Birmingham Brummies

Last updated

Birmingham Brummies
Brummies.JPG
Club information
Track address Perry Barr Stadium
CountryEngland
Founded1928;96 years ago (1928)
PromoterNigel Tolley & Laurence Rogers
League SGB Premiership
Website www.birmingham-speedway.com
Club facts
ColoursYellow & Red
Track size292 metres (319 yd)
Track record time56.6 seconds
Track record date25 June 2008 & 2 July 2008
Track record holder Jason Lyons & Kevin Doolan
Current senior team
RiderCMA
Flag of Poland.svg Tobiasz Musielak
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Flag of Slovenia.svg Matej Žagar
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Keynan Rew
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Flag of England.svg Jason Edwards
Current junior team
RiderCMA
Flag of England.svg Darryl Ritchings
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Major team honours
Division Two Champions 1974, 1975
Division Two National Trophy Winners 1948
Division Two KO Cup 1974
Division Two Pairs 2009
Division Two Fours 2010
Division 2 Anniversary Cup Winners1948
Midland Cup winners1953, 1954, 1955
Division Three Champions 2015, 2016
Division Three Fours 2015

Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team founded in 1928. They were inaugural members of the Southern League in 1929. [1] The team have twice finished runner-up in the highest tier of British speedway, during the 1952 Speedway National League and 2013 Elite League speedway season. After four years in the National League, in 2019 they moved up to the second tier of British speedway in the SGB Championship.

Contents

History

1928–1930

The city of Birmingham had two teams in the Southern League of the inaugural season of British speedway in 1929. One was based at the (old Perry Barr stadium) and the other was based at Hall Green Stadium. The Perry Barr based team withdrew from the 1930 league season and had their results expunged. The Hall Green team, known as Birmingham Bulldogs fared a little better but closed in 1938.

1947–1953

The old Perry Barr Stadium, Walsall Road c.1950 Perry Barr Stadium Walsall Road c.1950.png
The old Perry Barr Stadium, Walsall Road c.1950

Birmingham first raced league speedway as the Brummies during the 1946 Speedway Northern League, finishing in a respectable 4th place, but the season was marred by the death of their Canadian rider Charlie Appleby in a crash at Brough Park. [2] The Brummies continued to race and experienced success in 1948, when they won the division 2 National Trophy, during the 1948 season. In 1949 they competed in the highest league for the first time and in 1952 finished runner-up to Wembley Lions.

Birmingham raced in the top division until the August of the 1957 Speedway National League season, when they withdrew and were replaced by the Bradford Tudors. The promoter Leslie Marshall quoted financial issues and decreasing attendances and the ban of two riders Ron Mountford and Eric Boothroyd for riding in South Africa. [3] [4]

1970s

Carl Askew was with Birmingham during the title winning 1974 and 1975 seasons. Carl Askew unhelmeted.jpg
Carl Askew was with Birmingham during the title winning 1974 and 1975 seasons.

The Brummies reopened at Perry Barr for the 1971 British League Division Two season. In 1974 and 1975, the club gained silverware, winning the league and KO Cup double in 1974 and then successfully defending their league title in 1975. [5] The 1974 team included Phil Herne and Arthur Browning who both recorded season averages above 10 and finished first and third respectively in the league averages. They were strongly supported by John Hart and George Major. The team lost Herne to Newport in 1975 but Birmingham still managed to successfully defend their title with Alan Grahame improving his average significantly. [6]

It would be their greatest period of success at the old Perry Barr stadium and resulted in the team moving to the top division for 1976. The first five seasons in the division were a struggle, with a best place finish of 14th.

1980s

In 1981, Birmingham signned a Dane called Hans Nielsen from Wolves. He helped the team improve to 6th place and a cup final before repeating the 6th place finish again in 1982. Despite Nielsen topping the 1983 league averages, he lacked support with the exception of Alan Grahame and Birmingham's last season at the old perry Barr Stadium ended with a 9th place finish. The stadium closed for good by the Spring of 1984 and the Brummies were left without a home.

A home was found at the Wheels Project in Bordesley Green in 1985 [7] and the team raced for two seasons in the National League before closing after at the end of the 1986 season. [8] The last home fixture was on 26 September 1986. [9]

Although Birmingham did win trophies during their initial spell in Speedway these achievements were often dwarfed by the success of fellow West Midlands Speedway teams, the Wolverhampton Wolves, Coventry Bees and Cradley Heathens.

2000s

Birmingham returned in 2006, racing at Perry Barr. Perry Barr Aldridge Road c.1980.png
Birmingham returned in 2006, racing at Perry Barr.

After twenty years away from the sport Birmingham were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The first meeting of the new era, the Alan Hunt Memorial, took place on 21 March 2007 at Perry Barr Stadium. In a successful first season the team finished in second place in the league table, and runner-up in both the Premier Trophy and the Young Shield, despite having only two members of their own team actually fit to ride. During the majority of their time in the Premier League they were captained by Australian Jason Lyons who went on to become extremely popular at the club and is now a member of the club's Hall of Fame. The club when re founded was sponsored by Richard Meredith of Mercom Water Products. [10]

2010s

Tom Perry won two National league titles with Birmingham in 2015 and 2016. TomPerry.jpg
Tom Perry won two National league titles with Birmingham in 2015 and 2016.

