1995 Premier League speedway season

Last updated

1995 Premier League speedway season
League Premier League
Champions Eastbourne Eagles
Knockout Cup Bradford Dukes
Individual Gary Havelock
Fours Cradley Heathens
Highest average Billy Hamill
Division/s below 1995 Academy League

The 1995 Premier League season was the 61st season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. It was also the first for the new league, and the first of two seasons in which British speedway was competed as a single division. [1]

Contents

Summary

The gulf in quality of teams was highlighted because of the merging of the two leagues, with Eastbourne Eagles winning the title 56 points clear of bottom club Exeter Falcons. [2] Eastbourne had been an easy runner-up the previous year to runaway winners Poole Pirates and retained four of their riders Martin Dugard, Dean Barker, Stefan Dannö and Stefan Andersson, which provided enough firepower to seal the Championship. Poole finished mid-table but were missing Craig Boyce who had switched to Swindon Robins. [3]

Bradford Dukes won their fourth Knockout Cup in the last five years. Former World Champion Gary Havelock guided Bradford to the Cup success and also picked up the Premier League Riders Championship. [4]

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLBPPts
1 Eastbourne Eagles 4028391877
2 Bradford Dukes 40252131769
3 Cradley Heath Heathens 40251141768
4 Peterborough Panthers 40250151262
5 Wolverhampton Wolves 40230171460
6 Ipswich Witches 40230171359
7 Glasgow Tigers 40211181457
8 Belle Vue Aces 40201191455
9 Edinburgh Monarchs 40204161054
10 Arena Essex Hammers 40210191052
11 Swindon Robins 4020317952
12 Poole Pirates 4018220947
13 Reading Racers 4017419947
14 Sheffield Tigers 4019021947
15 Coventry Bees 4017122843
16 Hull Vikings 4017221440
17 Oxford Cheetahs 4016123639
18 Long Eaton Invaders 4014422739
19 King's Lynn Stars 4014422638
20 Middlesbrough Bears 4010228224
21 Exeter Falcons 408329221

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

Fixtures & results

Home \ Away AE BV BD COV CH EAS ED EX GLA HV IPS KL LON MID OX PET PP RR SHE SWI WOL
Arena Essex Hammers 60–3653–4249–4749–4745–5161–3566–3055–4163–3349–4753–4355–4155–4154–4257–3951–4561–3556–4054–4245–51
Belle Vue Aces 57–3957–3856–4046–5048–4862–3459–3755–4164–3258–3857–3954–4257–3953–4359–3758–3755–4155–4059–3654–42
Bradford Dukes 58–3864–3249–4747–4953–4361–3558–3854–4258–3856–4066–3059–3669–2659–3754–4158–3859–3763–3355–4157–39
Coventry Bees 54–4250–4645–5152–4450–4648–4859–3750–4549–4749–4753–4351–4459–3747–4952–4446–5062–3354–4143–5355–41
Cradley Heath Heathens 50–4655–4153–4351–4556–3953–4360–3659–3761–3447–4958–3755–4163–3362–3456–4055–4155–4162–3447–4955–41
Eastbourne Eagles 59–3649–4655–4153–4350–4354–4259–3764–3260–3650–4651–4554–4055–4053–4359–3652–4458–3863–3360–3651–45
Edinburgh Monarchs 50–4653–4348–4849–4650–4646–4963–3362–3456–4051–4550–4648–4852–4449–4751–4556–4051–4567–2954–4250–46
Exeter Falcons 53–4357–3941–5545–5139–5651–4537–5955–4152–4443–5348–4848–4856–4052–4440–5545–5148–4846–5046–5050–46
Glasgow Tigers 57–3951–4553.5–42.551–4550–4654–4149–4768–2849–4760–3663–3362–3460–3656–4055–4164–3259–3755–4056–4052–44
Hull Vikings 46–5046–5054–4251–4548–4849–4749–4751–4548–4851–4553–4355–4151–4350–4654–4253–4356–4057–3955–4151–45
Ipswich Witches 54–4244–5254–4249–4748–4760–3652–4460–3649–4768–2853–4357–3957–3863–3351–4550–4562–3359–3746–5052–44
King's Lynn Stars 46–5051–4552–4446–5047–4948–4861–3554–4262–3354–4249–4754–4257–3949–4545–5146–4946–5058–3848–4857–38
Long Eaton Invaders 50–4658–3846–4955–4047–4955–4153–4356–4055–4137–5952–4442–5463–3348–4844–5252–4456–4059–3740–5645–51
Middlesbrough Bears 46–052–4442–5453–4349–4745–5142–4455–4145–5058–3842–5454–4248–4857–3952–4347–4853–4355–4148–4844–52
Oxford Cheetahs 53–4350–4654–4251–4550–4542–5347–4961–3552–4354–4245–5153–4356–4057–3945–5145–5054–4262–3456–4051–45
Peterborough Panthers 51–4552–4357–3950–4652–4453–4365.5–30.563–3350–4658–3752–4355–4162–3458–3859–3756–3952–4454–4254–4253–43
Poole Pirates 57–3958–3842–5449–4744–5148–4855–4151–4556–4061–3555–4156–3947–4964–3257–3943–5347–4959–3647–4951–45
Reading Racers 53–4351–4548–4852–4450–4546–5049–4753–4255–4159–3739–5748–4852–4455–4154–4266–3048–4861–3556–4047–49
Sheffield Tigers 67–2959–3749–4756–4049–4744–5263–3353–4355–4149–4759–3761–3564–3273–2362–3450–4649–4751–4447–4955–41
Swindon Robins 56–4049–4645–5153–4353–4347–4848–4853–4350–4653–4351–4546–5043–5163–3353–4353–4351–4545–5158–3844–51
Wolverhampton Wolves 58–3839–3353–4349–4747–4943–5352–4464–3252–4461–3549–4761–3555–4150–4661–3553–4259–3753–4370–2653–42
Source: [5]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Premier League Knockout Cup

