| Milton Keynes Knights | |||||
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| Club information | |||||
| Track address | Groveway (1978–1988) Elfield Park (1989–1992) | ||||
| Country | England | ||||
| Founded | 1978 | ||||
| Closed | 1992 | ||||
| Club facts | |||||
| Colours | Red, white and blue | ||||
| Track size | 307 yards | ||||
| Major team honours | |||||
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The Milton Keynes Knights are a former Speedway team, which operated from 1978 until their closure in 1992. [1] [2] The team were revived from 2012 to 2018 racing at various venues outside of Milton Keynes.
Former Leicester and Teesside promoter Ron Wilson brought speedway to Milton Keynes in 1978 [3] with a team called the Knights who would race at the Milton Keynes Greyhound Stadium in Ashland (known in speedway circles as the Groveway). The first meeting was an individual meeting on 28 March, with the opening ceremony conducted by Johnnie Hoskins [4] but the first team match was on 4 April against Oxford Cheetahs. [5]
The inaugural league season ended with a 16th place finish during the 1978 National League season, [6] The team would have finished lower had it not been for the riding of Bob Humphreys. The following season was much better with the team improving to 5th and claiming the 1979 National League Pairs, held at The Shay on 21 July, courtesy of Humphreys and Andy Grahame. [7] [8]
The team continued to compete in division 2 (known as the National League at the time) but lost Grahame and Derek Harrison, leaving the Knights struggling to 19th place out of 20. [9] A best place finish of 3rd in 1987 was the highlight of the decade. [10] The leading Knights riders during the period was Keith White.
In November 1988, promoter Terry Cheney moved the Knights out of the Groveway following issues with the landlords. [11] In early 1989 work began on a new site at Elfield Park, which already housed a speedway training school known as Bleak Hall. Terry Cheney entered into negotiations with the Milton Keynes Development Corporation and Milton Keynes Borough Council. [12] After an agreement for a two-year lease was reached, a significant sum was spent adding facilities including terrapin buildings. [13] The first match at Elfield Park took place on 18 April against Peterborough Panthers. [14]
Unfortunately the first season at their new home resulted in a last place 18th. [15]
The 1990 season was worse than the last, with the Knights only managing six league wins all season. With the return of Australian Troy Butler in 1991 and Ted Jarvis coming in as promoter, the situation seemed to be improving until financial debts resulted in a temporary suspension enforced by the BSPA. [16]
In 1992, the club was taken over by former team manager Roger Jones and Colin Hill [17] but the BSPA withdrew the speedway licence following complaints over the state of the track and several days later on 24 June, the club was wound-up. [18]
The Knights returned in 2012, competing in the junior/amateur Midland Development League, with home matches staged initially staged at Rye House Stadium. The Knights ontinued to track share until 2018, having raced out of Mildenhall and Peterborough. They won the league in both 2012 and 2014.
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Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1929 to 2018. They raced at Brandon Stadium, Brandon near Coventry, England. They are eight times champions of Britain.
The Peterborough Panthers were a British motorcycle speedway team based in Peterborough, England from 1970 to 2023. They were three times champions of the United Kingdom, winning the highest level league in 1999, 2006 and 2021.
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The Wimbledon Dons were a professional motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane in London from 1929 until 1991. The team were seven times champions of Britain.
Andrew George Grahame is a former motorcycle speedway rider. He earned 16 international caps for the England national speedway team.
The Middlesbrough Bears were a British speedway team which operated under various names from 1929 until their closure in 1996.
The 1992 British League Division Two season was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
Derek Charles Ernest Harrison is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.
The 1978 National League was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
The 1979 National League was contested as the second division/tier of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
The 1980 National League was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
The 1981 National League was contested as the second division/tier of Speedway in the United Kingdom.
In 1982 the National League, also known as British League Division Two, was the second tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom.
The 1983 National League was the second tier of motorcycle speedway racing in the United Kingdom.
The 1984 National League was contested as the second division of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom.
The 1985 National League was contested as the second division of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom.
The National League was the second tier of British speedway racing in 1989.
Milton Keynes Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium, in Milton Keynes located on the Groveway in Ashland.
Harry Maclean is a former motorcycle speedway rider, who represented Scotland five times and rode in the National League.
Robert Allen Humphreys is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Australia.
