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1980 National League season

British motorcycle speedway season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1980 National League was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom.[1]

LeagueNational League
No. of competitors20
ChampionsRye House Rockets
Knockout CupBerwick Bandits
Quick facts League, No. of competitors ...
1980 National League season
LeagueNational League
No. of competitors20
ChampionsRye House Rockets
Knockout CupBerwick Bandits
IndividualWayne Brown
PairsMiddlesbrough Tigers
FoursCrayford Kestrels
Highest averageDave Perks
Division/s above1980 British League
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Summary

The league was increased from 19 teams to 20 from the previous season. Exeter Falcons dropped down from the British League to join the 19 incumbent sides.[2]

Rye House Rockets who had been pipped to the title in the previous season in the last meeting, won the title by just one point from Newcastle Diamonds to win their first National League title.[3][4] Rye House had managed to retain all of their top riders from the previous season and the solid performances of Bob Garrad, Karl Fiala, Kelvin Mullarkey and Kevin Smith for the second year running made up for the disappointment of 1979. Newcastle's second-place finish was remarkable bearing in mind that they had lost the league's leading rider Tom Owen to Hull Vikings in the highest division.[5] Despite signing 1979 Riders' champion Ian Gledhill, the defending champions Mildenhall suffered after losing Melvyn Taylor and Mick Hines to other teams.[5]

Final table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Rye House Rockets 38 31 0 7 62
2 Newcastle Diamonds 38 30 1 7 61
3 Middlesbrough Tigers 38 27 2 9 56
4 Berwick Bandits 38 24 1 13 49
5 Edinburgh Monarchs 38 23 2 13 48
6 Boston Barracudas 38 23 2 13 48
7 Mildenhall Fen Tigers 38 21 2 15 44
8 Peterborough Panthers 38 21 0 17 42
9 Crayford Kestrels 37 20 1 16 41
10 Ellesmere Port Gunners 38 20 1 17 41
11 Glasgow Tigers 38 19 2 17 40
12 Exeter Falcons 38 17 1 20 35
13 Scunthorpe Stags 38 15 1 22 31
14 Nottingham Outlaws 38 14 2 22 30
15 Oxford Cheetahs 38 14 1 23 29
16 Stoke Potters 38 14 0 24 28
17 Weymouth Wildcats 37 13 1 23 27
18 Canterbury Crusaders 38 10 4 24 24
19 Milton Keynes Knights 38 8 2 28 18
20 Workington Comets 38 2 0 36 4
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  • Crayford v Weymouth fixture was never ridden.

Fixtures and results

More information Home \ Away, BER ...
Home \ Away BER BOS CAN CRY ED EP EX GLA MID MIL MK NEW NOT OX PET RH SCU STO WEY WOR
Berwick 33–45 47–31 51–27 51–27 52–26 56–22 40–37 47–31 52–26 56–22 39–36 45–33 62–16 49–29 47–30 54–24 54–23 54–23 59–18
Boston 58–20 52–26 50–28 46–32 39–39 40–37 52–26 38–40 45–33 56–22 33–44 51–27 52–26 41–37 41–37 44–33 41–37 44–34 60–17
Canterbury 37–39 39–39 34–44 40–38 48–29 37–41 45–32 39–39 36–41 48–30 39–39 36–42 46–31 42–36 36–42 39–39 47–31 36–41 44–34
Crayford 41–34 41–37 55–22 38–39 54–24 58–20 40–38 41–37 41–37 45–33 37–41 46–32 43–35 59–19 35–43 50–28 52–25 n–h 65–12
Edinburgh 39–39 41–37 41–36 40–38 45–33 47–30 50–28 43–35 45–33 43–35 32–45 52–26 51–26 42–36 45–33 42–36 50–27 41–37 61–17
Ellesmere Port 52–26 38–40 38–40 43–35 50–28 53–25 46–32 41–37 42–36 52–26 41–37 50–28 44–33 53–25 42–36 55–23 50–28 49–29 62–16
Exeter 37–41 43–35 54–24 43–34 51–27 42–35 48–30 34–43 44–34 52–26 38–40 51–27 53–25 51–27 36–42 63–15 44–34 40–38 58–20
Glasgow 40–37 43–34 41–37 39–39 48–30 47–31 54–24 51–27 46–32 54–24 40–38 47–31 37–40 52–26 57–21 57–21 42–36 49–28 62–16
Middlesbrough 42.5–34.5 58–18 47–31 42–36 49–28 40–38 52–26 44–34 47–31 43–35 48–29 50–28 44–34 55–23 38–40 44–33 63–15 51–27 57–21
Mildenhall 41–37 42–36 40–38 41–37 45–33 43–34 46–32 49–29 39–39 46–31 33–45 40–38 52–25 38–40 38–40 50–28 53–25 55.5–22.5 62–16
Milton Keynes 38–40 28–49 40–38 38–40 35–43 40–38 39–39 39–39 31–47 48–29 30–47 41–37 45–33 36–42 26–52 33–44 43–35 50–28 57–20
Newcastle 42–36 47–31 42–36 47–31 48–30 45–33 48–30 53–25 38–40 53–25 56–22 49–29 60–17 48–29 49–29 53–25 54–24 41–37 59–19
Nottingham 44–34 33–45 48–30 36–42 36–42 33–45 43–34 44–34 36–42 39–39 44–34 43–35 46–32 54–24 40–38 44–34 35–42 43–35 59–19
Oxford 45–33 36–41 39–38 40–38 39–39 50–28 49–29 45–32 34–44 28–49 51–27 32–45 43–34 31–47 34–43 43–35 37–40 40–38 50–28
Peterborough 44–34 41–37 48–30 44–34 52–26 38–40 45–33 43–35 42–36 38–40 47–30 37–41 48–30 53–25 37–41 42–36 40–38 49–29 60–18
Rye House 50–28 47–29 56–22 40–38 52–26 48–30 58–20 59–19 43–35 47–31 57–21 45–32 52–26 50–27 56–22 53–25 56–22 54–24 63–13
Scunthorpe 34–44 42–36 46–32 35–43 35–42 46–32 50–28 44–34 42–36 29–49 44–34 35–43 42–36 37–40 45–33 34–44 46–31 43–35 52–25
Stoke 29–48 41–37 35–43 39–38 35–43 40–38 50–28 39–36 29–49 42–36 49–29 37–40 43–34 43–34 38–39 27–51 38–40 41–37 54–24
Weymouth 41–37 37–41 39–38 41–36 50–28 40–38 48–30 38–40 32–45 37–41 45–33 31–47 39–39 47–31 37–41 36–41 38–18 48–30 62–16
Workington 28–47 23–55 40–37 35–43 30–48 26–49 35–43 26–52 27–49 30–48 40–38 20–58 38–40 35–43 34–44 31–46 33–45 36–42 33–44
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Source: [6]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

