Sunderland Stars

Last updated

Sunderland Stars
Sunderland stars.jpg
Sunderland Stars Speedway Badge
Club information
Track address Sunderland Greyhound Stadium
Newcastle Road
East Boldon
Durham
CountryEngland
Founded1971
Closed1974
Club facts
ColoursRed, white and gold
Track size310 yards (280 m)

The Sunderland Stars were a motorcycle speedway team who raced at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium from 1971 until 1974 in the British League Division Two. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Speedway arrived in Sunderland for the 1964 Provincial Speedway League season under the promotion of Mike Parker. [3] The team was operational at the venue for part of one season only, when eight meetings were staged in 1964 under the "Saints" nickname. The Saints introduced Aussies Jim Airey and Gordon Guasco to British Speedway during 1964. [4]

In 1971, Len Silver acting as promoter on behalf of Allied Presentations Ltd brought speedway back to Sunderland. [5] The Stars competed in the 1971 British League Division Two season but finished 17th out of 17. [6] This was followed by two seasons with 12th and 11th place finishes. [7]

In 1974, the club came under the ownership of the Felton Speedway Promotions, set up by Mr & Mrs Fell and Alan Chorlton. The team nickname was changed from the Stars to the "Gladiators". [8] It was also their final season before closure. [9] In November 1974, Ian Thomas bought the defunct Sunderland licence and transferred it to re-form the Newcastle Diamonds. [10]

Season summary

Year and leaguePositionNotes
1964 Provincial Speedway League N/ASaints, withdrew results expunged
1971 British League Division Two season 17thStars
1972 British League Division Two season 12thStars
1973 British League Division Two season 11thStars
1974 British League Division Two season 18thGladiators

Notable riders

References

  1. ↑ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN   0-7524-2210-3
  2. ↑ "Sunderland Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Sunderland Only One of Three New Speedway Tracks" . Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 15 January 1964. Retrieved 23 February 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Jim Airey". wwosbackup. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Speedway Returns to Sunderland" . Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. 16 March 1971. Retrieved 23 February 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN   0-904584-45-3.
  7. ↑ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Sunderland under new management" . Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 8 March 1974. Retrieved 23 February 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "Ian Thomas buys out Sunderland" . Hull Daily Mail. 28 November 1974. Retrieved 4 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.


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