The 1995 Speedway Star Knockout Cup was the 57th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams but the first to be known as the Premier League Knockout Cup. Bradford Dukes were the winners of the competition. [6]

First round

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
21/04Peterborough64-42Ipswich
20/04Ipswich65-44Peterborough
22/04Eastbourne52-54Arena Essex
21/04Arena Essex56-53Eastbourne
23/04Glasgow63-43Middlesbrough
27/04Middlesbrough43-64Glasgow
18/05Sheffield63-43Long Eaton
19/04Long Eaton54-52Sheffield
21/04Oxford72-36Poole
19/04Poole54-51Oxford

Second round

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
20/07Ipswich52-56Reading
17/07Reading46-59Ipswich
15/07Bradford70-38Wolverhampton
05/07Kings Lynn55-53Coventry
17/06Coventry65-43Kings Lynn
14/06Cradley Heath59-53Glasgow
09/06Edinburgh46-61Hull
05/06Exeter47-57Swindon
05/06Wolverhampton58-46Bradford
04/06Glasgow54-53Cradley Heath
03/06Swindon55-50Exeter
31/05Hull59-49Edinburgh
02/06Belle Vue68-36Sheffield
01/06Sheffield61-46Belle Vue
02/06Arena Essex58-48Oxford
29/05Oxford58.5-47.5Arena Essex

Quarter-finals

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
10/08Ipswich57-50Coventry
05/08Bradford72-35Hull
26/07Coventry58-49Ipswich
26/07Hull54-41Bradford
22/07Cradley Heath61-47Oxford
22/07Swindon57-50Belle Vue
21/07Belle Vue68-38Swindon
21/07Oxford54-52Cradley Heath

Semi-finals

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
13/09Coventry52-55Bradford
02/09Bradford58-50Coventry
19/08Cradley Heath49-57Belle Vue
18/08Belle Vue59-48Cradley Heath

Final

First leg

Bradford Dukes
Sean Wilson 17
Gary Havelock 14+1
Paul Pickering 11+2
Darren Pearson 10+3
Joe Screen 6
Tony Atkin 3+1
Garry Stead R/R
68 - 39Belle Vue Aces
Jason Lyons 9
Chris Manchester 8
Niklas Klingberg 6
Kevin Little 5+1
Frede Schött 3
Max Schofield 3+3
John Jørgensen 1

Second leg

Belle Vue Aces
Niklas Klingberg 14
Jason Lyons 13
Chris Manchester 12
Frede Schött
Kevin Little 5
58 - 43Bradford Dukes
Martin Dugard16
Gary Havelock 10
Sean Wilson
Paul Pickering
Darren Pearson
[7]

Bradford Dukes were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 111-97.

