| Motherwell Eagles Lanarkshire Eagles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club information | |||
| Track address | The Stadium Milton Street Motherwell | ||
| Country | Scotland | ||
| Founded | 1951 | ||
| Closed | 1954 | ||
| Club facts | |||
| Colours | Black and Gold | ||
| Track size | 430 yards (390 m) | ||
| Major team honours | |||
| |||
The Motherwell Eagles or Lanarkshire Eagles were a motorcycle speedway team based in Motherwell in Scotland that participated in the British National League Division Two from 1951 and 1954. [1] [2]
The team was based at The Stadium, in Milton Street, Motherwell, which was used primarily for greyhound racing but was designed with speedway in mind; the bends wide enough for six cars side by side. [1] [3]
The first meeting was held on 14 July 1950 in a challenge match before the Eagles joined the league in 1951. [1] The Eagles started out in the British National League Division Two with veteran ex-Glasgow Tigers Will Lowther and Joe Crowther and ex-Edinburgh rider Danny Lee in the line up. Bill Baird, a pioneer Eagle, became the only rider to ride for all four Scottish teams starting as a Glasgow Tiger before moves to Edinburgh then Ashfield. The team was strengthened late in 1951 by the transfer of Derick Close from Newcastle. In 1952, Eagles rider Derek Close reached the final of the Speedway World Championship. The Eagles operated until the end of the 1954 season [4] and would have run in 1955 but for the reluctance of teams in England to travel up to Scotland.
The top man was Derick Close, signed from the Newcastle Diamonds in 1951, and he was supported by Gordon McGregor, an ex- Glasgow Tiger, who was a founder Eagle in 1951. The team also featured Australians Keith Gurtner and Ron Phillips who transferred over when the Ashfield Giants left the League. Due to his never say die approach, the fans favourite was Bluey Scott, who joined the Eagles in 1951. Popular Australian Noel Watson, one of the earliest Eagles signings in 1950 along with Clive Gressor, was killed in his home country in 1953. Tommy Miller, one of the top Scottish speedway stars of the day, joined the Eagles in 1954 but moved on to the Coventry Bees mid-season.
Motherwell speedway closed down after the 1954 season due to financial losses of £500 for the season. [5]
Speedway returned for a short spell in 1958 in a series of challenge matches, when Ian Hoskins established the Golden Eagles who featured Doug Templeton and Willie Templeton, Gordon Mitchell, Jimmy Tannock, Freddie Greenwell and gave a shale debut to George Hunter. [6]
The site was redeveloped and was used briefly in 1971/72 for three long track events and a speedway meeting on a smaller circuit built on the centre green. [3]
Note: Motherwell Eagles was the name of a local Motherwell motorcycle club.
| Year and league | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 Speedway National League Division Two | 7th | |
| 1952 Speedway National League Division Two | 8th | |
| 1953 Speedway National League Division Two | 6th | |
| 1954 Speedway National League Division Two | 10th | rode as Lanarkshire Eagles |
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lanarkshire, Motherwell is the headquarters for North Lanarkshire Council. Geographically the River Clyde separates Motherwell from Hamilton to the west whereas the South Calder Water separates Motherwell from Carfin to the north-east and New Stevenston and Bellshill towards the north.
Glasgow Tigers are a motorcycle speedway team from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1928, the club adopted the Tigers nickname in 1946 and compete in the British SGB Championship. The team race at Ashfield Stadium and celebrated their 75th anniversary in 2021.
The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish speedway team based in Armadale. They compete in the SGB Championship, racing on Friday nights during the speedway season. The club is run by a board of directors, chaired by Alex Harkess and also runs a National Development League team called the Monarchs Academy.
Ashfield Giants were a motorcycle speedway team based at Saracen Park, Glasgow, Scotland between 1949 and 1953. The track operated on an open licence in 1953 and were reformed for a one of season during the 2000 Speedway Conference League.
The 1949 National League Division Two was the fourth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1950 National League Division Two was the fifth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1951 National League Division Two was the sixth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1952 National League Division Two was the seventh post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1953 National League Division Two was the eighth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1954 National League Division Two was the ninth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
The 1960 Provincial Speedway League was the first season of the Provincial League, ten motorcycle speedway teams took part.
Derick Tallentire Close was a British motorcycle speedway rider, who reached the final of Speedway World Championship in 1952.
Joseph Cameron Crowther was an English motorcycle speedway rider who had his greatest success in the period immediately after World War II.
William Muir Templeton was a motorcycle speedway rider from Scotland.
Douglas Templeton was a motorcycle speedway rider from Scotland.
James Ramsay Gordon McGregor was a motorcycle speedway rider from Scotland.
Thomas Ogilvie Miller was a motorcycle speedway rider from Scotland.
Keith Frank Gurtner was a motorcycle speedway rider from Australia. He was the champion of Queensland a record equalling seven times in 1974 and earned 26 international caps for the Australia national speedway team.
William Atkinson Lowther was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.
Eric William Scott better known as Bluey Scott was a motorcycle speedway rider from Australia.
