The 1985 British League season was the 51st season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the 21st known as the British League.
Team changes The league was cut drastically from 16 teams to 11. This meant the League Cup was expanded to be a competition with more fixtures than the British League. Both competitions would now see all teams meet home and away with only the League Cup having semi-finals and a final. Bonus points were introduced in both competitions awarded to the team that won each fixture on aggregate, with a run-off as a tie-breaker if the scores are level.
Wimbledon Dons dropped to the National league, this was the first time that Wimbledon would not compete in the top tier of speedway. They were joined in the National League by Poole Pirates, who took over Weymouth Wildcats to become Poole Wildcats, Eastbourne Eagles and Exeter Falcons. Newcastle Diamonds had no speedway in 1985 but they would return to the National League in 1986. There were no new entrants to the British League.
Summary Oxford Cheetahs won the league and cup double. The Oxford team, financed by the Oxford Stadium owners Northern Sports and headed by David Hawkins was the most expensive team assembled in the history of the league. The team included Danish international Hans Nielsen (signed for a record £30,000) in 1984. Nielsen had topped the previous season's averages on Oxford's return to the league and was imperious during 1985, finishing with an exceptional average, way ahead of any other rider. The team eased to the league title by a clear ten points, with Simon Wigg, Andy Grahame, Marvyn Cox, Jens Rasmussen and Melvyn Taylor all riding over 50 matches each during the season.
Defending champions Ipswich Witches finished mid-table which was not surprising taking into account that just three matches into the season their leading rider Billy Sanders committed suicide on 23 April. The news shocked the club and the wider speedway world at the time.
Final table Pos Team PL W D L BP Pts1 Oxford Cheetahs 20 16 1 3 10 432 Sheffield Tigers 20 13 1 6 6 333 Coventry Bees 20 11 2 7 7 314 Halifax Dukes 20 9 1 10 5 245 Ipswich Witches 20 9 2 9 4 246 Belle Vue Aces 20 10 0 10 4 247 Cradley Heath Heathens 19 10 0 9 4 248 Swindon Robins 20 8 1 11 6 239 Reading Racers 19 6 4 9 6 2210 Wolverhampton Wolves 20 5 2 13 2 1411 King's Lynn Stars 20 5 0 15 0 10M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points
Fixtures and results
Top ten riders (league averages) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Hans Nielsen Oxford Cheetahs 11.43 2 Erik Gundersen Cradley Heathens 11.12 3 Tommy Knudsen Coventry Bees 10.37 4 Shawn Moran Sheffield Tigers 10.26 5 Bobby Schwartz Wolverhampton Wolves 10.00 6 Simon Wigg Oxford Cheetahs 9.71 7 Jeremy Doncaster Ipswich Witches 9.61 8 Chris Morton Belle Vue Aces 9.53 9 Jan Andersson Reading Racers 9.52 10 John Cook Ipswich Witches 9.41
British League Knockout Cup The 1985 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 47th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Oxford Cheetahs were the winners.
First round Date Team one Score Team two19/07 Oxford 43-35 Coventry29/06 Swindon 36-42 Ipswich24/06 Wolverhampton 49-29 Halifax15/06 Coventry 35-43 Oxford30/05 Ipswich 45-33 Swindon25/05 Halifax 48-30 Wolverhampton
Quarter-finals Date Team one Score Team two23/09 Reading 43-34 Sheffield22/08 Sheffield 39-39 Reading29/08 Ipswich 43-34 Wolverhampton19/08 Wolverhampton 39-39 Ipswich31/07 Oxford 47-31 Belle Vue20/07 Belle Vue 40-38 Oxford11/07 Sheffield 46-32 Reading08/07 Reading 46-32 Sheffield07/07 Cradley Heath 53-25 Kings Lynn06/07 Kings Lynn 39-39 Cradley Heath
Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two22/10 Reading 38-40 Oxford16/10 Oxford 41-36 Reading11/09 Cradley Heath 36-42 Ipswich19/09 Ipswich 43-35 Cradley Heath
Final
First leg
Second leg
Oxford Cheetahs were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 79-76.
League Cup The League Cup was contested as a league format. Coventry Bees won the final over two legs defeating Oxford Cheetahs 86–70 on aggregate.
