1949 Speedway National League Division Two Explained

Competition:	National League Division Two
Competitors:	12
Domesticcup1:	Champions
Domesticcup1 Winners:	Bristol Bulldogs
Domesticcup2:	National Trophy (Div 2 final)
Domesticcup2 Winners:	Bristol Bulldogs
Highest Average:	Bruce Semmens
League Above:	National League (Div 1)
Leagues Below:	National League (Div 3)
Prevseason:	1948
Nextseason:	1950

The 1949 National League Division Two was the fourth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.^{[1] [2]}

Summary

The League was extended to 12 teams with the addition of new entrants Walthamstow Wolves and Ashfield Giants. Coventry Bees, Southampton Saints and Cradley Heath moved up from Division Three, with Cradley changing their nickname from Cubs to Heathens in the process. Two sides were missing from those that finished the previous season. Birmingham Brummies moved up to Division One and Middlesbrough Bears dropped out, although the promotion and most of their riders moved to the renamed Newcastle Magpies whose riders and promotion in turn had moved to Ashfield^{[3] [4]}

The Division Two Anniversary (League) Cup was discontinued as the expanded league programme gave the teams 44 league fixtures. Bristol Bulldogs retained their title.^[5]

Final table

Pos	Team	PL	W	D	L	Pts
1	Bristol Bulldogs	44	34	1	9	69
2	Sheffield Tigers	44	29	1	14	59
3	Norwich Stars	44	27	0	17	54
4	Cradley Heath Heathens	44	25	0	19	50
5	Edinburgh Monarchs	44	24	0	20	48
6	Walthamstow Wolves	44	21	3	20	45
7	Southampton Saints	44	21	3	20	45
8	Glasgow Tigers	44	20	0	24	40
9	Fleetwood Flyers	44	18	1	25	37
10	Newcastle Magpies	44	17	1	26	35
11	Ashfield Giants	44	12	1	31	25
12	Coventry Bees	44	10	1	33	21

Top Five Riders (League only)

	Rider	Nat	Team	C.M.A.
1	Bruce Semmens		Sheffield	10.47
2	Billy Hole		Bristol	10.11
3	Jack Mountford		Bristol	9.75
4	Roger Wise		Bristol	9.56
5	Alan Hunt		Cradley Heath	9.45

National Trophy Stage Two

• For Stage One - see Stage One
• For Stage Three - see Stage Three

The 1949 National Trophy was the 12th 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. Bristol won stage two and therefore qualified for stage three.^[6]

Second Division qualifying first round

width=80	Date	width=250	Team one	width=80	Score	width=250	Team two
07/06	Glasgow Ashfield	53-55	Cradley Heath
03/06	Cradley Heath	56-52	Glasgow Ashfield
15/06	Glasgow White City	67-41	Norwich
18/06	Norwich	71-36	Glasgow White City
22/06	Fleetwood	69-38	Stoke Hanley
18/06	Stoke Hanley	56-52	Fleetwood
17/06	Bristol	73-35	Sheffield
16/06	Sheffield	53-55	Bristol
31/05	Southampton	52-56	Walthamstow
30/05	Walthamstow	63-44	Southampton

Second Division Qualifying Second round

width=80	Date	width=250	Team one	width=80	Score	width=250	Team two
25/06	Coventry	42-66	Bristol
24/06	Bristol	80-28	Coventry
02/07	Edinburgh	57-51	Fleetwood
29/06	Fleetwood	61-44	Edinburgh
02/07	Norwich	78-30	Newcastle
27/06	Newcastle	64-41	Norwich
24/06	Cradley Heath	66-41	Walthamstow
20/06	Walthamstow	64-39	Cradley Heath
08/07 replay	Cradley Heath	71-37	Walthamstow
04/07 replay	Walthamstow	62-44	Cradley Heath

Second Division Qualifying semifinals

width=80	Date	width=250	Team one	width=80	Score	width=250	Team two
23/07	Norwich	70.5-37.5	Cradley Heath
22/07	Cradley Heath	67-41	Norwich
13/07	Fleetwood	46-60	Bristol
08/07	Bristol	73-35	Fleetwood

Final

First legSecond leg

Riders & final averages

Ashfield

• 9.33
• 8.85
• 7.56
• 4.96
• 4.62
• 4.15
• 3.66
• 3.65
• 3.18
• 3.18

Bristol

• 10.11
• 9.75
• 9.56
• 9.19
• 9.00
• 7.51
• 6.31
• 5.40
• 4.14
• 3.56

Coventry

• 7.70
• 6.35
• 6.30
• 5.91
• 5.76
• 5.63
• 5.00
• 4.79
• 4.32
• 4.00
• 3.83
• 3.74
• 3.17

Cradley Heath

• 9.45
• 8.59
• 7.35
• 7.23
• 6.72
• 5.76
• 5.64
• 5.63
• 5.56
• 5.52
• 4.21

Edinburgh

• 9.04
• 8.81
• 7.59
• 6.98
• 6.35
• 5.77
• 5.35
• 5.04
• 4.
• 3.66
• 3.
• 3.
• 2.05

Fleetwood

• 8.67
• 8.45
• 8.12
• 8.85
• 6.14
• 4.96
• 4.00
• 3.95
• 3.59
• 3.14
• 3.06
• 2.90

Glasgow

• 8.35
• 8.17
• 8.00
• 7.51
• 7.20
• 6.40
• 5.95
• 5.93
• 5.08
• 4.83
• 3.71
• 2.64
• 2.40

Newcastle

• 8.12
• 8.10
• 7.91
• 7.12
• 5.61
• 5.57
• 5.13
• 3.77
• 3.48

Norwich

• (Horace Burke) 8.96
• 8.81
• 8.26
• 7.22
• 7.20
• 7.11
• 6.94
• 6.37
• 5.70
• 5.02
• 3.37

Sheffield

• 10.47
• 9.29
• 8.70
• 8.59
• 6.27
• 6.09
• 5.94
• 5.77
• 4.98
• 4.47
• 3.62

Southampton

• 8.24
• 7.30
• 7.12
• 6.71
• 5.95
• 4.91
• 4.87
• 4.74
• 3.67
• 3.23

Walthamstow

• 9.10
• 8.11
• 8.07
• 7.52
• 6.50
• 6.39
• 5.92
• 5.78
• 5.39
• 5.27
• 2.59

See also

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Historic league tables. Speedway Archive.
2. Book: Rogers, Martin. The Illustrated History of Speedway. 1978. 129. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. 0-904584-45-3.
3. Web site: Home . speedwayresearcher.org.uk.
4. News: 3 Scots Tracks In Speed Div.II . Daily Record . 22 December 1948 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 20 October 2024 .
5. Web site: BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964). Official British Speedway website. 11 August 2021.
6. Web site: 1949 National Trophy. Speedway archive.