AFTER two national title wins in five years and an unforgettable 2017 triumph just achieved, Swindon speedway followers have a new generation of heroes to savour but for many, the 1967 British League victors remain the most revered Robins of all.

A 44-34 triumph at King’s Lynn on this very day (October 20) 50 years ago ensured the domestic crown was heading to the Abbey Stadium, incredibly the last piece of major silverware for the club until British Premier League Knockout Cup and Jack Young Shield triumphs in the 2000.

“It has been a long time, the years go by so quickly, you don’t realise,’’ said the skipper of that triumphant septet, Mike Broadbank.

“When people come up to you and talk about it, you think it was only a couple of years ago, but it is surprising how quickly the time goes.

“We’ve got great memories, really good memories, it’s one thing you’ll never forget so they’re really good.’’ The secret to the 1967 team’s success was simple, according to Broadbank.

“I think we were a good, solid team. Everybody pulled together and there was a lot of team riding, which you don’t see much of now,’’ he added.

“We were a team through and through. Even when we travelled, we all travelled as a team. It was a great atmosphere.

“Barry (Briggs) was a great rider, an individual, but if it came to where we would have to drop someone to get a win, me and Barry would go out because we’d have a chance of getting a 5-1.

“He would always be there to team ride or help the team ride as long as he could go over the line first.

“He always worried about his averages, like a top rider. With me, my averages didn’t really alter because I used to get two or three bonuses.

“I used to like team riding because if we won, it was three points that we would have.’’ The names of that septet trip off the tongue of many a Robins follower and Broadbank added: “Bob Kilby was like a brother to me, he was my best man.

“When he first started, he used to fall off a lot and at that particular time, I used to have Martin Ashby as my extra man because he was coming in and learning.

“We got Martin going well no trouble, he ended up as a top star and a fantastic, clean and very skilled rider.

“Then Bob came a long and they asked if I’d take Bob in. I used to say: ‘For Christ sake, if you get in front of me, get in the middle of the track so if you do happen to fall, I can miss you’.

“I used to say to tell him not to worry about me, to just look ahead and go as fast as he could. Once he started to get all of that, he was fabulous.

“When I did leave and he came in as the top man, he was really fabulous and a great bloke - all the riders were.

“Martin Ashby was a nice chap, a great rider. Mike Keen was a lovely old boy and we had Pete Munday come along, they were all great riders.

“Frank Shuter used to help Barry and then he got into riding, he was very handy because he could get out of the gate, he was quite a good reserve man.”