The 1950 National League Division Two was the fifth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
Summary The League was extended again to 15 teams with the promotion from Division Three of Halifax Dukes, Plymouth, Yarmouth and Hanley. Bristol Bulldogs, champions for the previous two seasons, moved up to Division One.
Norwich Stars claimed the league title by a single point, while Halifax and Cradley Heath claimed the early season Northern and Southern Shields respectively, the latter on points difference.
On 1 July 1950, two riders were killed on the same night. Jock Shead riding for Halifax Dukes was killed at The Firs Stadium, (the third rider in four years to be killed at the track) during the semi-final of the National Trophy. Shead's bike collided with another bike and he somersaulted before landing, he was take to hospital but died shortly afterwards. A second rider was killed on the same night in a division 1 fixture.
Final table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Norwich Stars 28 18 1 9 372 Glasgow Tigers 28 18 0 10 363 Cradley Heath Heathens 28 18 0 10 364 Coventry Bees 28 16 0 12 325 Walthamstow Wolves 28 16 0 12 326 Halifax Dukes 28 16 0 12 327 Southampton Saints 28 14 1 13 298 Edinburgh Monarchs 28 14 1 13 299 Plymouth Devils 28 13 0 15 2610 Sheffield Tars 28 13 0 15 2611 Ashfield Giants 28 12 0 16 2412 Yarmouth Bloaters 28 12 0 16 2413 Newcastle Diamonds 28 10 0 18 2014 Hanley Potters 28 9 2 17 2015 Fleetwood Flyers 28 8 1 19 17
Fixtures & results
Top Five Riders (League only) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Jack Young Edinburgh 11.24 2 Arthur Forrest Halifax 11.00 3 Alan Hunt Cradley Heath 10.44 4 Bob Oakley Southampton 10.43 5 Phil Clarke Norwich 9.91
National Trophy Stage Two The 1950 National Trophy was the 13th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of three stages; stage one was for the third division clubs, stage two was for the second division clubs and stage three was for the top-tier clubs. The winner of stage one would qualify for stage two and the winner of stage two would qualify for the third and final stage. Halifax won stage two and therefore qualified for stage three.
For Stage One - see Stage One For Stage Three - see Stage Three
Second Division Qualifying First round Date Team one Score Team two26/05 Halifax 71-37 Oxford25/05 Oxford 68-40 Halifax27/05 Coventry 64-44 Newcastle29/05 Newcastle 62-45 Coventry27/05 Norwich 63-44 Fleetwood31/05 Fleetwood 48-59 Norwich31/05 Glasgow White City 70-38 Stoke Hanley27/05 Stoke Hanley 65-43 Glasgow White City30/05 Ashfield Giants61-47 Cradley Heath29/05 Cradley Heath 60-47 Ashfield Giants26/05 Sheffield 77-31 Plymouth25/05 Plymouth 56-51 Sheffield30/05 Yarmouth 57-50 Walthamstow29/05 Walthamstow 66-42 Yarmouth30/05 Southampton 62-46 Edinburgh27/05 Edinburgh 48-60 Southampton
Second Division Qualifying Second round Date Team one Score Team two10/06 Coventry 53-53 Halifax09/06 Halifax 68-40 Coventry10/06 Norwich 78-30 Glasgow White City07/06 Glasgow White City 70-38 Norwich20/06 Ashfield Giants63-44 Sheffield09/06Sheffield 57-51 Ashfield Giants20/06 Southampton 59-49 Walthamstow19/06 Walthamstow 67-41 Southampton
Second Division Qualifying semifinals Date Team one Score Team two01/07 Norwich 58-50 Halifax30/06 Halifax 69-39 Norwich04/07 Ashfield Giants67-41 Walthamstow26/06 Walthamstow 66-41 Ashfield Giants
Second Division Qualifying final Date Team one Score Team two11/07 Ashfield Giants58-50 Halifax14/07 Halifax 64-43 Ashfield Giants First leg
Second leg
Shields
Southern Shield Team PL W D L PtsCradley Heath 12 8 0 416 Coventry 12 8 0 416 Walthamstow 12 7 0 5 14 Plymouth 12 6 0 6 12 Norwich 12 5 0 7 10 Southampton 12 4 0 8 8 Yarmouth 12 4 0 8 8
Northern Shield Team PL W D L PtsHalifax 14 10 0 4 20 Ashfield 14 9 0 5 18 Edinburgh 14 8 1 5 17 Hanley 14 8 1 5 17 Newcastle 14 6 0 8 12 Sheffield 14 6 0 8 12 Glasgow 14 4 0 10 8 Fleetwood 14 4 0 10 8
Team and averages Ashfield
9.56 8.61 7.68 5.91 5.10 6.28 4.72 2.92 2.91 2.81 2.42 2.36 2.33
Coventry
8.94 8.93 7.78 7.70 7.59 7.15 5.74 4.41 3.92
Cradley Heath
10.44 7.75 7.26 7.25 6.97 6.93 6.52 5.94 5.33 5.14 4.67 4.35 3.00
Edinburgh
11.24 8.68 8.00 7.09 5.49 5.41 4.76 4.42 4.27 3.79 3.02
Fleetwood
7.60 7.05 6.45 6.00 5.87 5.69 4.27 3.20 2.80 2.92
Glasgow
9.78 8.68 7.57 7.06 6.87 6.84 6.74 6.29 6.03 5.58 2.26
Halifax
11.00 9.61 8.40 7.04 6.76 6.58 5.03 4.20 3.79 3.57 0.47
Hanley
7.11 7.01 6.44 6.34 6.22 5.41 5.04 4.86 4.00
Newcastle
9.79 9.67 7.11 6.10 5.60 5.59 5.56 5.37 4.24 4.00 4.00
Norwich
9.91 (Horace Burke) 7.76 8.98 7.46 6.95 6.46 6.42 5.50 5.19 4.16
Plymouth
9.48 8.68 8.32 6.27 5.68 5.59 5.17 4.96 2.46 2.19
Sheffield
8.04 7.53 7.36 7.28 6.75 6.46 6.36 6.22 5.60 4.88 3.33 2.93 0.73
Southampton
10.43 8.42 8.36 8.23 6.58 6.58 5.90 5.33 5.31 5.00 2.48 2.00
Walthamstow
8.76 7.92 7.40 7.08 6.70 7.93 6.11 5.74 4.90 4.87 3.56
Yarmouth
7.11 7.00 6.75 6.41 5.90 5.66 5.28 4.74 4.73 2.09
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References