1965 British League season

Last updated

1965 British League season
League British League
Season1965
No. of competitors18
Champions West Ham Hammers
Knockout Cup West Ham Hammers
Individual Barry Briggs [1]
London Cup West Ham Hammers
Highest average Nigel Boocock

The 1965 British League season was the 31st season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. [2] It was also first known as the new British League which was formed in 1965, along with the British Speedway Promoters Association (BSPA). The league was an amalgamation of the National League and the Provincial League. [3]

Contents

Summary

Middlesbrough Bears did not join the new league and Norwich Stars had closed for good. Halifax Dukes were new entrants.1929-1977 [4]

West Ham Hammers were the first ever British League winners. It was their first league success since 1937. The West Ham team included Scot Ken McKinlay who finished the season third with an average of 10.72 and the Norwegian champion Sverre Harrfeldt who finished fifth in the averages. They were supported well by British internationals Norman Hunter and Malcolm Simmons. The West Ham team completed the double winning the British League Knockout Cup. In the final they defeated Exeter Falcons 63-33. [5] The season was not a complete success because during a challenge match at West Ham Stadium a junior rider called David John Wills was killed in a race after a crash. [6] West Ham also won the London Cup but the competition only had three teams competing. [7]

Wimbledon Dons headed by leading Swedish rider Olle Nygren fought West Ham throughout the season and only lost the league by a single point.

Fixtures & results

Home \ Away BV COV CH ED EX GLA HAC HAL LE ND NW OX PP SHE SWI WH WIM WOL
Belle Vue Aces 44–3455–2347–3043–3536–4251–2745–3353–2541–3755–2360–1843–3555–2643–3530–4744–3450–28
Coventry Bees 45–3147–3158–2052–2651–2642–3647–3042–3645–3341–3637–4147–3047–3048–3039–3840–3841–37
Cradley Heathens 42–3527–5143–3542–3643–3549–29n/a43–3540–3835–4336–4241–3739–3940–3831–4729–4941–37
Edinburgh Monarchs 47–3031–4640–3845–3336–4240–3835–4238–4036–4143–3547–3139–3847–3140–3834–4440–3842–36
Exeter Falcons 54–2441–3751–2752–2646–3254–2440–3845–3344–3451–2752–2642–3650–2848–3046–3241–3730–48
Glasgow Tigers 46–3256–2253–2548–3054–2459–1933–4460–1842–3643–3538–4049–2937–4140–3846–3237–4143–34
Hackney Hawks 48–2944–3445–3250–2841.5–36.554–2445–3348–3059–1847–3146–3243–3554–2440–3840–3735–4344–34
Halifax Dukes 50–2840–3862–1648–3050–2739–3944–3436–4144–3242–3541–3650–2843–3439–3939–3839–3948–30
Long Eaton Archers 41–3629–4945–3252–2632–4441–3738–4036–4136–4132–4638–3931–4737–4040–3737–4134–4432–45
Newcastle Diamonds 45–3351–2742–3646–3257–2148–3050–2849–2950–2851–2739–3941–3748–3043–3546–3238–4038–39
Newport Wasps 54–2447–3156–2251–3745–3350–2856–2246–3252–2644–3444–3441–3744–3441–3742–3649–2941–37
Oxford Cheetahs 41–3742–3641–3748–3044–3448–3042–3642–3650–2840–3845–3234–4441–3641–3733–4538–4047–31
Poole Pirates 47–2947–3152–2646–3237–4149–2648–3036–4259–1945–3344–3442–3650–2837–4051–2745–3345–33
Sheffield Tigers 41–3735–4240–3853–2554–2442–3639–3945–3353–2548–3041–3747–3155–2340–3837–4149–2942–36
Swindon Robins 41–3745–3338–4049–2946–3254–2446–3238–4044–3443–3548–3038–4039–3952–2645–3336–3742–36
West Ham Hammers 44–3442–3640–3749–2951–2747–3036–4245–3360–1844–3443–3543–3548–3051–2748–3048–3042–35
Wimbledon Dons 44–3242–3652–2646–3046–3249–2944–3445–3363–1541–3640–3839–3945–3350–2841–3738–4042–35
Wolverhampton Wolves 51–2746–3253–2544–3445–3356–2144–3449–2953–2547–3164–1446–3238–4040–3854–2439–3950–28
Source: [8]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Final table

MWDLFAPts
1 West Ham Hammers 34231101430121547
2 Wimbledon Dons 34222101396124546
3 Coventry Bees 34200141384125840
4 Oxford Cheetahs 34192131308134040
5 Halifax Dukes 33183121322124039
6 Newport Wasps 34190151360128838
7 Wolverhampton Wolves 34181151429121637
8 Hackney Hawks 34181151327.51319.537
9 Exeter Falcons 34180161325.51323.536
10 Poole Pirates 34171161378126635
11 Sheffield Tigers 34162161300134634
12 Newcastle Diamonds 34161171363128233
13 Glasgow Tigers 34151181315132931
14 Belle Vue Aces 34150191328131230
15 Swindon Robins 34132191345130028
16 Cradley Heathens 33111211132143823
17 Edinburgh Monarchs 34110231173142822
18 Long Eaton Archers 3470271107153414

