1951 Speedway National League Division Three

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LeagueNational League Division Three
Season1951
No. of competitors10
ChampionsPoole Pirates
1951 Speedway National League Division Three
LeagueNational League Division Three
Season1951
No. of competitors10
ChampionsPoole Pirates
National Trophy
(Div 3 final)		Exeter Falcons
Festival of BritainPoole Pirates
Riders' ChampionshipKen Middleditch
Highest averageAlan Smith
Division/s aboveDivision One
Division Two

The 1951 National League Division Three was the fifth and final season of British speedway's National League Division Three[1]

The league remained with 10 teams but there were changes. Oxford Cheetahs, Leicester Hunters and Liverpool Chads had all moved up to Division Two whilst Tamworth Tammies dropped out.

Plymouth Devils dropped down from Division Two. The three new sides were Cardiff Dragons, Long Eaton Archers and Wolverhampton Wasps.[2]

Poole Pirates won their first title. Alan Smith of Plymouth topped the averages.[3]

Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Poole Pirates 36 30 0 6 60
2 Exeter Falcons 36 28 0 8 56
3 Aldershot Shots 36 21 1 14 43
4 Rayleigh Rockets 36 21 0 15 42
5 Swindon Robins 36 16 2 18 34
6 Plymouth Devils 36 16 1 19 33
7 Cardiff Dragons 36 13 3 20 29
8 St Austell Gulls 36 13 0 23 26
9 Long Eaton Archers 36 13 0 23 26
10 Wolverhampton Wasps 36 5 1 30 11

Fixtures & results

A fixtures

Home \ Away ALD CAR EX LE PLY PP RAY SA SWI WOL
Aldershot 55–28 59–23 66–18 54–30 43–41 54–30 55–28 54–29 60–24
Cardiff 48–36 43–41 59–25 48–36 32–52 40–44 50–31 42–42 52–25
Exeter 56–28 52–32 65–18 54–30 43–41 59–25 63–21 45–38 67–16
Long Eaton 35–48 52–32 39–44 45–39 45–39 29–54 42–41 39–45 60–24
Plymouth 53–31 51–33 41–42 65–19 36–48 44–40 44–40 37–47 61–23
Poole 59.5–24.5 63–21 53–31 68–16 54–30 64–20 59–24 48–36 66–18
Rayleigh 43–40 61–23 61–23 58–26 57–27 38–45 55–29 50–34 67–17
St Austell 43–40 43–41 36–48 52–32 36–48 28–56 58–26 50–34 58–25
Swindon 53.5–30.5 61–22 41–43 59–25 52–32 31–53 35–49 55–29 61–23
Wolverhampton 37–57 54–30 22–62 45–39 34–50 39–45 27–57 48–36 26–58
Source: [4]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

B fixtures

Home \ Away ALD CAR EX LE PLY PP RAY SA SWI WOL
Aldershot 51–33 56–28 57–26 53–31 32–52 47–35 58–26 52–31 66–17
Cardiff 45–39 41–42 55–29 43–41 47–37 45–39 66–18 42–42 65–19
Exeter 54–29 60–24 58–25 53–31 55–29 54–29 62–22 53–31 64–19
Long Eaton 43–41 49–35 48–35 42–40 37–47 44–40 54–30 60–24 49–35
Plymouth 42–42 54–30 35–49 59–25 43–40 40–44 53–31 47–37 51–33
Poole 60–24 44–40 54–30 51–33 51–33 55–29 57–27 54–30 63–20
Rayleigh 39–45 48.5–35.5 37–47 55–29 50–33 38–46 51–32 50–34 60–24
St Austell 45–39 44–38 43–41 58–26 38–46 26–53 49–35 44–40 47–37
Swindon 56–28 46–38 38–46 49–35 44–39 38–46 41–43 45–39 59–25
Wolverhampton 28–56 41–41 40–44 50–33 36–48 25–59 35–49 44–40 38–44
Source: [5]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Leading Averages

Rider Team C.M.A.
1 Alan Smith Plymouth 10.58
2 Ken Middleditch Poole 10.33
3 Trevor Redmond Aldershot 10.10
4 Geoff Mardon Aldershot 9.88
5 Brian Crutcher Poole 9.41

National Trophy Stage Three

The 1951 National Trophy (sponsored by the Daily Mail) was the 14th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of three stages; stage one was for the third division clubs, stage two was for the second division clubs and stage three was for the top-tier clubs. The winner of stage one would qualify for stage two and the winner of stage two would qualify for the third and final stage. Exeter won stage one and therefore qualified for stage two.[6]

Third Division Qualifying First round

Date Team one Score Team two
05/04Cardiff52-56Rayleigh
05/04Plymouth54-54Exeter
02/04Poole69-39Aldershot
02/04Exeter77-30Plymouth
31/03Aldershot66-40Poole
31/03Rayleigh68-40Cardiff
31/03Swindon71-37Long Eaton
29/03Long Eaton49-58Swindon

Third Division Qualifying semifinals

Date Team one Score Team two
16/04Exeter73-35Rayleigh
16/04Poole61-47Swindon
07/04Swindon66-41Poole
14/04Rayleigh56-52Exeter

Qualifying final

First leg

Swindon Robins
Hugh Geddes 15
Bob Jones 10
Danny Malone 9
Ken Wiggins 6
Buster Brown 4
Ray Ellis 2
Frank Evans 1
Dennis Newton 0		47 – 61Exeter Falcons
Bob Roger 13
Don Hardy 10
Goog Hoskin 9
Johnny Sargeant 8
Ted Moore 8
Vic Gent 6
Jack Bedkober 5
Paul Best 2
[7][8]

Second leg

Exeter Falcons
Vic Gent 16
Goog Hoskin 10
Johnny Sargeant 10
Bob Roger 93
Don Hardy 8
Ted Moore 8
Jack Bedkober 2
Bert Fryer 0		63 – 45Swindon Robins
Hugh Geddes 15
Frank Evans 7
George Craig 6
Danny Malone 5
Ray Ellis 4
Ken Wiggins 4
Bob Jones 3
Buster Brown 1
[8]

Festival of Britain Trophy

Final

Team one Team two Score
PooleRayleigh70–50, 57–63

Riders' Championship

Ken Middleditch won the National League Division Three Rider's Championship. The final was held at Penarth Road Stadium in Cardiff on 23 October.[11][12][13]

Pos.RiderPts
1England Ken Middleditch14
2England Alan Smith11+4
3England Jack Unstead11+3
4England George Wall11+2
5England Terry Small11+1
6New Zealand Trevor Redmond11+0
7England Bob Roger9
8England Tony Lewis9
9England Gerry Jackson9
10New Zealand Mick Holland7
11England Buster Brown6
12England Goog Hoskin5
13England Jack Winstanley2
14Australia Hugh Geddes (res)1
15England Danny Malone1
16England Norman Street1
17England Tom O'Connor0
18England Don Hardy0

Riders & final averages

See also

References

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