Birmingham were accepted into the Elite League for 2011 and finished their first season in ninth place out of ten. Ahead of their second season in the top flight they retained the services of the previous season's star performers Danny King and Ben Barker as well as adding Speedway Grand Prix star Bjarne Pedersen. Although Pedersen's time at Birmingham was an unhappy one the team made a big improvement on their first season in the Elite League, finishing in 3rd place and achieving a spot in the play-offs. The 2013 season was filled with success, with the Brummies finishing in first place in the Elite League and achieving a place in the Elite League Grand Final. [11] However, despite being led by Jason Doyle and Chris Harris, they found themselves outclassed in the final, losing out on aggregate 104-79 to the Poole Pirates, who were inspired by Greg Hancock. [12]

Despite the success of the 2013 season there were regular reports of turmoil behind the scenes at the club, and at the end of the season team manager Phil Morris walked away from the club. The off season was a difficult time for the club, with captain Danny King handing in a transfer request, although he was later convinced to stay. Once the season began the troubles only intensified, and on 14 July 2014 it was announced that the club would cease to operate. [13] The team was taken over later that year by Tony Mole and entered into the National League (the third tier) for 2015. Under the stewardship of Mole and Drury, the Brummies would crown a superb season back on track by winning the National League title. The Brummies defended their National League title in 2016, beating Eastbourne in a two leg play off and would also win the National Trophy to crown a superb double.

Ahead of the 2017 season owner Tony Mole announced that he will be walking away from the sport after the 2017 season, after 31 years promoting in the sport. The Birmingham Brummies had their future secured when they were bought by David and Peter Mason toward the end of the 2017 season. The team moved up to the SGB Championship (2nd tier) in 2019.

2020s

On 7 December 2021, an announcement was made that Nigel Tolley would purchase the club from outgoing owners David and Peter Mason, which ensured the Brummies would continue racing in 2022. [14] On 17 November 2023, it was announced that the Brummies would return to the top-flight for the first time in a decade joining the 2024 Premiership season. Nigel Tolley revealed the decision was made as Perry Barr would only be available for Monday night racing making the Premiership the only option. [15]

Perry Barr Stadium

Season summary

Extended content
Year and leaguePositionNotes
1929 Speedway Southern League 9th
1930 Speedway Southern League N/Awithdrew and record expunged
1946 Speedway Northern League 4th
1947 Speedway National League Division Two 4th
1948 Speedway National League Division Two 2ndNational Trophy Div 2 winners
1949 Speedway National League 7th
1950 Speedway National League 8th
1951 Speedway National League 5th
1952 Speedway National League 2nd
1953 Speedway National League 3rd
1954 Speedway National League 8th
1955 Speedway National League 5th
1956 Speedway National League 3rd
1957 Speedway National League N/Awithdrew, replaced by Bradford Tudors
1971 British League Division Two season 11th
1972 British League Division Two season 6th
1973 British League Division Two season 5th
1974 British League Division Two season 1stDiv 2 champions & Div 2 Knockout Cup winners
1975 New National League season 1stDiv 2 champions
1976 British League season 18th
1977 British League season 18th
1978 British League season 18th
1979 British League season 14th
1980 British League season 14th
1981 British League season 6th
1982 British League season 6th
1983 British League season 9th
1985 National League season 14th
1986 National League season 17th
2007 Premier League speedway season 5th+
2008 Premier League speedway season 12th
2009 Premier League speedway season 4th
2010 Premier League speedway season 3rd
2011 Elite League speedway season 9th
2012 Elite League speedway season 3rd
2013 Elite League speedway season 1stPO Final
2014 Elite League speedway season N/Awithdrew, results expunged
2015 National League speedway season 1stDiv 3 champions
2016 National League speedway season 1stDiv 3 champions
2017 National League speedway season 6th
2018 National League speedway season 5th+
SGB Championship 2019 11th
SGB Championship 2021 7th
SGB Championship 2022 10th
SGB Championship 2023 7th
SGB Premiership 2024 7th

+5th place at time of cut off

Notable riders

Riders previous seasons

Extended content

2007 team

Also rode

2008 team

Also rode

2009 team

Also rode

2010 team

Also rode

2011 team

Also rode

2012 team

Also rode

2013 team

2014 team

Also rode

2015 team

Also rode

2016 team

2017 team

Also rode

2018 team

2019 team

2021 team

2022 team

Also Rode

Club honours

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Speedway crash" . Lincolnshire Echo. 8 October 1946. Retrieved 11 August 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ↑ "This was Birmingham Speedway" . Sports Argus. 3 August 1957. Retrieved 5 June 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Norwich depleted" . Leicester Evening Mail. 1 August 1957. Retrieved 5 June 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 252. ISBN   978-0904584509.
  6. ↑ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Visionaries can now see wheels in motion" . Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 10 February 1985. Retrieved 15 April 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "Birmingham Brummies". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "Brummies on Brink" . Birmingham News. 11 December 1986. Retrieved 15 April 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "BACKING THE BRUMMIES". Birmingham Speedway. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "Elite League Table 2013". Speedway365.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  12. ↑ "Elite League Grand Final: Poole Pirates complete thrashing of Birmingham Brummies". Skysports.com. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Birmingham Brummies – Weightlifting Group". Birmingham Brummies.
  14. ↑ "Birmingham Speedway - Club Statement".
  15. ↑ "BRUMMIES STEP UP".
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