CAREER RECORD WITH SWINDON: Meetings: 112 (51 League; 7 Knock-Out Cup; 30 League Cup; 7 Midland Cup; 14 Challenge; 3 Three-Team Tournament) Rides: 457 Points: 625 Bonus: 61 Total: 686 Average: 6.00 Maximums: 2 (1 full and 1 paid).
CLUB DEBUT: 26 March 1981 versus Wimbledon (Away) League Cup; 0 points (3 rides).
BJORN MIKAEL ANDERSSON first started his racing career on 50cc machines in his homeland in 1975. Later in the 1970s, he travelled over to England with his elder brother, Jan, and whilst here, he showed off his skills on the Blunsdon raceway. Although still a schoolboy, arrangements were made for him to have a couple of exhibition races against Alun Rossiter, the then-club mascot. Promoter Ted Nelson was so impressed that he resolved to bring the Swede to Swindon as soon as possible.
However, after the closure of the 1978 season, Mr. Nelson handed over the controlling reins to Wally Mawdsley, and it was he who finally brought Andersson to the Robins' nest in 1981. Riding in the difficult No. 2 position, he made his debut for the club in a League Cup match at Wimbledon on 26 March that year, failing to score from three rides.
Things went much better in his initial home meeting two evenings later, though, when Swindon faced Hackney, also in the League Cup. Fast away from the gate in the opening heat, Andersson sped on to take the flag from partner Steve Bastable, in what was simply a dream start in front of his home fans. He brilliantly followed that up with another win in heat three and went on to total 9 points.
Bjorn had been given an assessed 6.00 average but, despite his fine showing in the Swindon opener, he found it difficult to live up to. True, he seemed happy in the early heats of matches when the tracks had dirt on them, but found things much more demanding as conditions got slicker in the latter stages. Sometimes he tried too hard, although this was quite understandable because he needed to attain that magical 6.00 figure in order to gain a work permit for the following year.
It wasn't all gloom, however, and a personal highlight occurred on 30 May, when Edinburgh visited Blunsdon in the Knock-Out Cup. Having dropped down to a reserve berth, Andersson enjoyed a wonderful evening, racing to a paid 15-point maximum. By the season's end, he had ridden in twenty league matches and achieved an average of 5.01, which - although not the required mark - wasn't that bad in all reality.
He then had to begin his compulsory national service in the Swedish Army but, in spite of that and being below the required average demanded by the Department of Employment, Bjorn did eventually return to Swindon in 1982, making his first appearance of the year against Reading in a home league match on 5 June. Broadly speaking, his form was much better than that of the previous season, with several returns of 7 points and above being more than useful contributions to a Swindon side that ended the campaign in mid-table mediocrity. Indeed, the Swede's upsurge in form was reflected in a final league average that had impressively risen to 6.47.
Richard Vowles took over as the Wiltshire outfit's promoter in 1983, and was happy to hand Andersson the No. 1 race-jacket in his new look line-up. The League Cup competition kicked-off the season and, after starting with a paid 6-point return at home to Ipswich, he rose to the challenge of the added responsibility with some high scores. During this golden spell, Bjorn's finest hour occurred at Blunsdon on 9 April, when he raced to a four-ride maximum against Eastbourne in another League Cup encounter.
The purple patch was to end abruptly, though, as he also had many Swedish commitments to fulfil; and it was whilst riding in his native land in May that Bjorn suffered an ankle injury, which was slow to heal. He missed many matches for the Robins, before finally returning in a British League match against Reading at Blunsdon on 20 August. Understandably, the early-season sparkle had gone, although he did manage to garner a few good scores towards the end of the campaign, finishing with a league average of 6.27.
The Swede's form was a little patchy at the beginning of the 1984, but a paid maximum against Eastbourne in the League Cup showed that the talent was still there. His commuting meant missing several Swindon matches and a kidney problem was clearly a hindrance he could have done without. Regrettably, it was during a trip away that Andersson also picked up a complex knee injury, which eventually required an operation.
The Robins utilized the rider replacement facility in his absence until the end of September, by which time it had become obvious that a return to track action was out of the question. Bjorn had ridden his last match for the club on 30 June, when he attempted to ride through the pain barrier, but failed to score from one excruciating outing in a Knock-Out Cup tie versus Ipswich at the Abbey. It was a pity to lose such a promising rider who - had he managed to steer clear from injuries - perhaps, could have emulated his famous brother. Â
CALL FOR SITES
Swindon Motorsports Ltd launches "Call for Sites" to help identify new motorsports arena in Swindon.
DATE OF BIRTH: 3 November 1962, Alingsas, Sweden.
It wasn't all gloom, however, and a personal highlight occurred on 30 May, when Edinburgh visited Blunsdon in the Knock-Out Cup. Having dropped down to a reserve berth, Andersson enjoyed a wonderful evening, racing to a paid 15-point maximum. By the season's end, he had ridden in twenty league matches and achieved an average of 5.01, which - although not the required mark - wasn't that bad in all reality.
The Swede's form was a little patchy at the beginning of the 1984, but a paid maximum against Eastbourne in the League Cup showed that the talent was still there. His commuting meant missing several Swindon matches and a kidney problem was clearly a hindrance he could have done without. Regrettably, it was during a trip away that Andersson also picked up a complex knee injury, which eventually required an operation.
