1996 Speedway Conference League Explained

Competition:Conference League
Season:1996
Competitors:13
Domesticcup1:Champions
Domesticcup1 Winners:Linlithgow Lightning
Domesticcup2:Knockout Cup
Domesticcup2 Winners:Linlithgow Lightning
Domesticcup3:Individual
Domesticcup3 Winners:Mike Hampson
League Above:1996 Premier League
Prevseason:1995
Nextseason:1997

The 1996 Speedway Conference League was the inaugural season of the Conference League, which was the second tier of British motorcycle speedway.[1] It was listed as the second tier of British speedway because during 1995 and 1996 the two divisions of the British League had merged into one division only.[2] The following season it would be a third tier/division competition.

Summary

The Conference League was the first to promoted under the name and was an entirely amateur competition contested by thirteen teams (many were junior sides belonging to their parent clubs). The league expanded from the eight that had begun the previous season's 1995 Academy League - Berwick, Buxton, Devon, Linlithgow, Mildenhall, and Sittingbourne all returned from 1995, and were joined by Arena Essex, Eastbourne, Owlerton, Peterborough, Reading, Ryde, and Swindon. Stoke and Cleveland did not return from 1995.[3]

As not all fixtures were able to be run, the champions were decided by a percentage of total points available. Linlithgow Lightning topped the table to become champions.[4] [5]

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLPts%
1Linlithgow Lightning2318053678
2Devon Demons117131568
3Berwick Bandits128041666
4Ryde Wight Wizards1912162565
5Swindon Sprockets127051458
6Arena Essex Hammers27141122953
7Mildenhall Fen Tigers1910092052
8Buxton Hitmen2110292252
9Peterborough Thundercats135171142
10Owlerton Prowlers125071041
11Reading Ravens135081038
12Eastbourne Starlets161213412
13Sittingbourne Crusaders181215411
PL = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Match Points; % = Win Rate

Conference League Knockout Cup

The 1996 Conference League Knockout Cup was the 29th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams.[6]

It was only the tier two competition because the Division 1 & 2 had merged during 1995 & 1996, this meant that the newly formed Conference League was tier two of British speedway at the time. Linlithgow Lightning were the winners of the Cup.

Final

First legSecond legLinlithgow were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 88–68.

Riders' Championship

Mike Hampson won the Riders' Championship. The final was held on 7 September at Long Eaton Stadium.[7]

width=25pxPos. width=180pxRider width=100pxTeam width=50pxTotal
1 Buxton 12
2 Justin Elkins Isle of Wight 12
3 Graeme Gordon Exeter12
4 Sittingbourne12
5 Paul Lee Peterborough 10
6 Lee Dicken Sheffield 9
7 Martin Willis Isle of Wight8
8 Barry CampbellLinlithgow 8
9Krister Marsh Swindon7
10 Dean Garrod Mildenhall6
11 Carl Checketts Reading 6
12 Russell Etherington Arena Essex 4
13 Roland Pollard Arena Essex 4
14 Blair Scott Linlithgow 3
15 Bobby Eldridge Eastbourne2
16 Anthony Barlow Berwick2
17 Paul Clews (res)Peterborough0

