Premier League Record: 2001 (Arena-Essex) one match only, 2003 (Isle of Wight) 3.70, 2004 (Reading) 4.25, 2005 (Reading, Trophy) 5.29, 2005 (Somerset) 4.15, 2006 (King's Lynn) 5.84, 2007 (King's Lynn) 6.63
Elite League Record: 2005 (Oxford) four matches only, 2006 (Reading) five matches only, 2007 (Lakeside) three matches only
Starting Average: 5.82
CHRIS Mills first speedway skids occurred at King's Lynn in 1999, when he attended a training school presided over by Shane Parker.
He subsequently made is maiden appearance in the sport for Arena-Essex in a Premier League fixture at the Isle of Wight on 25 September 2001, when he failed to score from three outings. That was to be his one and only official appearance of the season.
In 2002, the youngster joined King's Lynn Kids for a year of Conference-level action, impressively scoring 178 points from a full quota of twenty league matches to average 7.40. Taking to the sport like a duck to water, he put in number of excellent performances for the Norfolk outfit; these included an 18-point maximum against Newcastle at Saddlebow Road on 21 September.
The year also saw Chris represent Wimbledon in the Conference Trophy, the London side having re-opened on 2 May that season after spending eleven years in the speedway wilderness. The Essex-boy made just four appearances for the Dons.
Mills joined the Isle of Wight in 2003, whilst also continuing to further his experience with the Oxford Silver Machine Academy side in the Conference League. For the Islanders, he registered a 3.70 average, having notched 71 points from twenty-four league matches.
Meanwhile at Conference level, he made fourteen league appearances for Oxford, scoring 131 points for a 7.78 average.
In 2004, the young speedster first linked with Reading and again continued to serve Oxford in the Conference sphere of the British racing scene. For the Racers, he attained 101 points from twenty-four meetings for a league average of 4.25, whilst in speedway's third tier he plundered 84 points from ten fixtures to average 9.30 for Oxford.
Unfortunately, he did endure a spell on the injured list in 2004, having suffered a broken collarbone whilst representing Oxford in a league match versus Rye House at Cowley on 24 September.
Come 2005 and Millsy was again identified with both Reading and Oxford in the same capacity as the previous term. However, he only appeared in eight meetings for the Racers in the Premier Trophy, before losing his team place to veteran Steve Masters in June; this despite achieving a creditable average of 5.29.
He eventually relocated to Somerset late in July, making eleven league appearances for the Rebels and netting 45 points for a 4.15 average. In the Conference sector, he enjoyed a fruitful campaign with Oxford as they just shaded the League Championship by a single point from Wimbledon in a desperately tight finish. His record for the Silver Machine outfit totted up at eighteen appearances for 172 points and an 8.91 average.
The tail-end of the 2005 season also saw him ride in four Elite League matches for the senior Oxford side, the highlight being a return of 6+1 points at home to Wolverhampton on 28 October.
A move to King's Lynn followed in 2006 and Chris also filled the role of No. 8 at Reading, upon the club's elevation into the Elite League. For the Stars, he made twenty-five appearances and scored 142 points for a healthy 5.84 league average. In a wonderful year, he played a full part as the Norfolk side completed a glorious treble, winning the League Championship, Knock-Out Cup and Premier Trophy.
For Reading, he made just five league appearances, before a switch in July saw Glenn Cunningham take over in the No. 8 position.
The Chelmsford-born rider spent a second successive term with King's Lynn in 2007, again helping the Norfolk side to victory in both the Knock-Out Cup and Premier Trophy. Indeed, he enjoyed an excellent campaign with the Stars, remaining ever-present throughout the 28-match Premier League programme to register 161 points and a solid 6.63 average, as he continued his steady year-on-year improvement.
The highlight of his domestic campaign occurred on 5 September, when he registered a four-ride paid maximum against Stoke at Saddlebow Road, notching 10+2 points. Mills concluded the season with a green sheet average (excluding bonus points) of 5.97 and, with the further 2.5 per cent reduction permitted for British riders, this means he will begin the 2008 season with the Racers on a handy 5.82 figure.
The 2007 term also saw him take over from Chris Neath as the club No. 8 at Lakeside in June, although he was to only make three Elite League appearances for the Hammers.
Born: 29th March, 1983, Chelmsford, Essex
