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Provincial League How Did It Start


Robbie B

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This is something that as always made wonder about - how and why did the Provincial speedway league got stated in 1960.

 

I have read many reports about speedway nearly died in the late 1950s so who had the brave idea to form a new speedway league in 1960.

 

I know that the 1960 Provincial League finished in this order

Rayleigh 32pts, Poole 32pts, Bristol 30pts, Sheffield 18pts, Stoke 17pts, Cradley Heath 16pts, Yarmouth 14pts, Edinburgh 11pts, Liverpool 8pts, Bradford 2pts.

 

And just for the record the National League finished like this

Wimbledon 26pts, Belle Vue 23pts, Oxford 22pts, Ipswich 20pts, Norwich 17pts, Leicester 16pts, Southampton 15pts, New Cross 15pts, Coventry 14pts, Swindon 10pts.

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Abolition of Entertainment tax in the 1957 budget made the economics of running speedway more favourable. Prospective promoters (eg Reg Duval at Liverpool in 1958) found that the established promoters (who had kept the sport going through the lean years) were reluctant to allow new promoters to join organised speedway and benefit from the abolition of entertainment tax.

 

This resulted in pirate meetings at Liverpool, Bradford and Cradley in 1959. The first two were promoted by Mike Parker a Manchester based midget car driver. All three tracks had mixed programmes of bikes and midgets.

 

MP was the driving force behind the formation of the PL. He got together a group of prospective promoters from various sources

  • the northern pirate tracks
  • the amateur tracks involved in the 1959 Southern Area League (in the end only Yarmouth competed in the first PL)
  • tracks that had failed to survive financially in the NL (Rayleigh and Poole)
  • revival of long closed tracks (eg Ian Hoskins at Edinburgh, Charlie Knott at Bristol)

 

Having demonstrated that he wasn't someone to be messed with, Parker opened negotiations with the Speedway Control Board with a view to running the new league under the control of the SCB.

 

Although not without the odd hitch the PL plan came to fruition.

 

There are some interesting articles on www.speedwayplus.com about this episode in spedway's history.

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In 1959 Bristol and Plymouth re-opened on an open licence basis approved by the SCB and Bradford, Liverpool and Cradley Heath were re-opened by Mike Parker on an unlicenced basis so it was apparent that something needed to be done by the SCB in the close season to address the situation.A meeting was called by LT.Col Vernon Brooke of the SCB with all the interested parties.which came up with the proposal of a new league. In the event all the aforementioned tracks joined the 1960 Provincial League with the exception of Plymouth and with the addition of Sheffield, Edinburgh, Rayleigh, Poole, Stoke and Yarmouth. Applications were rejected from Aldershot Exeter and Eastbourne.In the event the League was a great success despite the variance of team strengths between the South and the North.Sadly for various reasons Bradford, Liverpool, Bristol (my team) and Yarmouth did not enter the league in the following year. For further information get hold of a copy of Peter Morrish's excellant book British Speedway Leagues 1946 to1964.

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In 1959 Bristol and Plymouth re-opened on an open licence basis approved by the SCB and Bradford, Liverpool and Cradley Heath were re-opened by Mike Parker on an unlicenced basis so it was apparent that something needed to be done by the SCB in the close season to address the situation.A meeting was called by LT.Col Vernon Brooke of the SCB with all the interested parties.which came up with the proposal of a new league. In the event all the aforementioned tracks joined the 1960 Provincial League with the exception of Plymouth and with the addition of Sheffield, Edinburgh, Rayleigh, Poole, Stoke and Yarmouth. Applications were rejected from Aldershot Exeter and Eastbourne.In the event the League was a great success despite the variance of team strengths between the South and the North.Sadly for various reasons Bradford, Liverpool, Bristol (my team) and Yarmouth did not enter the league in the following year. For further information get hold of a copy of Peter Morrish's excellant book British Speedway Leagues 1946 to1964.

 

Please could you advise me?

 

Do Sunderland 'Saints' get much of a mention?

 

Thank you.

 

Ian.

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  • Not a lot.

"Did Sunderland ever stand a chance of success?Poor weather hit the promotion and the 'Saints' team was never strong enough to win quick support.Ken Sharples,once a great rider,needed time in his comeback and too much was expected from untried Australians Jim Airey and Gordon Guasco.Maury McDermott found the travelling from London too much and by the time Colin McKee joined the team it was too late.The closure was announced on June 9th and nobody was surprised.".

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Many thanks to everyone for all of the information.

 

White Knight Sunderland rode in the 1964 Provincial League but they withdrew from the league after only three matches they won one and lost two. I don't why theu withdrew though.

 

Sunderland also rode in the 1964 Northern League finish positions were (all teams rode in ten league matches) Sheffield 13pts, Edinburgh 9.5pts, Newcastle 7.5pts, Glasgow 7pts, Middlesbrough 6pts, Sunderland 2pts (2 wins).

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  • Not a lot.

"Did Sunderland ever stand a chance of success?Poor weather hit the promotion and the 'Saints' team was never strong enough to win quick support.Ken Sharples,once a great rider,needed time in his comeback and too much was expected from untried Australians Jim Airey and Gordon Guasco.Maury McDermott found the travelling from London too much and by the time Colin McKee joined the team it was too late.The closure was announced on June 9th and nobody was surprised.".

Many thanks to everyone for all of the information.

 

White Knight Sunderland rode in the 1964 Provincial League but they withdrew from the league after only three matches they won one and lost two. I don't why theu withdrew though.

 

Sunderland also rode in the 1964 Northern League finish positions were (all teams rode in ten league matches) Sheffield 13pts, Edinburgh 9.5pts, Newcastle 7.5pts, Glasgow 7pts, Middlesbrough 6pts, Sunderland 2pts (2 wins).

 

 

Thank you for that folks.

 

The reasons for closure given by the Promoters was bad Weather and lack of Crowds - NOT TRUE. See full story here:

 

http://www.sunderlandspeedway.co.uk/stats/1964/1964_Season.html

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