1951 Speedway National League Division Two

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LeagueNational League Division Two
No. of competitors16
ChampionsNorwich Stars
National Trophy
(Div 2 final)Norwich Stars
1951 Speedway National League Division Two
LeagueNational League Division Two
No. of competitors16
ChampionsNorwich Stars
National Trophy
(Div 2 final)		Norwich Stars
Midland CupLeicester Hunters
Central ShieldCradley Heath
Northern ShieldEdinburgh
Southern ShieldNorwich Stars
Highest averageJack Young
Division/s aboveNational League (Div 1)
Division/s belowNational League (Div 3)

The 1951 National League Division Two was the sixth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The League was extended again with 18 teams starting the season. New entrants were Motherwell Eagles and there were again three teams promoted from Division Three - the champions Oxford Cheetahs,[1] third-place finishers Leicester Hunters and Liverpool Chads (despite finishing 8th). Plymouth Devils moved back down in the opposite direction.[2]

Norwich Stars retained their league title, while Cradley Heath, Edinburgh and Norwich won the early season shield competitions.[3][4]

Another rider was killed at the Firs Stadium (a fourth in five years). Twenty-one-year-old Bob Howes died after hitting the fence during a training practice race on 10 November 1951.[5][6]

Southampton Saints and Sheffield Tigers resigned in mid-season and their records were expunged.[7] Jimmy Baxter Director of Southern Speedways withdrew Southampton from the league largely due to 45% entertainment duty imposed by the government.[8][9] and they had their results expunged.

Final table

Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Norwich Stars 30 24 0 6 48
2 Leicester Hunters 30 19 0 11 38
3 Edinburgh Monarchs 30 18 0 12 36
4 Coventry Bees 30 16 3 11 35
5 Walthamstow Wolves 30 17 0 13 34
6 Halifax Dukes 30 17 0 13 34
7 Motherwell Eagles 30 16 1 13 33
8 Ashfield Giants 30 16 0 14 32
9 Hanley Potters 30 15 0 15 30
10 Glasgow White City Tigers 30 14 1 15 29
11 Yarmouth Bloaters 30 13 1 16 27
12 Oxford Cheetahs 30 12 2 16 26
13 Liverpool Chads 30 12 1 17 25
14 Fleetwood Flyers 30 9 2 19 20
15 Cradley Heath Heathens 30 9 0 21 18
16 Newcastle Diamonds 30 7 1 22 15

Fixtures & results

Home \ Away ASH COV CH ED FLE GLA HAL HAN LEI LIV MOT NEW NOR OX WAL YAR
Ashfield 64–20 57–27 40–44 54–30 55–29 52–32 56–28 51–33 40–44 45–38 55–29 41–43 44–40 47–37 56–28
Coventry 51–31 57–27 51–32 60–23 42–42 52–32 36–48 43–41 44–40 59–25 57–27 45–39 43–41 44–40 63–21
Cradley 41–43 48–35 39–44 55–29 55–29 37–47 32–52 23–61 54–30 41–40 60–24 39–45 56–28 32–52 52–32
Edinburgh 46–38 38–45 61–23 58–26 55–29 55–29 55–29 37–47 50–34 36–48 64–20 37–47 51–33 48–36 52–32
Fleetwood 41–42 44–40 46–36 36–48 45–39 40–44 52–31 46–38 38–40 42–42 45–38 33–51 53–31 49–35 56–28
Glasgow 56–28 46–38 60–23 44–40 65–19 52–32 60–4 53–31 54–30 40–44 51–33 53–30 57–27 49–35 57–27
Halifax 48–36 41–43 50–34 54–30 60–24 55–29 58–26 39–45 47–37 60–24 56–28 51–33 48–36 43–41 57–27
Hanley 43–41 49–34 60–24 51–32 60–23 53–31 43–40 50–34 53–31 37–47 57–24 41–42 62–22 34–49 46–38
Leicester 49–35 44–40 55–29 47–37 57–27 51–33 40–44 47–37 58–26 52–32 60–24 48–36 50–34 48–36 55–29
Liverpool 47–37 42–42 34–50 41–43 51–32 47–37 39–45 50–34 54–30 41–43 61–23 34–49 52–32 49–35 51–33
Motherwell 41–43 43–41 43–41 40–42 55–29 50–34 53–31 55–29 43–41 34–50 40–44 46–38 61–23 47–37 65–19
Newcastle 40–44 40–43 43–41 32–52 42–42 45–39 44–40 30–54 36–47 50–34 28–56 36–48 37–46 50–34 57–27
Norwich 55–29 57–27 59–25 55–28 62–22 59–25 61–23 64–20 54–30 60–24 62–22 58–26 67–17 60–24 63–21
Oxford 56–28 42–42 45–39 45–38 61–23 47–37 48–36 49–35 32–52 50–34 53–31 55–29 40–44 33–47 50–34
Walthamstow 52–31 48–36 63–21 51–33 67–16 49–35 57–27 61–23 59–25 54–29 50–34 54–29 39–45 58–25 56–28
Yarmouth 60–24 44–38 48–35 37–47 63–18 46–38 53–31 51–33 50–34 49–35 49–35 52–31 44–40 42–42 46–38
Source: [10]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top five riders (league only)

Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Jack Young Australia Edinburgh 11.72
2 Bob Leverenz Australia Norwich 10.84
3 Derick Close England Newcastle/Motherwell 10.71
4 Tommy Miller Scotland Glasgow Tigers 10.70
5 Arthur Forrest England Halifax 10.30

National Trophy Stage Two

The 1951 National Trophy 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. Norwich won stage two and therefore qualified for stage three.[11]

Second Division qualifying first round

Date Team one Score Team two
14/05Exeter60-47Oxford
10/05Oxford80-28Exeter
09/05Fleetwood64-44Newcastle
04/05Southampton60-48Walthamstow
30/04Newcastle71-36Fleetwood
30/04Walthamstow77-31Southampton

Second Division Qualifying Second round

Date Team one Score Team two
28/05Cradley Heath58-49Coventry
26/05Coventry48-60Cradley Heath
24/05Oxford61-47Yarmouth
22/05Yarmouth63-44Oxford
21/05Newcastle47-70Norwich
19/05Norwich79-29Newcastle
14/05Walthamstow81-26Stoke Hanley
12/05Edinburgh77-29Leicester
12/05Stoke Hanley59-49Walthamstow
11/05Leicester46-62Edinburgh
11/05Motherwell39-69Halifax
09/05Halifax79-29Motherwell
08/05Glasgow Ashfield70-38Liverpool
07/05Liverpool62-46Glasgow Ashfield
-Glasgoww/oSheffield

Second Division Qualifying quarterfinals

Date Team one Score Team two
05/06Glasgow Ashfield71-37Cradley Heath
30/05Glasgow White City64-44Norwich
26/05Edinburgh68-40Halifax
23/05Halifax68-39Edinburgh
26/05Norwich14-4Glasgow White City
11/06Walthamstow73-35Yarmouth
09/06Norwich81-27Glasgow White City
29/05Yarmouth57-51Walthamstow

Second Division Qualifying semifinals

Date Team one Score Team two
07/07Norwich67.5-40.5Cradley Heath
11/06Cradley Heath83-25Glasgow Ashfield
04/07Halifax71-37Walthamstow
02/07Walthamstow74-34Halifax

Second Division Qualifying final

First leg

Norwich Stars
Phil Clarke 17
Bob Leverenz 16
Paddy Mills 11
Fred Pawson 10
Jack Freeman 10
Alec Hunter 9
Fred Rogers 6
Bill Codling 4		83 – 25Walthamstow Wolves
Benny King 7
Pete Lansdale 6
Harry Edwards 5
Jimmy Grant 3
Alby Smith 2
Sid Clarke 1
Jim Boyd 1
Reg Reeves 0
[12][13]

Second leg

Walthamstow Wolves
Jim Boyd 12
Benny King 12
Archie Windmill 7
Reg Reeves 6
Harry Edwards 5
Pete Lansdale 4
Sid Clarke 2
Jimmy Grant 2		50 – 58Norwich Stars
Bob Leverenz 18
Fred Rogers 10
Phil Clarke 9
Jack Freeman 7
Fred Pawson 6
Alec Hunter 6
Paddy Mills 2
Bill Codling 0
[14][13]

Shields

Northern Shield

Team PL W D L Pts
Edinburgh 10 9 0 1 18
Glasgow 10 7 0 3 10
Newcastle 10 5 0 5 10
Motherwell 10 4 0 6 8
Ashfield 10 3 0 7 6
Fleetwood 10 2 0 8 4
Home \ Away ASH ED FLE GLA MOT NEW
Ashfield 30–54 53–31 40–44 61–23 38–46
Edinburgh 50–32 59–25 61–23 62–21 54–30
Fleetwood 43–41 29–55 35–49 39–44 45–39
Glasgow 57–27 42–41 56–28 51–32 47–37
Motherwell 39–45 27–57 46–38 46–35 42–41
Newcastle 47–35 38–44 58–26 47–37 52–32
Source: [17]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Midland Cup

Leicester won the inaugural Midland Cup, which consisted of eight teams. There was one team from division 1, five teams from division 2 and two teams from division 3.

First round

Team one Team two Score
HanleyWolverhampton67–29, 60–30

Second round

Team one Team two Score
LeicesterLong Eaton75–21, 52–44
OxfordCoventry58–38, 37–59
CradleyHanley57–39, 45–50

Semi final round

Team one Team two Score
CoventryLeicester49–45, 41–55
BirminghamCradley65–30, 62–34

Final

First leg

Birmingham
Graham Warren 14
Alan Hunt 11
Ron Mountford 10
Eric Boothroyd 7
Lionel Watling 3
Cyril Page 2
Roy Browning 1
Jim Tolley 0		48–48Leicester
Len Williams 14
Les Beaumont 10
Fred Perkins 7
Johnny Carpenter 7
Lionel Benson 4
Laurie Holland 4
Harwood Pike 2
Vic Pitcher 0

Second leg

Leicester
Len Williams 13
Lionel Benson 10
Fred Perkins 9
Johnny Carpenter 7
Les Beaumont 3
Harwood Pike 2
Laurie Holland 4
Jock Grierson 2		50–46Birmingham
Graham Warren 11
Alan Hunt 10
Eric Boothroyd 6
Ron Mountford 10
Cyril Page 4
Lionel Watling 3
Jim Tolley 2
Roy Browning 0
[18]

Leicester won on aggregate 98–94

Riders & final averages

See also

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI