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1975 New National League season

British motorcycle speedway season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1975 New National League was contested as the second division/tier of Speedway in the United Kingdom when British League Division Two was renamed.[1] It was subsequently named the National League.[2] The change came about following unrest between some of the clubs and the speedway authorities in previous seasons.[3]

LeagueNew National League
No. of competitors20
ChampionsBirmingham Brummies
Knockout CupEastbourne Eagles
Quick facts League, No. of competitors ...
1975 New National League season
LeagueNew National League
No. of competitors20
ChampionsBirmingham Brummies
Knockout CupEastbourne Eagles
IndividualLaurie Etheridge
PairsNewcastle Diamonds
Highest averageJoe Owen
Division/s above1975 British League
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Summary

The league increased by one team for the fourth season in a row, despite the loss of three teams; the Barrow Bombers, Long Eaton Archers and Sunderland Gladiators.[4] Sunderland closed for good but in November 1974, Ian Thomas bought the defunct Sunderland licence and transferred it to re-form the Newcastle Diamonds.[5][6] Three other new teams entered, in addition to the Newcastle Diamonds and they were Crayford Kestrels (returning for their first season since 1970), while Mildenhall Fen Tigers and Paisley Lions both competed in their inaugural seasons.[4] Paisley would race at a new track constructed around Love Street, home of St Mirren F.C..[7]

Birmingham Brummies, winners of the last British League Division Two, retained their title[8] and were promoted to the British League for 1976.[9][10] Birmingham won the league by 5 points despite losing their leading rider Phil Herne to Newport in division 1. Birmingham relied heavily on Arthur Browning, Alan Grahame and Keith White, improved performances by Ricky Day and Carl Askew and solid seasons once again from John Hart and George Major.[4]

Newcastle finished runner-up on their return to league action, with the Owen brothers Joe Owen and Tom Owen topping the league averages.

Final table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Birmingham Brummies 38 29 1 8 59
2 Newcastle Diamonds 38 27 0 11 54
3 Stoke Potters 38 26 0 12 52
4 Eastbourne Eagles 38 25 0 13 50
5 Boston Barracudas 38 24 2 12 50
6 Workington Comets 38 23 2 13 48
7 Berwick Bandits 38 21 3 14 45
8 Crayford Kestrels 38 20 2 16 42
9 Ellesmere Port Gunners 38 19 1 18 39
10 Canterbury Crusaders 38 19 0 19 38
11 Bradford Barons 38 17 2 19 36
12 Coatbridge Tigers 38 17 1 20 35
13 Scunthorpe Saints 38 17 0 21 34
14 Rye House Rockets 38 13 2 23 28
15 Paisley Lions 38 14 0 24 28
16 Crewe Kings 37 13 1 23 27
17 Teesside Tigers 38 13 0 25 26
18 Peterborough Panthers 37 13 0 24 26
19 Mildenhall Fen Tigers 38 11 1 26 23
20 Weymouth Wizards 38 8 2 28 18
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Fixtures and results