nh = not held

National League Knockout Cup

The 1980 National League Knockout Cup was the 13th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams. Berwick Bandits were the winners of the competition for the first time, having been runners-up three times in the previous four seasons.[7]

First round

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
03/05Berwick52-26Newcastle
28/04Newcastle41-37Berwick
25/05Mildenhall45-33Rye House
26/05Rye House44-34Mildenhall
04/05Boston54-24Stoke
05/05Stoke27-51Boston
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Second round

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
07/06Berwick46-32Ellesmere Port
13/06Ellesmere Port42-36Berwick
23/05Edinburgh42-34Glasgow
25/05Glasgow40-37Edinburgh
01/06Mildenhall46-32Nottingham
18/06Nottingham37-41Mildenhall
07/06Canterbury44-33Milton Keynes
10/06Milton Keynes40-38Canterbury
19/06Middlesbrough51-27Scunthorpe
29/06Scunthorpe37-40Middlesbrough
05/06Oxford40-37Weymouth
27/06Weymouth40-38Oxford
08/06Boston59-19Workington
11/07Workington26-52Boston
13/06Peterborough42-25Crayford
22/07Crayford41-37Peterborough
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Quarter-finals

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
20/07Berwick47-31Edinburgh
18/07Edinburgh39-39Berwick
23/07Mildenhall51-27Canterbury
26/07Canterbury44-34Mildenhall
24/07Middlesbrough45-33Oxford
06/08Oxford32-46Middlesbrough
31/08Boston50-27Peterborough
12/09Peterborough39-39Boston
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Semi-finals

More information Date, Team one ...
Date Team one Score Team two
06/09Berwick52-26Mildenhall
07/09Mildenhall41-37Berwick
18/09Middlesbrough54-24Boston
05/10Boston42-36Middlesbrough
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Final

First leg

More information Middlesbrough TigersBrian Havelock 10Mike Spink 10Steve Wilcock 9Mark Courtney 6Geoff Pusey 4Martin Dixon 3John Clegg 0, 42 – 36 ...
Middlesbrough Tigers
Brian Havelock 10
Mike Spink 10
Steve Wilcock 9
Mark Courtney 6
Geoff Pusey 4
Martin Dixon 3
John Clegg 0		42 – 36Berwick Bandits
Mike Fullerton 11
Steve McDermott 9
Brett Saunders 6
Mike Caroline 5
Rob Grant 3
Nigel Close 2
Wayne Brown R/R
[8]
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Second leg

More information Berwick BanditsSteve McDermott 15Mike Fullerton 9Nigel Close 8Rob Grant 8Brett Saunders 3Mike Caroline 0Wayne Brown R/R, 43 – 34 ...
Berwick Bandits
Steve McDermott 15
Mike Fullerton 9
Nigel Close 8
Rob Grant 8
Brett Saunders 3
Mike Caroline 0
Wayne Brown R/R		43 – 34Middlesbrough Tigers
Mark Courtney 11
Steve Wilcock 9
Geoff Pusey 6
Martin Dixon 6
Mike Spink 2
John Clegg 0
Alan Armstrong 0
[8]
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Brough Park* (Berwick evicted from Shielfield Park)

Berwick were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 79–76.

