The late, great, footballer, Jimmy Greaves, is credited with coining the phrase – “It’s a funny old game!” The same can be said about speedway as club fortunes can often experience glory one season, then gloom the next. Peterborough fans will testify to that in recent years. With the often unpredictable nature of rider averages, doubling-up, and international commitments, just to mention a few of the anxieties a team manager faces, is being the head coach of a football club any less fraught? Probably not! But are there any certainties in either sport that make it more likely than not to achieve sustainable success? Arguably, in recent history, Sir Alex Fergusson had this Midas touch – amassing thirty-eight trophies whilst manager at Manchester United. Meanwhile speedway has its own “Fergie,” and I was keen to establish if Neil Middleditch, aka “Middlo,” shared a similar leadership vision.
In an interview with the Harvard Business School, Fergie reflected upon his career. Five leadership qualities were distilled from this conversation by Live & Learn Consultancy Limited, and I thought it only fair to subject Middlo to the same scrutiny. But first off, I was eager to create some context, and curious to discover how he had taken over at the helm.
His management career started in 1999 when Matt Ford and Mike Golding took over the promotion rights at Wimborne Road, with Middlo quipping, “I was the first signing Matt ever made!” And a pretty shrewd move it was too, as the Pirates have amassed twenty-eight trophies since that astute piece of business, including ten league titles.
Mulling over his greatest achievements to date, Middlo had little hesitation in expressing his emotion: “As a Pirates manager, every league title is special. The club has been part of my family since the early 1950s with dad’s successful riding career. This is the club I’ve always wanted to be associated with.” To prove the point Middlo disclosed that as a schoolkid he had written about his future ambition – to ride for the Pirates! “I was lucky enough to achieve my goal. A lot of people don’t.” Middlo continued, “Moving on to manage the team has been an absolute honour.”
The enviable success of the Pirates has often split the views of some speedway supporters, but there is no denying that the spirit of the club is palpable and a lot of that is down to the effervescent manager. “Matt, myself, and now Danny, have a huge passion for the club and this rubs off on the riders and Pirates fans. Visiting riders always say that the atmosphere here is fantastic.”
However, was there a moment when Middlo thought, “If only”? If only he had made that decision earlier, or hadn’t acted at all. “Not really. As a manager, tactically, there isn’t a great deal you can do ─ a tactical substitution or reserve changes ─ I’m a great believer in riders telling me how they’re feeling.” As a former racer, Middlo has a great sense of empathy and never forgets how he reacted when the team manager approached – always thinking “he’s going to pull me out of this race!”
“If a rider has a bad ride, I’ll always ask if they are okay for the next one. More often than not I’ve given them a second chance and frequently they’ve pulled it out of the bag for me.”
Having provided Middlo with an opportunity to reminisce and reflect it was time to drill down to the core elements of successful leadership.
1. Discipline and Focus
Fergie talk: Due to my upbringing in Glasgow, and having a strict father, I was always early to meetings and rarely wasted time. To achieve your potential as a leader you must be disciplined.
Middlo: “I was always renowned as a bit of a joker if I’m honest.” Acknowledging that world titles have eluded him, he was nonetheless satisfied that he gave it his best shot, adding, “My equipment was always very good ─ engines tuned; I represented England several times, rode across Europe and New Zealand, and toured Australia and the Middle East.”
Turning to his management role, Middlo was resolute – he believes discipline and focus can be instilled in others and his formula includes wearing his heart on his sleeve. “I can be casual and laid back, but I’m well-known for pacing up and down the pits during a meeting. I do get anxious. I want success and I pass that desire onto my riders. They know I want to win!”
Progressing this narrative, I asked Middlo which Pirate, in his professional opinion, has epitomised discipline and focus? There was no hesitation – Bjarne Pedersen. “He didn’t have the natural ability of the likes of Tony Rickardsson, Chris Holder, or Darcy Ward, but he disciplined himself with a regimented routine. I often said to people, ‘if you want to see a professional, look no further than Bjarne.’”
I was equally intrigued to know if Middlo had managed any tearaways; his laugh was deafening – “Darcy!”
With a glow of pure affection Middlo summed up speedway’s most errant icon. “He caused me more heartache than my own kids! Darcy was a precocious talent – I’ve had the honour to work with some of the greatest riders ever, but Darcy, in my humble opinion, would have been one of the best ever. He had such natural ability.”
Thinking back to the first time Darcy met his wife, Middlo smiled broadly: “I had reassured her that everything would be fine. We had a few drinks and Darcy promptly set off the fire extinguisher in the house!” Even though Darcy was occasionally high maintenance, Middlo wouldn’t have had it any other way. “He became like a son to me. He was a rebel, but he had the most amazing talent.”
At the end of the day, does luck nonetheless play a part in any success? Middlo was philosophical: “You can’t make your luck, but you can take it. Speedway is unpredictable – it’s down to man and machine. You can be on a 5-1, then all of a sudden one of your riders packs up and it becomes a three-all. That can cost you meetings, and it has done in the past.”
2. Power of Confidence
Fergie talk: I try to instil confidence in my staff and players through providing selective praise and recognising their worth. However, it’s important my team are not overconfident as this can lead to poor performances and complacency.
