Linlithgow Lightning

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Linlithgow Lightning
Club information
Track address Heathersfield Stadium
Myrehead Farm
Whitecross
Linlithgow
West Lothian
CountryScotland
Founded1994
Closed1999
Major team honours
Conference champions 1996
Knockout Cup 1996

Linlithgow Lightning were a British speedway team based in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. They raced at Heathersfield Stadium. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Plans for holding speedway in Linlithgow started in October 1988, when the Edinburgh Monarchs manager Alan Robertson revealed that a circuit would be built to enable younger riders to use it as a training circuit. [4] The site would be known as Heathersfield Stadium and the location was on Myrehead Farm in Whitecross ( 55°58′46″N3°39′32″W / 55.97944°N 3.65889°W / 55.97944; -3.65889 ). The stadium was used a training track up until 1994, when Linlithgow Lightning (managed by Alan Robertson) joined the 1994 British League Division Three. [5] The first fixture took place on 26 June 1994. [6] [7] In 1995, they raced in the 1995 Academy League but experienced financial issues during a troubled season. [8] [9]

During their third season, led by Barry Campbell, Blair Scott and Peter Scully, the team won the 1996 Speedway Conference League and the Conference League Knockout Cup. [10] [11]

The following season most of the league winning team moved up to the Premier League before they competed in the 1997 Speedway Conference League as Lathallan Lightning. [12]

Alan Robertson did not enter a side during 1998 but he was joined by Edinburgh promoter John Campbell for the 1999 season and they managed a team for one more season during the 1999 Speedway Conference League season. [3]

In September 1999, Linlithgow Lightning were told that by the landowner that he was selling and that the team would have to move out. [13] The club folded in 1999 and the venue closed in October 1999. [14]

Season summary

Year and leaguePositionNotes
1994 British League Division Three 4th
1995 Academy League 6th
1996 Speedway Conference League 1st Champions & Knockout Cup winners
1997 Speedway Conference League 11throde as Lathallan Lightning
1999 Speedway Conference League 6th

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Linlithgow - Heathersfield Stadium". Speedway Museum Online.
  2. ↑ "Linlithgow Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  3. 1 2 "The Linlithgow Story". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Tigers hunt ends in Spain" . Daily Record. 21 October 1988. Retrieved 29 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ "Linlithgow - Heathersfield Stadium". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "New track" . Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph. 25 June 1994. Retrieved 29 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "1994 tables". Speedway GB.
  8. ↑ "1995 tables". Speedway GB.
  9. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "Major League Competitions". Speedway Archive.
  11. ↑ "1996 Tables". Speedway GB.com.
  12. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - MODERN ERA (1991-PRESENT)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  13. ↑ "Speedway" . Daily Record. 30 September 1999. Retrieved 29 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ↑ "The Linlithgow Story". Speedway Plus.
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