1954 Southern Area League

Last updated

1954 Southern Area League
League Southern Area League
No. of competitors5
Champions California Poppies
Riders' Championship Alby Golden
Highest average Ernie Lessiter
Division/s above National League Div 1
National League Div 2

The 1954 Southern Area League was the first season of the newly named regional third tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams. It replaced the defunct Southern League. With most of the Southern League teams moving up to Speedway National League Division Two, six new teams started the season—many of them making their debut in league speedway. [1]

Contents

Summary

Three teams finished equal on points at the top but California Poppies from California, Berkshire were champions by the slenderest possible margin of a single race point with all their rivals having an fixture in hand that was never ridden.

Aldershot Shots withdrew mid-season. [2] Ernie Lessiter of Ringwood topped the averages. [3]

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1 California Poppies 1690718
2 Ringwood Turfs 1590618
3 Rye House Roosters 1590618
4 Brafield Flying Foxes 1580716
5 Eastbourne Eagles 1530126

Withdrawal (Record expunged) : Aldershot Shots

Fixtures & results

A fixtures

Home \ AwayALDBFFCALEASRINRYE
Aldershot41–4254–3055–2953–3048–33
Brafield55–2948–3650–3348–3646–37
California53–3147–3657–2738–4538–46
Eastbourne39–4527.5–54.538–4625–5934–49
Ringwood50–3335–4846–3851–3350–33
Rye House44–3949–3447–3760–2251–33
Source: [4]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

B fixtures

Home \ AwayBFFCALEASRINRYE
Brafield42–40n/an/a46–37
California52–2960–2445–3955–28
Eastbourne47–3134–4941–3738–43
Ringwood53–2647–3750–2950–34
Rye House53–3141–4354–3050–34
Source: [5]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Leading Averages

RiderTeamC.M.A.
1 Ernie Lessiter Ringwood10.86
2Gil GoldfinchCalifornia10.48
3Jimmy GleedCalifornia10.21
4Peter MouldCalifornia9.83
5Vic HallBrafield9.46

Riders' Championship

Alby Golden won the Riders' Championship. The final was held at Rye House Stadium on 3 October. [6] [7]

Pos.RiderClubPts
1 Alby Golden Ringwood14+3
2 Ernie Lessiter Ringwood14+2
3Vic RidgeonRye House12
4Dave SlaterRye House10
5Fran GreasleyBrafield10
6Vic HallBrafield8
7Jimmy GleedCalifornia7
8Jack TaylorEastbourne7
9Pete MouldCalifornia6
10Geoff WoodgerRye House6
11Gil GoldfinchCalifornia6
12Bob BunneyAldershot/Eastbourne5
13Bill Simpson (res)Rye House5
14Ron BurnettAldershot4
15Syd GeorgeBrafield2
16Eric HockadayCalifornia2
17Harry WilsonEastbourne2
18Gordon Richards (res)Eastbourne/Ringwood0


Riders & final averages

Aldershot (withdrew)

Brafield

California

Eastbourne

Ringwood

Rye House

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Major League Competitions". Speedway Archive.
  2. ↑ http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/1954/leaguetables.pdf%5B%5D
  3. ↑ "Southern Area League 1954" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "1954 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "1954 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Motor Cycling" . Daily Herald. 4 October 1954. Retrieved 10 June 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "Southern Area League Riders Championship". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
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