Riders' Championship

Wayne Brown won the Riders' Championship, sponsored by Toshiba and held at Wimbledon Stadium on 28 September 1980.[9]

More information Pos., Rider ...
Pos.RiderPtsTotal
1New Zealand Wayne Brown3 3 3 3 214
2England Martin Yeates2 1 3 3 312
3England Steve Finch2 2 2 3 312
4Australia Gary Guglielmi3 0 3 1 310
5England Paul Woods2 3 3 210
6Zimbabwe Mike Ferreira3 1 2 2 210
7England Mike Sampson3 2 2 2 110
8England Rob Maxfield0 3 0 2 38
9Australia Rod Hunter1 1 3 16
10England Kelvin Mullarkey1 2 1 1 16
11England Steve Wilcock2 0 0 2 15
12England Andy Hines1 1 2 1 05
13England Phil White1 0 1 1 25
14England Ray Bales3 1 04
15England Derek Harrison0 2 0 0 02
16England Graham Knowler1 0 0 01
17England Keith Yorke00
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  • f=fell, r-retired, ex=excluded, ef=engine failure

Pairs

The National League Pairs was held at The Shay on 19 July and was won by Middlesbrough Tigers.[10][11]

More information Group A, Pos ...
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Semi finals

  • Middlesbrough bt Crayford
  • Boston bt Peterborough

Final

  • Middlesbrough bt Boston

Fours

Crayford Kestrels won the fours championship final, held at the East of England Arena on 27 July.[12][13]

Semi finals

  • SF1 = Crayford 17, Ellesmere Port 16, Berwick 8, Boston 7
  • SF2 = Rye House 18, Stoke 15, Glasgow 8, Oxford 7

Final

More information Pos, Team ...
PosTeamPtsRiders
1Crayford Kestrels14Rumsey 7, Woods 4, Naylor 3, Sage 0, Etheridge 0
2Rye House Rockets13Garrad 4 Mullarkey 4, Smith 3, Pullen 2, Fiala 0
3Ellesmere Port Gunners12Carr L 5, Jackson 3, Carr P 2, Finch 2, Ellams 0
4Stoke Potters9Burton 6, Sawyer 2, Boyle 1, Stead 0, Evitts 0
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Leading final averages

More information Rider, Nat ...
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Dave Perks England Oxford Cheetahs 10.82
2 Paul Woods England Crayford Kestrels 10.47
3 Mike Ferreira Zimbabwe Canterbury Crusaders 10.32
4 Steve Wilcock England Middlesbrough Tigers 10.28
5 Steve Lawson England Glasgow Tigers 10.17
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Riders & final averages

Berwick

Boston

Canterbury

Crayford

Edinburgh

Ellesmere Port

Exeter

  • Rob Maxfield 9.09
  • Nigel Boocock 8.64
  • John Barker 8.50
  • Martin Hewlett 6.39
  • John Williams 6.26
  • Arnold Haley 5.83
  • Tony Garard 5.76
  • Dave Brewer 4.17
  • Tony Sanford 3.92
  • Phil Vance 1.78

Glasgow

Middlesbrough

Mildenhall

Milton Keynes

Newcastle

Nottingham

  • Mike Sampson 9.88
  • Ivan Blacka 7.85
  • Glenn MacDonald 7.56
  • Craig Featherby 7.45
  • Mark Collins 5.37
  • Arthur Price 4.84
  • Steve Sant 3.62
  • Mark Williams 3.60
  • Pete Bacon 3.43
  • John Homer 2.98

Oxford

Peterborough

Rye House

Scunthorpe

  • Phil White 9.07
  • Arthur Browning 8.59
  • Nicky Allott 7.08
  • Kevin Teager 5.31
  • Rob Woffinden 4.03
  • John Priest 4.00
  • Ian Jeffcoate 3.94
  • Ian Westwell 3.88
  • Graham Mortimer 2.96

Stoke

  • Billy Burton 8.02
  • Tony Boyle 7.26
  • Paul Stead 6.47
  • Les Sawyer 5.99
  • Alan MacLean 5.70
  • Neil Evitts 4.78
  • Ian Robertson 4.64
  • Rod North 4.58
  • Mike Wilding 3.86
  • Rob Lightfoot 3.34

Weymouth

Workington

  • Ian Hindle 6.65
  • Ian Robertson 5.16
  • Steve Regeling 4.51
  • Des Wilson 4.51
  • Wayne Jackson 4.43
  • Mark Dickinson 4.06
  • Terry Kelly 3.68
  • Chris Roynon 3.50
  • Kevin Clapham 3.45
  • Andy Margarson 2.76

See also

References

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