The Riders - M

Malcolm Mackay:  Hailing from Liverpool, Mackay was signed by the Dukes as number 8 for the 1971 and 1972 seasons, whilst doubling up with second division Workington.  He rode in 5 matches for the Dukes initially in 1970, persuading the Dukes management to offer him further opportunities.  His best season was 1971, with an average in excess of 4.50 points, his best performances coming away from The Shay.  His scoring dipped in 1972, and he was not retained after the end of the season.  Mackay continued to exceed 8 points a match for Workington through the first half of the decade, but retired shortly after the start of the 1975 season.

Colin McKee:  New Zealander McKee had 3 seasons with 3 different teams in the mid 1960s, but had not ridden in the UK for 2 seasons when the Dukes offered him a team berth in 1970, as a replacement for the retired Dennis Gavros.  He stayed with Halifax for that season only, achieving a near 6 point average, although his performances at The Shay were clearly better than his away results.  The Dukes wished to retain him for 1971, but Rider Control insisted he had to move to Wimbledon.  In the end, McKee opted to stay at home and did not return to the UK.

Mick McKeon:  Another popular Aussie, Mick McKeon hailed from Perth, and joined the Dukes in 1977 after earlier spells with Coatbridge and Ellesmere Port. During 4 seasons with the Dukes, he improved year on year, peaking at a near 7 point average in 1979.  Renowned for his gutsy approach and hard riding, he quickly became a favourite at The Shay.  His final season in 1980 proved to be difficult.  McKeon was involved in a serious crash at Belle Vue which left former team-mate Mike Lohmann fighting for life.  McKeon himself suffered rib injuries which left him side-lined for a month.  On his return, he was inconsistent, a maximum against Sheffield being offset by several poor returns. At the end of the season he told the Dukes he was frustrated by his lack of progress, and his failure to tie down a heat-leader role, and subsequently did not return to the UK.

Eric Monaghan:  Bootsy hailed from Manchester and became a popular member of the Dukes teams of 84 and 85.  Having had several seasons with Ellesmere Port, Halifax tried to sign Monaghan for 1983 after a guest appearance, but he opted for Sheffield instead.  A poor season though encouraged him to move on, and he signed for Halifax in early 1984. His never-say-die attitude made him a fan favourite, and his scoring was solid both seasons, with a 5 point plus average.  Monaghan never missed a single match for the Dukes in 2 seasons, incredibly failing to score in only 4 matches!  Nevertheless, when the Dukes moved on to Bradford, Eric was not part of the plan, and he moved back to the National League with Mildenhall.  He was retained as number 8 for Bradford, having 4 more outings for the Dukes in 1986.  He later had spells with Stoke and Peterborough before retiring in 1995.

Charlie Monk:  Monk's long speedway career had started back in 1960 in Adelaide.  First came to the UK in 1962, and had spells with Glasgow and Sheffield, before joining Halifax in 1973.  He achieved a 10.50 average for Glasgow in his best season, 1967, but by the time he signed for the Dukes, it was clear those types of scores were a thing of the past.  Nevertheless, Monk developed into a reliable second-string during 4 seasons at The Shay, averaging around 6 or 7 points each season.  Monk left Halifax after the 1976 season, dropping down to the National League where he had a season with Edinburgh and one with Barrow before retiring.  Monk rode in 4 British Finals in the late 60s and early 70s.