1948 Speedway National League Division Three

Last updated

1948 Speedway National League Division Three
League National League Division Three
Season1948
No. of competitors12
Champions Exeter Falcons
National Trophy (Div 3 final) Southampton Saints
Highest average Alf Bottoms
Division/s above Division One
Division Two

The 1948 National League Division Three was the second season of British speedway's National League Division Three [1] [2]

Contents

The league had expanded from 8 teams to 12. Reigning champions Eastbourne Eagles were forced to close due to a petrol ban at their stadium, so their team moved a few miles along the Sussex coast to Hastings. The new entrants Coventry Bees, Hull Angels, Poole Pirates and Yarmouth Bloaters all struggled to make an impact and finished in the bottom five positions.

The Hull Angels were a corporation backed team, managed by Fred Archer and the team wore the crest of the city's coat-of-arms (3 golden crowns on a blue shield and yellow background). [3]

Exeter Falcons won their first title [4] and Alf Bottoms of Southampton topped the averages. [5]

Eric Dunn of Hastings Saxons was a third speedway rider (with Reg Craven and Bill Wilson) to be killed during the season. 34-year-old Dunn was riding in a meeting (on 13 June) at the Arlington track when he fell and was hit by a rider behind. He died two days later in hospital (15 June). [6]

Final League table

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1 Exeter Falcons 443211165
2 Cradley Heath Cubs 442921360
3 Southampton Saints 442901558
4 Tamworth Hounds 442341750
5 Hanley Potters 442411949
6 Hastings Saxons 442202244
7 Plymouth Devils 442122243
8 Coventry Bees 441912439
9 Hull Angels 441902538
10 Poole Pirates 441702734
11 Yarmouth Bloaters 441313027
12 Wombwell Colliers 441013321

Fixtures & results

A fixtures

Home \ AwayCOVCHEXHANHASHULPLYPPSOTTAMWOMYAR
Coventry33–4926–5642–4243–4155–2937–4543–4029–5537–4749–3545–38
Cradley Heath58–2650–3354–2957–2754–3054–3039–4545–3948–3660–2463–21
Exeter57–2765–1866–1857–2760–2358–2565–1948–3665–1969–1557–27
Hanley55–2852–3251–3336–4859–2544–4053–3145–3945–3953–5053–30
Hastings60–2457–2740–4444–3943–4055–2951–3331–5356–2859–2558–26
Hull44–3936–4863–2137–4745–3958–2658–2445–3943–3847–3152–28
Plymouth58–2443–4032–5146–3849–3459–2448–3638–4542–4257–2748–33
Poole60–2439–4546–3845–3640–4465–1937–4651–3336–4857–2760–23
Southampton55–2858–2557–2757–2757–2759–2550–3456–2755–2964–1963–21
Tamworth58–2442–4246–3859–2548–3647–3760–2463–2138–4660–2459–25
Wombwell59–2432–5237–4728–5641–4353–3146–3656–2838–4642–4251–33
Yarmouth60–2340–4335–4545–3846–3848–3551–3356–2732–5234–5055–29
Source: [7]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

B fixtures

Home \ AwayCOVCHEXHANHASHULPLYPPSOTTAMWOMYAR
Coventry46–3847–3553–3165–1848–3648–3651–3252–3248–3653–3054–29
Cradley Heath64–2055–2954–3062–2253–3144–4047–3753–3141.5–41.566–1860–26
Exeter48–3667–1653–3058–2662–2241–4353–3046–3857–2761–2360–24
Hanley53–3141–4239–4568–1662–2150–3449–3553–3061–2263–2153–31
Hastings48–356–2841–4339–4445–3744–4051–3331–5345–3852–3155–29
Hull56–2854–3050–3438–4464–2058–3647–3647–3753–3058–2651–33
Plymouth54–3058–2638–4648–3557–2651–3357–2745–3963–2165–1957–27
Poole37–4759–2531–5251–3149–3559–2455.5–28.549–3550–3458–2646–38
Southampton61–2357–2638–4349–3561–2356–2848–3658–2646.5–36.560–2462–21
Tamworth49.5–34.530–5250–3360–2460–2353–3048–3662–2249–3554–3057–27
Wombwell37–4737–4741–4346–3841–4244–4052–3143–4036–4723–6050–34
Yarmouth37–4637–4741–4134–5057–2750–3351–3045–3941–4346–3843.5–37.5
Source: [8]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Leading Averages

