Martin Dixon's Website 'Mad Dog & Englishmen' Home Page

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1977 - 2001 (Silver Jubilee)

Photo by Jo Cooper

MAD DOG AND ENGLISHMEN

NOW AVAILABLE - NOW AVAILABLE - NOW AVAILABLE - NOW AVAILABLE

25 YEARS OF MAD DOG

Celebrating The Silver Jubilee Of Martin Dixon

Includes details of every meeting 'Dicko' has participated in

Articles from Tony Coupland (team manager at Middlesbrough) & Steve Harland (Middlesbrough programme contributor)

Photographs from Martin's entire career

MAKE MARTIN'S SILVER JUBILEE A SPECIAL ONE BY PURCHASING HIS BOOK

COST: £8.99 plus £1 for postage

FROM:- ROBERT BAMFORD, 3 THE MEWS, GASTONS ROAD, MALMESBURY, WILTSHIRE SN16 0BE

PROFILE

Born: Hartlepool 30/5/1961

Attended winter training school at Ellesmere Port in 1976/1977

(Phil Collins and Paul Stead attended the same sessions)

It was Paul Stead's father who pointed him in the direction of speedway

Martin bought Eric Boocock's old bike

A grasstracker who was a protege of Brian Havelock

Began appearing in second halves at Cleveland Park in 1977 resplendent in yellow leathers

TEAMS RODE FOR:

Originally signed for Workington but was released for £100 fee

Middlesbrough/Teesside 1977/1982

An early team picture from 1979 featuring (Left to Right) Malcolm Corradine, Martin Dixon, Steve WIlcock (on bike), Mark Courtney, Geoff Pusey, Tony Coupland (team manager), Paul Stead

Appeared in the Teesside Open Championship and for a short handed Scunthorpe team in 1977

Made his official Middlesbrough debut at Rye House in 1978

A photo taken in 1980 and team riding with Steve Wilcock (left) in 1985

Made 204 appearances for the Teesside/Middlesbrough Tigers between 1978 and 1982

Martin (left) shares a joke with Geoff Pusey in 1979

Halifax 1983

Moved up to the British League and rode in 28 matches for a 5.79 average

King's Lynn 1984

Moved to Norfolk and made 38 appearances for a 6.41 average

Middlesbrough 1985/1989

Geoff Pusey, Martin DIxon & Gary Havelock (1985)

     

Promoter Tim Swales paid £15,000 for 'Mad Dog's' return to Cleveland Park

The team win the 'Fours' Championship at Peterborough in 1985 and 1986

Martin won the last ever meeting staged at Ellesmere Port in December 1985

(A benefit for the injured Joe Owen)

Martin wins the Northern Riders' Championship in 1987

Middlesbrough Tigers 1986

Left to Right: Mark Courtney, Jim Burdfield, Tim Swales (Promoter), Martin Dixon (on bike), Roland Tebbs, Brian Havelock (Team Manager), Glen Hornby, Steve Wilcock, Gary Havelock

Morris Dancing 1990

Martin took up the sport of Morris Dancing in 1990 to help finance his speedway racing

Voted best newcomer in Morris Dancing 1990

Newcastle 1990/1991

After five seasons at Cleveland Park Martin moved to arch rivals Newcastle

He spent two seasons at Brough Park but had a poor second year

Long Eaton 1992/1995

Following a disappointing season at Newcastle Martin moved to Nottinghamshire outfit Long Eaton where he discovered his form again

Middlesbrough 1996

Made a brief return to Cleveland Park but found the going tough when the two leagues amalgamated

Made a total of 398 appearances for Middlesbrough in three different spells averaging 7.67

Long Eaton 1996/1997

Made a swift return to Nottinghamshire where he enjoyed one of his best ever seasons in 1997

The Invaders win the 'Fours' Championship at Peterborough

Martin also won the Second Division Pairs Championship with Carl Stonehewer

Stoke 1998

Long Eaton's owners indicated they wanted to sell the stadium to a housing development and on the eve of the season the promoters had to pull out.  The saga is still ongoing but Martin was offered a team place with Stoke Potters.

Berwick 1998

Stoke had closed down mid season until Dave Tattum took over.  All the riders contracts were renegotiated as they hadn't been getting paid.  Martin couldn't come to an agreement and after a few weeks was offered a deal with Berwick Bandits

Deep Purple Tribute Band - Mad Dog & The Laydowns

Martin (pictured right) perfecting his Ritchie Blackmore impersonation!

King's Lynn 1999

A surprise move back into the British League - it didn't work out

Swindon 2000/2001

Currently skippers the Swindon Robins

Martin has quickly won over the fans at Blunsdon with his third bend dives and was one of the instigators for much of Swindon's success last season

MARTIN HAS JOINED THE GLASGOW TIGERS FOR THE 2002 SEASON

Photos and info to follow

SWINDON ACTION PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NEIL FERGUSON 07771 884326

Other photos by Mike Patrick and Jo Cooper