More information Home \ Away, BER ...
Home \ Away BER BIR BOS BRA CAN COA CRY CK EAS EP MIL NEW PAI PET RH SCU STO TEE WEY WOR
Berwick 42–35 41–37 47–31 50–27 39–39 56–22 43–35 47–31 48–30 52–26 43–35 52–26 53–25 47–31 47–30 50–27 48–29 41–36 44–34
Birmingham 54–24 41–36 55–22 45–33 52–25 49–29 55–23 45–33 51–27 57–20 46–32 53–25 59–19 52–26 56–22 44–34 49–29 53–25 47–31
Boston 48–30 45–33 47–31 47–31 52–26 54–24 49–29 48–30 60–18 50–28 42–36 56–22 54–24 39–38 64–14 34–44 45–33 61–17 37–41
Bradford 51–27 36–42 39–39 43–35 48–30 49–29 48–30 42–36 47–29 51–27 45–33 40–38 47–31 54–24 53–25 45–33 43–35 63–15 39–39
Canterbury 61–17 49–28 45–32 55–23 52–26 49–29 42–36 40–37 43–35 53–23 38–40 59–19 60–18 44–34 55–23 43–35 49–29 43–35 37–41
Coatbridge 50–28 34–43 37–41 50–27 45–32 53–25 41–37 38–40 46–31 58–20 43–35 54–24 43–35 43–34 49–29 38–40 45–32 51–27 43–35
Crayford 58–20 43–35 46–30 59–19 47–31 45–31 48–30 38–40 57–20 50–28 37–41 55–23 53–25 46–32 43–35 50–28 48–30 50–27 57–21
Crewe 50–28 32–46 39–39 54–24 50–28 51–26 37–41 31–46 47–31 47–31 38–39 42–36 46–32 58–20 36–40 37–41 41–37 59–19 42–36
Eastbourne 50–28 45–33 52–26 63–15 48–30 55–23 55–23 55–23 53–24 61–17 37–40 60–18 59–19 52–26 57–21 52–26 53–25 43–34 46–32
Ellesmere Port 45–33 39–39 46–32 51–27 46–32 46–32 55–23 44–33 48–30 54–24 41–37 40–38 45–32 51–27 45–33 34–44 44–34 51–27 43–35
Mildenhall 46–32 26–52 31–47 49–29 44–34 40–38 39–38 36–41 37–41 41–37 41–37 57–20 37–41 39–39 37–41 21.5–55.5 51–27 46–32 40–37
Newcastle 54–24 38–40 47–31 62–16 49–29 49–29 46–32 50–28 44–34 40–38 49–29 46–32 52–26 52–26 47–29 44–34 50–28 54–24 42–36
Paisley 33–45 45–32 47–31 35–43 43–35 38–40 44–33 46–32 45–32 47–31 41–37 46–30 48–30 48–29 47–31 36–41 41–37 42–36 37–41
Peterborough 35–43 38–40 31–46 43–34 30–48 40–38 45–33 nh 44–34 41–37 42–36 37–41 47–29 47–31 40–38 40–38 47–31 50–28 38–40
Rye House 46–32 33–45 38–39 49–29 39–38 46–32 39–39 53–25 31–45 47–30 47–30 36–42 49–28 47–31 44–34 32–46 48–29 44–33 45–32
Scunthorpe 48–30 32–46 34–44 41–37 41–37 52–26 38–40 41–37 40–38 46–32 47–31 38–40 41–37 42–36 43–34 44–34 51–27 45–33 37–41
Stoke 42–36 48–30 44–34 49–29 53–25 48–30 36–42 54–24 54–24 53–25 51–27 41–37 58–20 56–21 44–34 58–20 49–29 46–32 52–26
Teesside 37–41 33–44 37–40 49–29 52–26 50–28 42–35 52–26 38–40 37–41 45–33 35–43 47–30 48–30 48–30 49–29 42–36 58–20 42–36
Weymouth 39–39 38–39 28–50 50–28 35–42 34–43 39–39 43–35 33–45 37–41 50–28 34–44 53–25 48–30 43–35 41–37 37–41 44–34 30–48
Workington 39–39 41–36 53–25 47–30 55–23 46–32 49–29 44–34 40–38 48–30 58–20 40–38 64–14 43–35 54–24 36.5–41.5 41–37 43–35 40–38
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Source: [11]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top five riders (league averages)

More information Rider, Nat ...
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Joe Owen England Newcastle 10.89
2 Tom Owen England Newcastle 10.78
3 Alan Molyneux England Stoke 10.10
4 Paul Gachet England Eastbourne 10.08
5 Les Rumsey England Canterbury 10.01
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National League Knockout Cup

The 1975 National League Knockout Cup was the eighth edition (first under its new name) of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams. Eastbourne Eagles were the winners of the competition.[12]

First round

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
15/04Ellesmere Port43-35Coatbridge
11/04Coatbridge50-28Ellesmere Port
14/04Newcastle44-34Berwick
05/04Berwick40-38Newcastle
21/03Peterborough42-36Boston
16/03Boston40-38Peterborough
14/04Birmingham51-27Crayford
15/04Crayford37-40Birmingham
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Second round

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
05/05Scunthorpe38-40Teesside
01/05Teesside45-32Scunthorpe
30/05Coatbridge39-39Newcastle
19/05Newcastle50-27Coatbridge
10/05Paisley43-34Workington
30/05Workington45-33Paisley
05/05Crewe38-40Bradford
14/05Bradford48-30Crewe
09/05Peterborough49-29Weymouth
29/04Weymouth50-28Peterborough
11/05Rye House31-46Birmingham
05/05Birmingham60-18Rye House
10/05Canterbury40-37Eastbourne
11/05Eastbourne49-29Canterbury
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Quarter-finals

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
07/08Teesside32-46Newcastle
28/07Newcastle54-24Teesside
24/08Workington47-31Stoke
21/08Stoke42-36Workington
23/09Weymouth42-36Eastbourne
09/07Bradford47-31Weymouth
14/07Birmingham41-37Eastbourne
06/07Eastbourne45-33Birmingham
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Semi-finals

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
19/09Workington48-30Newcastle
15/09Newcastle48-30Workington
23/09Weymouth42-36Eastbourne
21/09Eastbourne60-18Weymouth
29/09
replay		Newcastle37-41Workington
26/09
replay		Workington51-27Newcastle
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Final

