1953 Speedway National League Division Two

1953 Speedway National League Division Two
LeagueNational League Division Two
No. of competitors9
ChampionsCoventry Bees
Highest averageTommy Miller
Division/s aboveNational League (Div 1)
Division/s belowSouthern League

The 1953 National League Division Two was the eighth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.[1]

Summary

The League was reduced at the start of the season again to 10 teams with Oxford Cheetahs dropping down to the Southern League whilst Ashfield Giants closed[2] and Liverpool Chads folded mid-season.

Cradley Heath disbanded following the withdrawal of the promoter Eli Sumner due to financial issues,[3] with the team moving to join the Wolverhampton Wasps (formerly of the Southern League).[4][5]

Coventry Bees clinched their first title by a single point.[6]

Wolverhampton rider Mike Rogers died on 6 June 1953, the day after receiving critical injuries at Monmore Green Stadium racing against Liverpool. The 22-year-old lost control of his bike and fell heavily before being transported to the Royal Hospital in Wolverhampton.[7]

Final table

Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Coventry Bees 32 19 1 12 39
2 Poole Pirates 32 18 2 12 38
3 Yarmouth Bloaters 32 18 0 14 36
4 Glasgow White City Tigers 32 16 2 14 34
5 Edinburgh Monarchs 32 15 1 16 31
6 Motherwell Eagles 32 15 0 17 30
7 Wolverhampton Wasps 32 13 1 18 27
8 Leicester Hunters 32 13 1 18 27
9 Stoke Potters 32 12 2 18 26

Liverpool Chads withdrew mid-season - record expunged.

Top Five Riders (League only)

Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Tommy Miller Scotland Glasgow 10.81
2 Don Cuppleditch England Edinburgh 10.36
3 Fred Brand England Yarmouth 9.97
4 Derick Close England Motherwell 9.92
5 Len Williams England Leicester 9.78

National Trophy

For the National Trophy see the 1953 Speedway National League.

Midland Cup

For the Midland Cup see the 1953 Speedway National League.

Riders & final averages

Coventry

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Leicester

Liverpool (withdrew)

  • England Peter Robinson 8.69
  • England Bill Griffiths 7.19
  • Australia Tommy Anderson 5.81
  • England Harry Welch 5.64
  • South Africa Fred Wills 5.61
  • England Gil Blake 5.57
  • England Tommy Allott 4.84
  • England Cyril Cooper 3.51
  • England Stan Bradbury 2.84
  • England Johnny Greenwood 0.31

Motherwell

Poole

Stoke

  • England Ken Adams 8.44
  • England Reg Fearman 7.90
  • England Don Potter 7.68
  • England Jack Hughes 7.41
  • England Les Jenkins 6.31
  • England Ron Peace 6.17
  • Guernsey Johnny Fitzparick 6.08
  • South Africa Fred Wills 5.60
  • England Ray Harris 5.05
  • England Bill Dalton 4.85
  • England Alf Parker 4.00
  • England Paddy Mills 3.71
  • England Allan Hailstone 2.21
  • Australia Joey Peck 1.26

Wolverhampton

  • England Harry Bastable 8.04
  • England Brian Shepherd 8.00
  • England Jim Tolley 7.75
  • England Derek Braithwaite 6.78
  • England Ivor Davies 6.38
  • England Eric Irons 5.77
  • England Les Tolley 5.59
  • England Benny King 4.54
  • England Phil Malpass 3.17
  • England Harry Saunders 2.86
  • Australia Bill Jemison 2.22
  • England Harry Wardropper 1.67

Yarmouth

See also

References

  1. ^ "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. ^ "Scots speed captain in £1500 transfer". Daily Record. 12 November 1952. Retrieved 20 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Cradley Heath Speedway Closing". Evening Despatch. 10 February 1953. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  7. ^ "Speedway rider dies after fall". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 8 June 1953. Retrieved 13 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.