Riders' Championship

Gary Havelock won the Premier League Riders Championship. It was held at Abbey Stadium, Swindon on 14 October. [8]

Pos.RiderHeat ScoresTotalSFFinal
1 Flag of England.svg Gary Havelock 3 2 3 210x3
2 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Hamill 0 3 3 3932
3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jason Crump 3 3 3 211x1
4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Leigh Adams 3 3 3 211x0
5 Flag of the United States.svg Greg Hancock 2 2 2 392x
6 Flag of Sweden.svg Peter Karlsson 1 3 2 391x
7 Flag of the United States.svg Sam Ermolenko 3 2 2 07
8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Craig Boyce 3 1 1 27
9 Flag of England.svg Paul Fry 1 1 2 37
10 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Shane Parker 2 1 1 37
11 Flag of Denmark.svg Brian Andersen 2 2 2 17
12 Flag of England.svg Chris Louis 2 0 3 16
13 Flag of Norway.svg Lars Gunnestad 1 3 1 16
14 Flag of Sweden.svg Jimmy Nilsen 2 2 1 16
15 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Faria 3 2 0 05
16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Johnston 2 3 0 05
17 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ryan Sullivan 1 0 3 15
18 Flag of England.svg Paul Thorp 0 1 1 35
19 Flag of Sweden.svg Stefan Andersson 1 0 2 25
20 Flag of the United States.svg Charles Ermolenko 0 0 1 23
21 Flag of Denmark.svg Frede Schott 0 1 0 12
22 Flag of England.svg Dave Mullett 1 0 0 01
23 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Ott 0 1 0 01
24 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Bartlett 0 0 0 00

Fours

Cradley Heathens won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, which was held on 6 August 1995, at the East of England Arena. [9]

Final
PosTeamPtsRiders
1Cradley21Cross 8, Hamill 8, Hancock 3, Smith 2
2Peterborough20Poole 7, Sullivan 7, Tesar 6, Pedersen 0, Clausen 0
3Bradford19Screen 6, Havelock 5, Wilson 5, Pickering 3
4Arena Essex11Hurry 5, Adams 4, Larsen 2, Mogridge 0

Leading final averages

RiderTeamAverage
Flag of the United States.svg Billy Hamill Cradley Heath10.91
Flag of England.svg Joe Screen Bradford10.82
Flag of England.svg Chris Louis Ipswich10.52
Flag of Sweden.svg Peter Karlsson Wolverhampton10.50
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jason Crump Poole10.44
Flag of the United States.svg Greg Hancock Cradley Heath10.42
Flag of the United States.svg Sam Ermolenko Wolverhampton10.37
Flag of England.svg Gary Havelock Bradford10.25
Flag of England.svg Martin Dugard Eastbourne10.22
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Craig Boyce Swindon9.99
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Leigh Adams Arena Essex9.96
Flag of Norway.svg Lars Gunnestad Poole9.94
Flag of England.svg Mark Loram Exeter9.78
Flag of Denmark.svg Brian Andersen Coventry9.53
Flag of England.svg Dean Barker Eastbourne9.35
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jason Lyons Belle Vue9.06
Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Ott Kings Lynn8.98
Flag of England.svg Paul Thorp Hull8.97
Flag of England.svg David Norris Reading8.90
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ryan Sullivan Peterborough8.85

Riders & final averages

Arena Essex

Belle Vue

Bradford

Coventry

Cradley Heath

Eastbourne

Edinburgh

Exeter

Glasgow

Hull

Ipswich

King's Lynn

Long Eaton

Middlesbrough

Oxford

Peterborough

Poole

Reading

Sheffield

Swindon

Wolverhampton

See also

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References

  1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. "HISTORY ARCHIVE". British Speedway. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. "1995 league tables". Speedway GB.
  4. "Bradford Dukes". Greyhound Derby .com. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  5. "1995 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  6. "1995 Premier League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
  7. "Aces chief raps cup ref" . Manchester Evening News. 23 September 1995. Retrieved 14 April 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Mullett misery" . Reading Evening Post. 16 October 1995. Retrieved 6 June 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Speedway" . Birmingham Daily Post. 7 August 1995. Retrieved 5 July 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.