Nigel Flatman

{{Short description|English speedway rider}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Nigel Flatman

| image =

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|30 March 1960}}

| birth_place = Felixstowe, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| career1 = Peterborough Panthers

| years1 = 1977–1980, 1986–1987, 1989–1990

| career2 = Ipswich Witches

| years2 = 1977–1988

| career3 = Poole Pirates

| years3 = 1988

| indivyear1 = 1979

| indivhonour1 = British Under 21 silver

| indivyear2 =

| indivhonour2 =

| teamyear1 = 1984

| teamhonour1 = British League champion

| teamyear2 = 1981, 1984

| teamhonour2 = British League Knockout Cup winner

| teamyear3 = 1977, 1978

| teamhonour3 = National League Fours winner

}}

Nigel William Flatman (born 30 March 1960) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=1978 Speedway Yearbook, rider bio Nigel Flatman |year=1978 |page= |publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd |isbn=978-0904584509}}{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=1981 Speedway Yearbook, rider bio Nigel Flatman |year=1981 |page= |publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd |isbn=0-86215-017-5}}{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=Speedway Yearbook 1990, Rider Bio, profile Nigel Flatman |year=1990 |page= |publisher=Front Page Books |isbn=0-948882-15-8}}{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=British Speedway Who's Who, Nigel Flatman |year=2004 |page= |publisher=Peter Oakes, Peterborough |isbn=0-948882-81-6}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/21283199.sensational-return-track-former-ipswich-witch---60/ |title=Sensational return to the track for former Ipswich Witch - at 60! |website=East Anglian Daily Times |access-date=8 May 2023}}

Career

Flatman made his British leagues debut during the 1977 National League season, where he rode for Peterborough Panthers.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate Rider Index |website=British Speedway |access-date=8 May 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/984/nigel-flatman |title=Nigel Flatman |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=8 May 2023}} He helped Peterborough win the Fours Championship during the 1977 season.{{cite news |title=Speedway |work=Lincolnshire Free Press |date=9 August 1977 |access-date=9 May 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004965/19770809/302/0020 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

The following season in 1978, he was part of the Peterborough team that won the Fours championship.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1978record.pdf |title=1978 full season results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=11 May 2023}} In 1979, he won the silver medal at the British Speedway Under 21 Championship behind Kenny Carter and was the leading rider at Peterborough.{{cite web|url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/mindmwb.php |title=British Under-21 Speedway Championship |publisher=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego| access-date=8 May 2023}}

By 1980, Flatman was also a regular rider for Ipswich Witches and reached the final of the Speedway Under-21 World Championship. He then rode exclusively for Ipswich and won the Knockout Cup in 1981 and the league and cup double during the 1984 British League season. He continued to ride for Ipswich and doubled up with Peterborough in the National league. He rode 12 consecutive years for Ipswich before having two final seasons with Peterborough in 1989 and 1990.

References