The 1953 National League Division One was the 19th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the eighth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
Summary Wembley Lions won their fifth consecutive title and their eighth overall.
Wimbledon Dons won the National Trophy for the fourth time and Harringay Racers completed a cup double winning the Coronation Cup and London Cup.
New Cross Rangers folded part way through the 1953 season because MD Fred Mockford stated attendances were down to 5,000 and racing was being staged at a loss.
Novice rider Harry Eyre died in Poplar Hospital on 7 July 1953. He suffered fatal injuries earlier that evening at West Ham Stadium, in a second half novices match against Bradford.
National League final table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Wembley Lions 16 11 1 4 232 Harringay Racers 16 11 0 5 223 Birmingham Brummies 16 9 1 6 194 Bradford Tudors 16 8 1 7 175 Wimbledon Dons 16 8 0 8 166 West Ham Hammers 16 7 0 9 147 Norwich Stars 16 6 0 10 128 Belle Vue Aces 16 5 1 10 119 Bristol Bulldogs 16 5 0 11 10 New Cross Rangers withdrew mid-season - record expunged.
Fixtures & results
Coronation Cup The Coronation Cup was run in a league format. Harringay Racers came out on top. Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Harringay Racers 16 12 0 4 242 Wembley Lions 16 9 0 7 183 Bradford Tudors 16 8 1 7 174 Belle Vue Aces 16 8 0 8 165 Norwich Stars 16 7 1 8 156 Wimbledon Dons 16 7 0 9 147 West Ham Hammers 16 7 0 9 148 Bristol Bulldogs 16 7 0 9 149 Birmingham Brummies 16 6 0 10 12 New Cross Rangers completed 14 of their 16 fixtures before withdrawing and their record was expunged.
Top ten riders (league only) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Ronnie Moore Wimbledon 10.63 2 Jack Young West Ham 10.61 3 Alan Hunt Birmingham 10.47 4 Olle Nygren Bristol 10.25 5 Freddie Williams Wembley 10.13 6 Arthur Forrest Bradford 9.94 7 Split Waterman Harringay 9.84 8 Eric Williams Wembley 9.66 9 Aub Lawson Norwich 9.19 10 Tommy Price Wembley 9.13
National Trophy The 1953 National Trophy was the 16th edition of the Knockout Cup.
First round Date Team one Score Team two25/04Ipswich 57-51 Southampton25/04 Swindon 68-40 Exeter24/04 Plymouth 54-54 Oxford23/04 Cardiff 80-28 St Austell23/04 Oxford 66-42 Plymouth21/04 Southampton 74-33 Ipswich21/04 St Austell 55-53 Cardiff20/04 Exeter 60-48 Swindon Second round Date Team one Score Team two19/05 Cardiff 42.5-65.5 Leicester15/05 Leicester 70-38 Cardiff15/05 Motherwell 78-30 Swindon15/05 Wolverhampton 71-37 Southampton14/05 Oxford 51-57 Rayleigh12/05 Southampton 49-59 Wolverhampton11/05 Liverpool 40-68 Coventry09/05 Coventry 76-32 Liverpool09/05 Edinburgh 47-61 Glasgow White City09/05 Rayleigh 67-41 Oxford09/05 Stoke 69-39 Yarmouth09/05 Swindon 62-46 Motherwell06/05 Glasgow White City 75-33 Edinburgh05/05 Yarmouth 52-55 Stoke Third round Date Team one Score Team two24/06 Glasgow White City 76-32 Wolverhampton29/05 Leicester 68-40 Rayleigh29/05 Motherwell 73-35 Poole29/05 Wolverhampton 49-59 Glasgow White City25/05 Poole 62-46 Motherwell23/05 Coventry 69-39 Stoke23/05 Rayleigh 72-36 Leicester21/05 Stoke 71-37 Coventry Fourth round Date Team one Score Team two11/07 Bradford Odsal 63-45 Bristol04/07 Belle Vue 50-58 Wimbledon04/07 Harringay 85-23 Motherwell04/07 Norwich 71-37 West Ham04/07 Rayleigh 64-44 Glasgow White City03/07 Bristol 65-42 Bradford Odsal03/07 Motherwell 63-45 Harringay01/07 Glasgow White City 69-39 Rayleigh30/06 West Ham 59-49 Norwich29/06 Wimbledon 77-31 Belle Vue Quarterfinals Date Team one Score Team two01/08 Stoke 38-70 Wimbledon25/07 Norwich 58-49 Bristol24/07 Bristol 64-44 Norwich20/07 Wimbledon 89-19 Stoke18/07 Harringay 40-68 Wembley16/07 Wembley 60-48 Harringay15/07 Glasgow White City 56-52 Birmingham11/07 Birmingham 70-38 Glasgow White City Semifinals Date Team one Score Team two10/08 Wimbledon 59-49 Bristol08/08 Birmingham 62.5-45.5 Wembley07/08 Bristol 46-62 Wimbledon06/08 Wembley 78-29 Birmingham Final
First leg
Second leg
Wimbledon were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 110–106.
London Cup First round Team one Score Team twoWimbledon 61–46, 56–52 Wembley
Semi final round Team one Score Team twoWimbledon46–58, 38–69 West HamHarringay64–44, w/o New Cross
Final
First leg
Second leg
Harringay won on aggregate 110–106
Midland Cup Birmingham won the Midland Cup, which consisted of six teams. There were two teams from division 1 and four teams from division 2.
First round Team one Team two ScoreLeicesterStoke 65–31, 46–50
Semi final round Team one Team two ScoreLeicesterCoventry 50–46, 43–53BirminghamBradford 73–25, 59–37
Final
First leg
Second leg
Birmingham won on aggregate 119–73
Riders & final averages Belle Vue
7.88 7.74 8.27 7.00 6.69 4.62 4.22 3.87 3.86 3.74 2.00 2.00
Birmingham
10.47 7.67 7.64 7.19 7.19 6.36 5.97 4.57 4.48 4.21 3.00 1.25 (James Goldingay) 1.18
Bradford
9.94 8.00 7.14 6.26 6.20 5.50 5.69 5.04 5.00 3.69 4.27
Bristol
10.25 8.13 7.88 7.55 6.67 6.10 5.80 4.37 4.24
Harringay
9.84 9.00 8.14 7.73 7.60 5.87 5.33 5.00 4.68 4.00
New Cross (withdrew)
Norwich
9.19 7.48 6.76 6.40 5.60 5.49 5.12 3.40 2.29 2.00
Wembley
10.13 9.66 9.13 7.87 6.26 4.78 6.23 6.05 4.57
West Ham
10.61 8.00 7.43 7.72 4.68 4.49 5.50 3.92 2.86 2.29
Wimbledon
10.63 8.66 8.00 6.97 6.31 7.50 5.57 5.05 4.49 4.42 2.72 1.60
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References