Phil Collins (speedway rider)
Born | Manchester, England | 2 June 1960
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Nationality | British (English) |
Career history | |
1976–1978 | Ellesmere Port Gunners |
1977–1986 | Cradley Heathens |
Individual honours | |
1978 | Overseas Champion |
Team honours | |
1981, 1983 | British League Champions |
1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986 | British League KO Cup Winners |
1982, 1984, 1986 | League Cup Winners |
1980, 1983, 1984 | Midland Cup |
Philip David Collins (born 2 June 1960 in
Career
Collins started his British leagues career with Ellesmere Port Gunners during the 1976 National League season.[3] The very next season in 1977, he rode a couple of times in the top tier of speedway for the first time with Cradley Heath, while doubling up with Ellesmere Port in tier 2. In 1978, he became the British Under 21 champion and from 1979, he rode exclusively for Cradley Heath.[4]
He won his first team silverware during the 1979 British League season, winning the Knockout Cup and then repeated the success the following year, as well as winning the 1980 Midland Cup.[5]
In
His last season was in 1986 and when he retired he had earned 55 international caps for the
World final appearances
Individual World Championship
- 1983 – Norden, Motodrom Halbemond – 13th – 4pts
- 1985 – Bradford, Odsal Stadium – Reserve – did not ride
World Team Cup
- ) – 2nd – 24pts (7)
- 1985 – USA Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Jeremy Doncaster / Kelvin Tatum / Richard Knight / John Davis) – 3rd – 13pts (2)
World Longtrack Finals
- 1981 – Gornja Radgona 14pts (6th)
- 1982 – Esbjerg 0pts (18th)
- 1986 – Pfarrkirchen 5pts (13th)
Family
Phil has four brothers all of whom were speedway riders, 1976 World Champion Peter, Les who finished second behind defending champion and home town hero Bruce Penhall at the 1982 World Final in Los Angeles, Neil and Stephen. His nephews Aidan and Chris were also riders but have both retired from the sport. Phil also has three daughters: Grace, Abby and Lilly Collins.
References
- ISBN 0-948882-81-6
- ^ a b "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "1976 season results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Schwartz is a cup hit for Cradley". Sandwell Evening Mail. 10 October 1980. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Phil Collins". Grasstrack GB. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "1982 season results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 10 July 2021.