1938 Speedway National League Division Two Explained

Competition:	National League Division Two
Competitors:	9
Domesticcup1:	Champions
Domesticcup1 Winners:	Hackney Wick Wolves
Domesticcup2:	Provincial Trophy
Domesticcup2 Winners:	Norwich Stars
Domesticcup3:	National Trophy (Div 2 final)
Domesticcup3 Winners:	Norwich Stars
Highestaverage:	Max Grosskreutz
League Above:	1938 National League (Division One)
Prevseason:	1937
Nextseason:	1939

The 1938 National League Division Two was the inaugural season of British speedway's National League Division Two albeit a continuation of the Provincial League from the previous season in all but name.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

The list of teams had several changes. Bristol Bulldogs had moved up to the National League and Hackney Wick Wolves had moved down to take their place. They also swapped licences and riders as well as divisions. Other new entrants were Lea Bridge Cubs, Newcastle, Sheffield and West Ham Hawks (West Ham's reserve team). Belle Vue Merseysiders who had replaced Liverpool in the previous season were also absent.^[5]

Nottingham withdrew just after the start of the league season and were replaced by Leeds Lions.^[6]

Hackney Wick Wolves won the title.

Final Table Division Two

Pos	Team	PL	W	D	L	Pts
1	Hackney Wick Wolves	16	12	0	4	24
2	Norwich Stars	16	12	0	4	24
3	Southampton Saints	16	9	0	7	18
4	West Ham Hawks	16	8	2	6	18
5	Lea Bridge Cubs	16	8	0	8	16
6	Newcastle Diamonds	16	7	1	8	15
7	Sheffield	16	6	1	9	13
8	Birmingham Bulldogs	16	6	0	10	12
9	Leeds Lions	16	2	0	14	4

Leading averages (league only)

width=200	Rider	width=200	Team	width=40	Average
Max Grosskreutz	Norwich	10.89
George Greenwood	Leeds	10.77
Frank Goulden	Southampton	10.19
Charlie Spinks	West Ham	10.11
	Hackney	10.06

Provincial Trophy

The 1938 Provincial Trophy was the third edition of the Trophy, which was won by Norwich Stars.^[7]

First round

width=250	Team one	width=250	Team two	width=250	scores
Norwich	Hackney	75–33, 44–62 (119–95 agg)
Birmingham	Leeds	61–46, 58–48 (119–94 agg)
Sheffield	Newcastle	68–38, 47–60 (115–98 agg)
Southampton	West Ham Hawks	82–26, 43–63 (125–89 agg)

Semifinals

width=250	Team one	width=250	Team two	width=250	scores
Norwich	Birmingham	72–34, 59–47 (131–81 agg)
Sheffield	Southampton	58–49, 53–53 (111–102 agg)

Final

width=250	Team one	width=250	Team two	width=250	scores
Norwich	Sheffield	74–32, 53–54 (127–86 agg)

National Trophy

The 1938 National Trophy was the eighth edition of the Knockout Cup.^[8] Norwich Stars won the Division 2 Final round and therefore qualified for the quarter finals proper (the round when the tier one sides entered the competition).

First qualifying round

width=80	Date	width=250	Team one	width=80	Score	width=250	Team two
17/05	Nottingham+	60-48	Hackney Wick+
21/05	Hackney Wick+	59-49	Nottingham+
18/05	Birmingham	77-26	Sheffield
19/05	Sheffield	51-56	Birmingham
23/05	Newcastle	53-55	Norwich
28/05	Norwich	75-33	Newcastle
04/06	Hackney Wick	72-36	Leeds
06/06	Leeds	36-72	Hackney Wick

+ Nottingham withdrew from league replaced by Leeds resulting in Hackney's result becoming void.

Second qualifying round

width=80	Date	width=250	Team one	width=80	Score	width=250	Team two
15/06	Birmingham	57.5-49.5	Hackney Wick
18/06	Hackney Wick	66-42	Birmingham
15/06	Southampton	76-30	Norwich
18/06	Norwich	77-31	Southampton

Final

First leg

Second leg

Norwich were the National Trophy Div 2 winners, winning on aggregate 121-94.

Riders & final averages

Birmingham

• 8.82
• 8.22
• 6.28
• 6.19
• 5.51
• 5.39
• 5.22
• 5.17
• Keith Harvey 4.52
• 3.30
• 3.20

Hackney

• 10.06
• 9.78
• 7.74
• 6.91
• 6.71
• 6.48
• 6.29
• 6.29
• 6.27
• Charlie Appleby 5.00

Lea Bridge

• 9.80
• 8.67
• 7.20
• 6.76
• 6.58
• 6.48
• 6.29
• 5.69

Leeds

• 10.77
• 6.00
• 5.68
• 5.60
• 4.76
• 4.55
• 4.48
• 3.33
• 2.91
• 2.67

Newcastle

• George Pepper 7.94
• 6.81
• Bruce Venier 6.62
• Bob Sparks 6.50
• 6.41
• 6.35
• 6.31
• Elwood Stillwell 5.07
• 5.02

Norwich

• 10.89
• 8.41
• 9.42
• 7.09
• 6.95
• 6.29
• 6.20
• 5.87
• 5.25
• 4.39
• 3.24

Sheffield

• 8.88
• 8.33
• 8.00
• 7.46
• 7.00
• 6.07
• (Horace Burke) 4.27
• 3.76
• 3.73
• 3.05
• 3.30
• 2.67
• 2.55

Southampton

• 10.19
• 9.67
• 8.27
• 8.17
• 8.06
• 6.33
• 5.33
• 5.11
• 4.53
• 3.30
• 2.00

West Ham

• 10.11
• 9.36
• 8.98
• 8.17
• 6.13
• 5.38
• 5.00
• 3.65
• 3.47
• 3.17
• 3.09

See also

• List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
• Knockout Cup (speedway)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Home . speedwayresearcher.org.uk.
2. Web site: Year by Year. Speedway Researcher. 6 August 2021.
3. Book: Rogers, Martin. The Illustrated History of Speedway. 1978. 129. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. 0-904584-45-3.
4. Web site: BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939). Official British Speedway website. 6 August 2021.
5. Web site: Historic league tables. Speedway Archive.
6. Bamford, Robert & Jarvis, John (2001) Homes of British Speedway, Tempus,, p. 193-4
7. Web site: 1938 Provincial Trophy. Speedway Researcher. 6 August 2021.
8. Web site: 1938 National Trophy. Speedway archive.