1953 Speedway National League Division Two

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

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

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 and Liverpool Chads folded mid-season.

Cradley Heath disbanded following the withdrawal of the promoter Eli Sumner due to financial issues,[2] with the team moving to join the Wolverhampton Wasps (formerly of the Southern League).[3][4]

Coventry Bees clinched their first title by a single point.[5]

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.[6]

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 Glasgow 10.81
2 Don Cuppleditch Edinburgh 10.36
3 Fred Brand Yarmouth 9.97
4 Derick Close Motherwell 9.92
5 Len Williams 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

  • Charlie New 9.08
  • Peter Brough 8.00
  • Johnny Reason 7.72
  • Les Hewitt 7.71
  • Vic Emms 6.60
  • Stan Williams 6.11
  • Reg Duval 6.73
  • Derrick Tailby 6.04
  • Jack Wright 5.51

Edinburgh

  • Don Cuppleditch 10.36
  • Dick Campbell 8.32
  • Bob Mark 7.38
  • Harold Fairhurst 7.17
  • Roy Bester 7.05
  • Eddie Lack 5.89
  • Jeff Crawford 3.62
  • Wilf Jay 3.34
  • Harry Darling 3.20
  • Jimmy Cox 2.85

Glasgow

Leicester

Liverpool (withdrew)

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

Motherwell

Poole

Stoke

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

Wolverhampton

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

Yarmouth

See also

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