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

Top Ten Riders (League Average)

RiderNatTeamC.M.A.
1 Nigel Boocock Flag of England.svg Coventry Bees 11.09
2 Barry Briggs Flag of New Zealand.svg Swindon Robins 10.91
3 Ken McKinlay Flag of Scotland.svg West Ham Hammers 10.72
4 Mike Broadbanks Flag of England.svg Swindon Robins 10.54
5 Sverre Harrfeldt Flag of Norway.svg West Ham Hammers 10.35
6 Olle Nygren Flag of Sweden.svg Wimbledon Dons 10.31
7 Charlie Monk Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glasgow Tigers 10.22
8 Ron How Flag of England.svg Oxford Cheetahs 10.16
9 Arne Pander Flag of Denmark.svg Oxford Cheetahs 10.01
10 Jimmy Gooch Flag of England.svg Oxford Cheetahs 9.97

Knockout Cup

West Ham Hammers won the Knockout Cup and completed the double of league and cup.

Riders' Championship

Barry Briggs won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Hyde Road on 16 October. [9]

Pos.RiderHeat ScoresTotal
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Barry Briggs 3 3 3 2 314
2 Flag of England.svg Jimmy Gooch 2 2 3 3 313
3 Flag of England.svg Cyril Maidment 3 3 3 ef 312
4 Flag of Sweden.svg Olle Nygren 1 3 2 2 311
5 Flag of England.svg Nigel Boocock 1 2 3 3 211
6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Charlie Monk 2 3 1 2 19
7 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ivan Mauger 3 f 2 1 28
8 Flag of England.svg Pete Jarman 2 1 2 3 ef8
9 Flag of England.svg Eric Boocock 2 2 1 1 17
10 Flag of England.svg Colin Gooddy 1 0 1 2 26
11 Flag of England.svg Jack Kitchen 1 1 ef 3 05
12 Flag of Scotland.svg Ken McKinlay 3 - 2 f -5
13 Flag of England.svg Gerry Jackson 0 2 0 0 13
14 Flag of England.svg George Major 0 1 ef 1 13
15 Flag of England.svg Ronnie Genz 0 0 0 ef 22
16 Flag of England.svg Alby Golden 0 1 1 0 02
17 Flag of New Zealand.svg Alf Wells (res)1 - - - -1
18 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Kid Brodie (res)0 - - - -0

Final leading averages

RiderNatTeamC.M.A.
1 Nigel Boocock Flag of England.svg Coventry11.12
2 Barry Briggs Flag of New Zealand.svg Swindon10.93
3 Ken McKinlay Flag of Scotland.svg West Ham10.83
4 Mike Broadbanks Flag of England.svg Swindon10.48
5 Sverre Harrfeldt Flag of Norway.svg West Ham10.46
6 Charlie Monk Flag of Australia (converted).svg Glasgow10.28
7 Olle Nygren Flag of Sweden.svg Wimbledon10.22
8 Ron How Flag of England.svg Oxford10.16
9 Arne Pander Flag of Denmark.svg Oxford10.03
10 Jimmy Gooch Flag of England.svg Oxford9.90
11 Cyril Maidment Flag of England.svg Belle Vue9.65
12 Ronnie Genz Flag of England.svg Poole9.45
13 Eric Boocock Flag of England.svg Halifax9.43
14 Norman Hunter Flag of England.svg West Ham9.42
15 George Hunter Flag of Scotland.svg Edinburgh9.35
16 Ivor Brown Flag of England.svg Cradley Heath9.27
17 Colin Gooddy Flag of England.svg Exeter9.24
18 Reg Luckhurst Flag of England.svg Wimbledon9.14
19 Bill Andrew Flag of New Zealand.svg Poole9.07
20 Dave Younghusband Flag of England.svg Halifax9.06

London Cup

PosTeamPWDLFAPts
1 West Ham Hammers 42111961885
2 Hackney Hawks 42021891944
3 Wimbledon Dons 41121901933

Results

TeamScoreTeam
Wimbledon53–43Hackney
Hackney52–44West Ham
West Ham50–46Hackney
Hackney48–47Wimbledon
Wimbledon48–48West Ham
West Ham54–42Wimbledon

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

Coventry

Cradley Heath

Edinburgh

Exeter

Glasgow

Hackney

Halifax

Long Eaton

Newcastle

Newport

Oxford

Poole

Sheffield

Swindon

West Ham

Wimbledon

Wolverhampton

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "British League Riders Championship". Speedway.org. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 100. ISBN   0-86215-017-5.
  3. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  4. Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 129–133. ISBN   0-904584-45-3.
  5. "HISTORY ARCHIVE". British Speedway. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  6. "Custom House Years". customhousekid. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  7. "West Ham Hammers - The Final Match". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  8. "1965 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  9. "Speedway Champ" . Sunday Mail (Glasgow). 17 October 1965. Retrieved 31 May 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.