The 1951 National League Division Two was the sixth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
Summary The League was extended again with 18 teams starting the season. New entrants were Motherwell Eagles and there were again three teams promoted from Division Three - the champions Oxford Cheetahs, third-place finishers Leicester Hunters and Liverpool Chads (despite finishing 8th). Plymouth Devils moved back down in the opposite direction.
Norwich Stars retained their league title, while Cradley Heath, Edinburgh and Norwich won the early season shield competitions.
Another rider was killed at the Firs Stadium (a fourth in five years). Twenty-one-year-old Bob Howes died after hitting the fence during a training practice race on 10 November 1951.
Southampton Saints and Sheffield Tigers resigned in mid-season and their records were expunged. Jimmy Baxter Director of Southern Speedways withdrew Southampton from the league largely due to 45% entertainment duty imposed by the government. and they had their results expunged.
Final table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Norwich Stars 30 24 0 6 482 Leicester Hunters 30 19 0 11 383 Edinburgh Monarchs 30 18 0 12 364 Coventry Bees 30 16 3 11 355 Walthamstow Wolves 30 17 0 13 346 Halifax Dukes 30 17 0 13 347 Motherwell Eagles 30 16 1 13 338 Ashfield Giants 30 16 0 14 329 Hanley Potters 30 15 0 15 3010 Glasgow White City Tigers 30 14 1 15 2911 Yarmouth Bloaters 30 13 1 16 2712 Oxford Cheetahs 30 12 2 16 2613 Liverpool Chads 30 12 1 17 2514 Fleetwood Flyers 30 9 2 19 2015 Cradley Heath Heathens 30 9 0 21 1816 Newcastle Diamonds 30 7 1 22 15
Fixtures & results
Top five riders (league only) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Jack Young Edinburgh 11.72 2 Bob Leverenz Norwich 10.84 3 Derick Close Newcastle/Motherwell 10.71 4 Tommy Miller Glasgow Tigers 10.70 5 Arthur Forrest Halifax 10.30
National Trophy Stage Two For Stage One - see Stage One For Stage Three - see Stage Three
The 1951 National Trophy was the 14th 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. Norwich won stage two and therefore qualified for stage three.
Second Division qualifying first round Date Team one Score Team two14/05 Exeter 60-47 Oxford10/05 Oxford 80-28 Exeter09/05 Fleetwood 64-44 Newcastle04/05 Southampton 60-48 Walthamstow30/04 Newcastle 71-36 Fleetwood30/04 Walthamstow 77-31 Southampton
Second Division Qualifying Second round Date Team one Score Team two28/05 Cradley Heath 58-49 Coventry26/05 Coventry 48-60 Cradley Heath24/05 Oxford 61-47 Yarmouth22/05 Yarmouth 63-44 Oxford21/05 Newcastle 47-70 Norwich19/05 Norwich 79-29 Newcastle14/05 Walthamstow 81-26 Stoke Hanley12/05 Edinburgh 77-29 Leicester12/05 Stoke Hanley 59-49 Walthamstow11/05 Leicester 46-62 Edinburgh11/05 Motherwell 39-69 Halifax09/05 Halifax 79-29 Motherwell08/05 Glasgow Ashfield 70-38 Liverpool07/05 Liverpool 62-46 Glasgow Ashfield - Glasgow w/oSheffield