First leg

More information Workington CometsMike Newton 11Taffy Owen 11Lou Sansom 10Roger Wright 8Robbie Gardner 5Terry Kelly 1Steve Lawson 1, 47 – 31 ...
Workington Comets
Mike Newton 11
Taffy Owen 11
Lou Sansom 10
Roger Wright 8
Robbie Gardner 5
Terry Kelly 1
Steve Lawson 1		47 – 31Eastbourne Eagles
Neil Middleditch 12
Paul Gachet 7
Mike Sampson 5
Eric Dugard 3
Pete Jarman 2
Colin Richardson 2
Mike Pither 0
[13]
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Second leg

More information Eastbourne EaglesNeil Middleditch 10Mike Sampson 10Pete Jarman 10Paul Gachet 8Eric Dugard 7Mike Pither 4Colin Richardson 3, 52 – 25 ...
Eastbourne Eagles
Neil Middleditch 10
Mike Sampson 10
Pete Jarman 10
Paul Gachet 8
Eric Dugard 7
Mike Pither 4
Colin Richardson 3		52 – 25Workington Comets
Lou Sansom 13
Robbie Gardner 6
Taffy Owen 4
Terry Kelly 1
Steve Lawson 1
Mick Newton 0
Roger Wright 0
[13]
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Eastbourne were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 83–72.

Riders' Championship

Laurie Etheridge won the Riders' Championship, held at Wimbledon Stadium on 27 September.[14]

More information Pos., Rider ...
Pos.RiderPtsTotal
1England Laurie Etheridge3 2 2 3 313+3
2Scotland Brian Collins3 3 3 3 113+2
3England Arthur Browning2 2 3 1 210+3
4England Les Rumsey2 3 0 2 310+2
5England Michael Lee1 1 3 2 310+1
6England John Jackson3 1 3 1 19
7England Tom Leadbitter0 2 2 1 38
8England Joe Owen2 0 1 3 28
9England Paul Gachet3 3 fex 2 08
10England Bob Coles2 2 2 0 17
11England Brian Clark0 1 2 3 f6
12England Alan Molyneux1 1 1 0 25
13England Brian Foote0 f 1 2 25
14England Colin Meredith1 0 1 14
15Australia Lou Sansom0 3 0 0 03
16England Tony Childs1 0 0 0 0
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  • f=fell, r-retired, ex=excluded, ef=engine failure

Pairs

The National League Pairs was held at Hyde Road on 17 May and was won by Newcastle Diamonds.[15]

More information Group A, Pos ...
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Semi finals

  • Ellesmere Port bt Eastbourne
  • Newcastle bt Crayford

Final

  • Newcastle bt Eastbourne

Leading final averages

More information Rider, Nat ...
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Joe Owen England Newcastle 10.65
2 Tom Owen England Newcastle 10.65
3 Alan Molyneux England Stoke 10.14
4 Les Rumsey England Canterbury 9.90
5 Paul Gachet England Eastbourne 9.87
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Riders & final averages

Berwick

Birmingham

Boston

Bradford

  • Tony Featherstone 8.34
  • Colin Meredith 7.92
  • Dave Baugh 7.42
  • Tony Boyle 7.11
  • Steve Wilcock 5.75
  • Andy Cowan 5.55
  • Alan Knapkin 5.48
  • Mick Fielding 4.49
  • Brenton Langlois 4.34
  • Dave Parkin 3.06
  • Barry Weaver 1.82

Canterbury

Coatbridge

Crayford

  • Laurie Etheridge 9.74
  • Alan Sage 8.51
  • Trevor Barnwell 7.72
  • Pete Wigley 6.26
  • Bob Young 5.86
  • Les Ott 5.78
  • Alan Johns 5.68
  • George Barclay 5.34
  • Dave Shepherd 4.92
  • Bill Archer 4.11

Crewe

Eastbourne

Ellesmere Port

Mildenhall

Newcastle

Paisley

  • Sid Sheldrick 8.00
  • Mike Fullerton 7.20
  • Alan Bridgett 7.12
  • Chris Roynon 6.00
  • Tom Davie 5.26
  • Bernie Foot 5.20
  • Stuart Mountford 4.47
  • Mick Sheldrick 4.00
  • Geoff Snider 4.00

Peterborough

Rye House

Scunthorpe

  • Tony Childs 8.35
  • Keith Evans 7.52
  • Ken McKinlay 6.46
  • Andy Hines 5.99
  • Colin Cook 5.91
  • Tony Gillias 5.55
  • Andy Sims 5.38
  • Ray Watkins 4.24
  • Chris Emery 4.13
  • Ian Silk 2.09

Stoke

Teesside

Weymouth

Workington

See also

References

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