RiderTeamC.M.A.
1 Alf Bottoms Southampton11.29
2 Wally Green Hastings11.23
3 Cyril Roger Exeter9.93
4 Jock Grierson Hastings9.77
5 Bert Roger Exeter9.72

National Trophy

The 1948 Trophy was the 11th edition of the Knockout Cup. [9] The Qualifying event for Division 3 teams saw Southampton Saints win the final and qualify for the Elimination event. The Elimination event for Division 2 teams saw Birmingham Brummies win the final and qualify for the Quarter Finals proper.

Qualifying Event First Round

DateTeam OneScoreTeam Two
08/04Plymouth56-50Cradley Heath
17/04Cradley Heath66-42Plymouth
13/04Southampton89-19Wombwell
23/04Wombwell31-77Southampton
07/04Tamworth82-26Exeter
12/04Exeter81-27Tamworth

Qualifying Second Round

DateTeam OneScoreTeam Two
29/04Stoke Hanley64-43Coventry
01/05Coventry48-59Stoke Hanley
04/05Southampton77-31Tamworth
05/05Tamworth46-62Southampton
26/04Poole74-32Yarmouth
27/04Yarmouth47-67Poole
01/05Hull42-66Cradley Heath
07/05Cradley Heath78-29Hull

Qualifying Third Round

DateTeam OneScoreTeam Two
10/05Poole49-57Stoke Hanley
13/05Stoke Hanley64-44Poole
11/05Southampton85-23Cradley Heath
21/05Cradley Heath54-50Southampton

Qualifying Final Round

First leg

Southampton Saints
Alf Bottoms 18
Bob Oakley 15
Jimmy Squibb 10
Alf Kaines 9
Bert Croucher 8.5
George Bason 8
Tom Oakley 2
Cecil Bailey 2
74.5 – 33.5 Hanley Potters
Gil Blake 11
Les Jenkins 6
Ray Harris 5
Dave Anderson 4
Vic Pitcher 3.5
Dick Howard 2
Ken Adams 2
Frank Evans 0
[10] [11]

Second leg

Hanley Potters
Gil Blake 14
Ray Harris 9
Les Jenkins 6
Dick Howard 5
Dave Anderson 4
Vic Pitcher 3
Frank Evans 3
Ken Adams 1
43 – 64 Southampton Saints
Alf Bottoms 17
Bob Oakley 14
Jimmy Squibb 9
Bert Croucher 8
Alf Kaines 7
Cecil Bailey 6
George Bason 3
Tom Oakley 0
[12] [11]

Riders & final averages

Coventry

Cradley Heath

Exeter

Hanley

Hastings

Hull

Plymouth

Poole

Southampton

Tamworth

Wombwell

Yarmouth

See also

References

  1. "Home". speedwayresearcher.org.uk.
  2. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  3. "Eighteen applications" . Weekly Dispatch (London). 18 January 1948. Retrieved 21 September 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Major League Competitions". Speedway Archive.
  5. "National League Division 3 1948" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  6. "Speedway News" . Eastbourne Gazette. 16 June 1948. Retrieved 11 August 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "1948 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  8. "1948 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  9. "1948 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
  10. "Speedway Defeat" . Staffordshire Sentinel. 26 May 1948. Retrieved 30 October 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. 1 2 "Southampton 1948 results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  12. "Cup final defeat" . Staffordshire Sentinel. 28 May 1948. Retrieved 30 October 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.