1954 Speedway National League Explained

Competition:National League
Competitors:8
Domesticcup1:Champions
Domesticcup1 Winners:Wimbledon Dons
Domesticcup2:National Trophy
Domesticcup2 Winners:Wembley Lions
Domesticcup3:London Cup
Domesticcup3 Winners:Wembley Lions
Domesticcup4:Midland Cup
Domesticcup4 Winners:Birmingham Brummies
Highestaverage:Ronnie Moore
Leagues Below:National League (Div 2)
1954 Southern Area League
Prevseason:1953
Nextseason:1955

The 1954 National League Division One was the 20th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the ninth post-war season of the highest tier of speedway.[1]

Summary

Bristol dropped out of the league and joined the National League Division Two. Wimbledon won their first National League Championship, beginning a run of 7 titles in 8 years, ending a similar run by Wembley Lions.[2] [3] [4]

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Wimbledon Dons28212544
2Wembley Lions28200840
3Bradford Tudors281501330
4Norwich Stars271401328
5West Ham Hammers281111623
6Harringay Racers281011721
7Belle Vue Aces27901818
8Birmingham Brummies28901918

Top Ten Riders (League only)

RiderNatTeamC.M.A.
1Ronnie MooreWimbledon10.59
2Jack YoungWest Ham10.55
3Geoff MardonWimbledon10.43
4Eddie RiggBradford10.11
5Arthur ForrestBradford10.00
6Brian CrutcherWembley9.98
7Eric WilliamsWembley9.79
8Barry BriggsWimbledon9.39
9Freddie WilliamsWembley9.18
10Split WatermanHarringay9.07

National Trophy

The 1954 National Trophy was the 17th edition of the Knockout Cup.[5]

Qualifying first round

width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
01/05Edinburgh 60-48 Leicester
01/05Rayleigh 65-43 Motherwell
30/04Bristol 59-49 Oxford
30/04Leicester 59-48 Edinburgh
30/04Motherwell 64-44 Rayleigh
29/04Ipswich 71-35 Southampton
29/04Oxford 40-68 Bristol
29/04Plymouth 45-63 Poole
27/04Southampton 72-36 Ipswich
26/04Exeter 59-49 Swindon
26/04Poole 69-38 Plymouth
24/04Swindon 65-43 Exeter
Coventryw/o Yarmouth
11/05
replay		Southampton 62-46 Ipswich
06/05
replay		Ipswich56-52 Southampton

Qualifying second round

width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
25/05Southampton 61-47 Coventry
22/05Coventry 64-44 Southampton
22/05Edinburgh 65-43 Rayleigh
22/05Swindon 69-39 Wolverhampton
21/05Bristol 61-47 Poole
21/05Rayleigh 55-52 Edinburgh
21/05Swindon w/oWolverhampton
17/05Poole 63-45 Bristol

Qualifying Final Round

width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
14/06Poole 67-41 Swindon
12/06Edinburgh 50-57 Coventry
12/06Swindon 53-55 Poole
05/06Coventry 56-52 Edinburgh

First round

width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
05/07Coventry 41-66 Bradford Odsal
03/07Belle Vue 71-37 Poole
03/07Bradford Odsal 84-24 Coventry
28/06Poole 46-62 Belle Vue
Quarterfinals
width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
24/07Belle Vue 61-47Wimbledon
22/07Wembley 70-37 West Ham
21/07Harringay 54-54 Bradford Odsal
20/07West Ham 50-58 Wembley
19/07Wimbledon 76-32 Belle Vue
17/07Bradford Odsal 78-30 Harringay
10/07Birmingham 62-46 Norwich
08/07Norwich74-34 Birmingham
Semifinals
width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
28/08Bradford Odsal 63-45 Wembley
28/08Norwich 64-44 Wimbledon
23/08Wimbledon 51-57Norwich
05/08Wembley63-44 Bradford Odsal

Final

First leg

Second leg

Wembley were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 123–92.

London Cup

First round

width=250Team onewidth=120Scorewidth=250Team two
Wimbledon 61–46, 56–52 Wembley

Semi final round

width=250Team onewidth=120Scorewidth=250Team two
Harringay 44–63, 48–60 Wembley
Wimbledon 69–38, 53–55 West Ham

Final

First leg

Second leg

Wembley won on aggregate 130–85

Midland Cup

Birmingham won the Midland Cup, which consisted of four teams. There was one team from division 1 and three teams from division 2.

First round

width=150Team onewidth=150Team twowidth=120Score
OxfordLeicester 56–28, 47–49

Semi final round

width=150Team onewidth=150Team twowidth=120Score
Oxford Coventry 61–35, 34–62

Final

First leg

Second leg

Birmingham won on aggregate 96–95

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

Birmingham

Bradford

Harringay

Norwich

Wembley

West Ham

Wimbledon

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historic league tables. Speedway Archive.
  2. Web site: Year by Year. Speedway Researcher. 12 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 - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964). Official British Speedway website. 12 August 2021.
  5. Web site: 1953 National Trophy. Speedway archive.

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