Qualifying table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Cradley Heathens 20 13 1 6 342 Oxford Cheetahs 20 11 2 7 323 Ipswich Witches 20 12 1 7 324 Coventry Bees 20 10 3 7 305 Wolverhampton Wolves 20 10 1 9 276 Swindon Robins 20 11 0 9 267 Belle Vue Aces 20 9 2 9 248 Reading Racers 20 8 2 10 219 Halifax Dukes 20 8 0 12 2010 Sheffield Tigers 20 4 1 15 1911 King's Lynn Stars 20 4 1 15 10
Fixtures and results
Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two15/08 Ipswich 37–41 Oxford25/09Cradley Heath 40–38 Coventry27/09Oxford 39–39 Ipswich02/10Coventry 46–32 Cradley Heath
Final
First leg
Second leg
Riders' Championship Erik Gundersen won the British League Riders' Championship for the second time, the final was held at Hyde Road on 20 October.
Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 Erik Gundersen 3 3 3 2 3 142 Peter Collins 3 3 1 2 3 12+3 3 Chris Morton 2 2 3 3 2 12+24 Tommy Knudsen 0 3 3 3 2 115 Kelvin Tatum 3 3 2 1 2 116 Hans Nielsen 2 1 2 3 3 117 Shawn Moran 1 2 3 2 3 11 8 Neil Evitts 3 2 1 1 1 8 9 John Cook 1 1 2 1 1 610 Bo Petersen 0 0 1 3 1 511 Jan Andersson 1 2 0 2 0 5 12 Simon Wigg 2 1 1 1 0 5 13 Dave Jessup 0 1 2 0 0 3 14 Phil Collins 2 0 0 0 0 2 15 Jeremy Doncaster 0 0 0 0 2 2 16 Peter Ravn 1 0 0 0 1 2 ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired
Pairs The British League Pairs Championship was held at Monmore Green Stadium on 30 June and was won by Oxford.
Pos TeamPts Riders1 Oxford 35 Nielsen 23, Wigg 122 Reading 34 Davis 20, Shirra 143 Cradley 33 Gundersen 18, Collins P 154 Sheffield 26 Moran S 20, Collins N 65 Belle Vue 23 Morton 17, Collins P 66 Coventry 17 Tatum 11, Knudsen 67 Swindon 15 Petersen 15, Simmons 0
Leading final averages Rider Team Average Hans Nielsen Oxford 11.35 Shawn Moran Sheffield 10.39 Erik Gundersen Cradley Heath 10.38 Kenny Carter Halifax 10.13 Tommy Knudsen Coventry 10.13 Bobby Schwartz Wolverhampton 9.80 Chris Morton Belle Vue 9.77 Jan Andersson Reading 9.43 Bo Petersen Swindon 9.35 John Cook Ipswich 9.33
Midland Cup Oxford won the Midland Cup. The competition consisted of six teams.
First round Team one Team two ScoreWolverhamptonOxford 32–46, 31–47CoventryReading38–40, 34–44
Semi final round Team one Team two ScoreCradleyReading 44–34, 37–41 Oxford Swindon42–36, 39–39
Final
First leg
Second leg
Oxford won on aggregate 85–71
Riders & final averages Belle Vue
9.77 8.92 7.59 6.16 5.83 4.90 4.36 3.33 1.33 1.10
Coventry
10.13 9.09 6.68 6.12 5.93 5.76 4.11 3.41
Cradley Heath
10.38 7.93 7.91 7.37 6.21 5.41 4.26 1.23 1.20
Halifax
10.13 7.26 6.62 6.17 5.41 5.40 5.16 4.19
Ipswich
9.33 9.12 8.12 6.14 5.47 5.16 5.10 3.07 2.38
King's Lynn
7.80 7.20 6.19 6.12 5.91 5.76 4.84 4.54
Oxford
11.35 9.10 7.18 6.07 6.07 4.87 4.78 2.22
Reading
9.43 9.01 6.79 6.33 6.33 5.59 5.57 4.72 4.67 2.05
Sheffield
10.39 7.33 6.91 6.81 6.33 5.85 5.50 4.22 3.34
Swindon
9.35 8.92 7.90 6.54 6.31 5.54 5.40 5.02 3.69 1.71
Wolverhampton
9.80 7.72 7.69 7.42 4.97 4.89 4.79 3.88 2.00
See also Speedway in the United Kingdom List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References