Middlo: “Confidence is a massive thing – particularly with the youngsters. Darcy positively oozed it and in his mind he was never going to be beaten.”
Middlo continued, “When you’ve had a bad ride you know you’ve had one – you don’t need anyone else to tell you! My job as manager is people management – it’s knowing when to put my arm around a rider and tell them we can sort this out.” Using the talent within the team is vital too.
“Last season I would regularly ask Danny King to talk to Nathan, Drew, Ben, and Zach – be it a gear change, ignition timing adjustment, or whatever. Any sport is a mind game and you have to believe in yourself.”
A quote displayed in Middlo’s office says it all: “If you think you’re beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t, it’s almost a cinch you won’t.”
Trackside Middlo reinforces the basics : “I always say ‘they are the same as you ─ same bike – get to the first corner ahead and give yourself a chance.’”
His professional pre-season goals are emphatic: “Win the league!” And this infectious spirit of positivity has provided significant leverage in enticing new crew members. “Richard Lawson had never won a league title until he came to us. Same with Greg Hancock.” And what about the riders – do you set them targets too?
“No – all I ask is that they give me one hundred per-cent.” And in true Churchillian style: “Whether you are first or last, never, ever, give up.” Asking Middlo about another pivotal portion of the success story, I was keen to establish what part the supporters play in the confidence stakes.
Middlo was unequivocal, “A huge part! It’s a great stadium, fairly compact, with a nice grandstand on the main straight. When we have two to three thousand in attendance the riders say they can hear the crowd clearly.” Equally, the Pirates faithful aren’t quiet if things take a turn for the worse. “They can be hard on us, which they are entitled to be. But riders need support when they are down.” A great example of Pirate pride was the manner in which the home fans encouraged rising star Nathan Ablitt. “Nathan tried his heart out all season, and although he wasn’t a prolific points scorer, the fans took to him and gave him a huge cheer at the start of every meeting.”
3. Competition Makes Real Leaders Focus
Fergie talk: You must have hunger, a desire to succeed; talent and potential can only be fully realised if those two elements exist. Don’t fear your competition but instead embrace it.
Middlo: “I’m always hungry!” With a wry smile he added, “I tell the new lads, ‘welcome to the most hated club in British speedway!’ That is because we are successful, and we demand that success every season.” Even so, the Poole effect often provides a boon to other clubs. “Take Chris Holder and Darcy Ward for example. Everywhere they went they added around two hundred extra to the crowd because people wanted to see them race.” The shrewdness of Matt Ford was evidenced further with the signing of Greg Hancock. “Greg was on a very good deal but that debt was cleared in his first meeting.”
Unlike football, speedway clubs don’t have large squads, and I was interested to know if competition within the ranks was difficult to achieve? Middlo conceded that speedway is a numbers game governed by the team building rules. “The trick is to get a rider who can improve their average. Get a four point average and up it to six and you have a winner.” Reflecting upon the last campaign, Middlo provided a persuasive pitch: “The catalyst was the form of Ben and Zach Cook. Zach was banging in eights and tens and Ben was doing a heat leader role. He and Danny King were a formidable pairing.” And what about the role of the leader on track – the captain? “Matt, Danny, and I, talk about who we want to be the captain. One of the most important traits is to be proactive with the whole team.”
4. Build For the Future
Fergie talk: Leaders who have success over a long period of time understand the real value of growing their own stars.
Middlo: “Over the years Matt Ford has had his finger on the pulse and could tell you the average of every rider in the league. Halfway through a season he is building for next year. We have people in Australia looking out for riders for us too.”
5. Being Resilient is Important
Fergie talk: Every leader must be able to take defeat, learn from it, and move forward.
Middlo: “The defeat by Coventry in 2010, when Bomber Harris was run over and jumped up, hurt the most. We had topped the league by twenty points, and we lost it in the final. It’s the playoff syndrome – people either like it or hate it.” Acknowledging that it had been introduced for Sky Sports to maintain the entertainment value right to the end of the season, he nonetheless lamented, “We had a phenomenal team that season. But you have to be resilient to these things and accept defeat as gracefully as you can; however, don’t get me wrong – it hurts.” Having witnessed some incredible fight backs from the teams Middlo has managed, I wanted to understand how he regularly manages to turn the pirate ship around when the odds seem to be stacked against them?
“I tend to get the team together. Last year against Leicester we were behind and had five heats left. I brought them all together and said, ‘this is it boys, we need something special,’ and we went on to win the meeting. I am very animated about it. I remind the lads that we are still a team, and just as importantly – we are the mighty Pirates!”
In bringing our discussion to a close I had one final question ─ what important lessons have you learnt as a leader? A thoughtful Middlo was candid and concise: “To be tolerant and always seek to move forward. 100% is all I ever want.”
As the new season approaches, the uncertainty of who will win the championship is the most fascinating conundrum, albeit there is one certainty ─ Middlo will be in the mix and seeking to add to the Pirates bursting trophy cabinet.
© Ian Kirke 2023
All photographs reproduced by kind permission of Steve Hone
@ianjkirke