Second Division Qualifying quarterfinals Date Team one Score Team two05/06 Glasgow Ashfield 71-37 Cradley Heath30/05 Glasgow White City 64-44 Norwich26/05 Edinburgh 68-40 Halifax23/05 Halifax 68-39 Edinburgh26/05 Norwich 14-4 Glasgow White City11/06 Walthamstow 73-35 Yarmouth09/06 Norwich 81-27 Glasgow White City29/05 Yarmouth 57-51 Walthamstow
Second Division Qualifying semifinals Date Team one Score Team two07/07 Norwich 67.5-40.5 Cradley Heath11/06 Cradley Heath 83-25 Glasgow Ashfield04/07 Halifax 71-37 Walthamstow02/07 Walthamstow 74-34 Halifax
Second Division Qualifying final First leg
Second leg
Shields
Southern Shield Team PL W D L PtsNorwich 10 7 1 2 15 Walthamstow 10 6 0 4 12 Oxford 10 6 0 4 12 Southampton 10 5 1 4 11 Yarmouth 10 2 0 8 4 Coventry 10 1 0 9 2
Central Shield Team PL W D L PtsCradley Heath 10 7 0 3 14 Leicester 10 6 0 4 12 Halifax 10 5 1 4 11 Hanley 10 5 0 5 10 Sheffield 10 3 1 6 7 Liverpool 10 2 1 7 5
Northern Shield Team PL W D L PtsEdinburgh 10 9 0 1 18 Glasgow 10 7 0 3 10 Newcastle 10 5 0 5 10 Motherwell 10 4 0 6 8 Ashfield 10 3 0 7 6 Fleetwood 10 2 0 8 4
Midland Cup Leicester won the inaugural Midland Cup, which consisted of eight teams. There was one team from division 1, five teams from division 2 and two teams from division 3.
First round Team one Team two ScoreHanleyWolverhampton67–29, 60–30
Second round Team one Team two ScoreLeicesterLong Eaton 75–21, 52–44Oxford Coventry 58–38, 37–59CradleyHanley57–39, 45–50
Semi final round Team one Team two ScoreCoventryLeicester 49–45, 41–55 Birmingham Cradley65–30, 62–34
Final
First leg
Second leg
Leicester won on aggregate 98–94
Riders & final averages Ashfield
9.02 8.57 7.30 6.20 6.17 6.07 5.61 4.46 4.39 2.74
Coventry
8.48 8.21 8.04 6.99 6.24 5.91 5.63 5.85 5.58 5.26 4.73
Cradley Heath
9.00 6.76 8.56 7.86 6.55 6.51 6.14 5.15 4.43 4.00 3.52 1.74
Edinburgh
11.72 8.45 8.15 7.36 7.11 5.74 5.38 3.45 3.00 2.53 2.45
Fleetwood
8.00 7.93 7.13 6.25 3.88 3.40 3.04 2.51 2.09
Glasgow
10.70 9.18 5.86 6.43 6.29 6.09 4.62 4.55 4.37
Halifax
10.30 9.03 7.70 6.08 5.71 5.18 4.86 4.59 2.71
Hanley
8.71 7.10 6.65 6.65 6.36 6.34 6.32 5.80 1.00
Leicester
9.42 8.43 8.24 7.93 6.86 6.55 6.17 5.30 4.92 4.65 3.45 3.30
Liverpool
8.80 7.83 7.43 7.39 5.75 5.50 5.39 4.23 3.71 2.40
Motherwell
10.18 8.86 8.37 7.48 6.32 5.50 5.20 5.00 4.59 2.35 2.24 1.95
Newcastle
10.25 6.80 6.10 6.00 5.49 5.46 4.56 4.45 4.20 4.19 4.00 2.93 2.91
Norwich
10.84 9.50 8.38 (Horace Burke) 7.91 7.82 7.73 7.93 5.88 1.00
Oxford
9.10 7.23 7.15 7.06 7.03 6.62 5.53 5.52 5.49 5.35 3.64
Sheffield (withdrew mid-season)
8.60 8.00 7.24 6.10 5.89 5.40 4.40 4.32 2.60
Southampton (withdrew mid-season)
8.71 8.71 7.43 6.71 6.43 6.25 5.89 3.16
Walthamstow
9.03 8.21 8.11 7.92 7.86 6.73 6.49 4.50 2.96
Yarmouth
9.57 9.28 6.53 5.63 4.75 4.45 4.23 3.80 3.70 2.59 1.73
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References