
Stoke so I picked up a new one from Rye and it was a big cam
Weslake and not what I wanted to use at Stoke, anyway I lifted and hit
the base of my spine on a scaffold support pole which held up the safety
fence, I had a one week stay in the North Staffs Royal Infirmary and was
taken back home to Exeter one week later in a ambulance.
PS. How did you find
the travel to Stoke every week for your home meetings?
MS. No problem at all, I think it was 210
miles to the stadium from home although it could
get quite hectic during the summer months, I’d travelled further when I
rode for Barrow.
PS. Do you keep in
touch with the sport or any ex team mates?
MS. No when i retired i turned my back on
the sport, I’d enjoyed my career, I was a dedicated rider and it was
time to move on.
PS. Any regrets from your
time in Speedway?
MS. No none at all, i got to see the country
through travelling going to all the various tracks.
PS. What was your
career highlight?
MS. I suppose that would have to be 1977, I
was averaging over 10 points and won the League and cup double with
Eastbourne and also won the British League by doubling up with the White
City Rebels in London. I also won a few individual meetings at various
tracks over the years.
PS. Who would you say
is the best rider ever?
MS. I liked Ole Olsen but didn't know him
personally, whereas I knew Ivan Mauger who I rode with for Exeter, he
was the ultimate professional so its those two for me.
PS. What was your
favourite track?
MS. I liked a lot of tracks so didn't have a
favourite as such, if you were riding well and confidence was good, you
could enjoy any track, long or small.