Teams and riders

Arena Essex HammersCMA[8]
Russell Etherington8.11
Paul Lydes-Udings7.91
Nathan Morton6.82
Roland Pollard6.68
Simon Wolstenholme6.59
Darren Bolger6.35
Andy Carfield5.28
Gavin Pell5.25
Phil Ranson4.97
Ben Osborn4.00
Jamie Barton0.89
Berwick BanditsCMA
David Blackburn10.19
Glyn Taylor9.19
Anthony Barlow8.88
Richard Emson8.00
William Beveridge7.76
Peter Johnson5.96
David McAllan2.70
Michael Lowrie8.67
Darren Pearson2.67
Peter Grimwood0.00
Buxton HitmenCMA
Mike Hampson10.00
Jon Armstrong8.77
Barry Ayres8.00
Stephen Read7.16
Dean Felton7.13
Tony Howe6.26
David Meldrum6.10
Mark Harrison4.38
Paul Macklin2.18
Tony Atkin12.00
Andre Compton12.00
Graeme Gordon10.67
Craig Taylor9.75
Michael Lowrie8.00
Drew Wheeldon7.00
Elvis Jones6.00
Jamie Young6.00
Mark Burrows4.00
Paul Fudge4.00
Darren Matthews2.67
Richard Moss1.85
Jamie Isherwood1.71
Geoff Batt1.33
Neil Painter1.00
David Nix0.00
Paul Taylor0.00
Devon DemonsCMA
Graeme Gordon9.90
Paul Fudge9.05
Roger Lobb8.08
Greg Daniels7.72
Kevin Phillips4.84
Gary Lobb4.00
Richard Ford2.55
Mike Bowden5.00
Andy Wilkinson3.00
Wayne Holloway0.00
Dave Ward0.00
Nick Couch0.00
Eastbourne StarletsCMA
Paul Lydes-Udings8.59
Brent Collyer8.13
Bobby Eldridge7.16
Steven Colvin3.38
Richard Watts2.91
Clive Seaby2.87
Simon Moon1.50
Dean Standing12.00
Jason Bunyan8.00
Tara O'Callaghan7.82
Paul Taylor7.56
Dean Chapman7.44
David Meldrum6.67
Justin Elkins6.00
Scott Donovan5.18
Mark Thompson3.60
Nigel Roberts3.50
Ian Clarke2.80
Darren Grayling0.00
Paul Bradford0.00
Linlithgow LightningCMA
Peter Scully9.81
Barry Campbell9.43
Blair Scott8.70
Brian Turner8.43
Grant McDonald7.74
Stuart Coleman6.29
Brian Mercer6.14
Neil Hewitt5.76
Ian Milne0.70
David Stokes1.43
Mark Thompson1.33
Andrew Swales0.00
Mildenhall Fen TigersCMA
Geoff Powell9.29
Jason Gage9.00
Peter Boast7.78
Dean Garrod7.13
Jonathan Swales6.71
Tony Kingsbury5.48
Charlie Whitwam1.64
Steve Knott8.22
Mark Thompson4.00
Dave Smith4.00
Simon Brown3.27
Richard Watts1.33
Malcolm Hogg0.00
Chris Simpson0.00
Peter Grimwood0.00
Colin Thorpe0.00
Owlerton ProwlersCMA
Derrol Keats9.16
Lee Dicken7.92
James Birkinshaw7.37
Mark Blackwell4.12
Glen Furniss4.00
Andy Wilkinson12.00
Charlie Whitwam8.00
Philip Knowles6.00
Neil Painter5.25
Andy Buck4.89
Paul Wyer4.57
Phil Pickering3.50
Aaron Baker2.29
Simon Cartwright1.82
Peterborough ThundercatsCMA
Paul Lee9.00
Paul Clews8.56
Jon Underwood6.53
Gavin Hedge5.60
Lee Dixon5.48
Freddie Stephenson4.42
Jason Newitt2.10
Tommy Palmer12.00
David Housley0.00
Phil Pickering0.00
Reading RavensCMA
Roger Lobb9.93
Darren Andrews8.89
Carl Checketts7.85
Rob Cooling4.53
Steve Targett3.79
Mick Hester3.25
Bill Haynes0.60
Lee Richardson11.64
Jason Gage11.33
Lance Sealey7.08
Karl Bainbridge4.80
Patrice Deloubes3.33
Steve Woolley3.00
Mike Bowden2.67
Damian Aplin0.67
Steve Aston0.00
Ryde WizardsCMA
Václav Verner11.38
Justin Elkins11.17
Martin Willis10.35
Mark Chessell7.87
Colin Crook5.25
Mike Bowden4.88
Chris Simpson2.86
Paul Oughton2.85
Geoff Batt2.71
Barry Bishop1.26
Buck Blair10.00
Simon Wolstenholme6.50
Paul Taylor6.00
Dean Garton4.67
Ian Milne4.00
Malcolm Hogg3.00
Mark Czyz2.80
Andrew Swales2.00
Sittingbourne CrusadersCMA
David Mason11.38
Dean Chapman5.68
Mark Czyz5.37
John Curtis4.17
Karl Armstrong3.44
Andy Kerrison3.33
Martyn Smith2.67
Simon Wolstenholme8.80
Gary Laker8.00
Keith Yorke7.20
Bobby Eldridge6.25
Ben Osborn4.67
Malcolm Smith3.56
Ramon Majsa3.27
Chris Simpson2.67
Dean Norton2.67
Mike Bowden2.50
David Stokes2.40
Karl Bainbridge2.00
Mark Thompson2.00
Andy Cooper0.00
Swindon SprocketsCMA
Scott Pegler10.32
Krister Marsh9.26
Keith Lansley6.75
Gary Phelps6.57
Scott Donovan4.44
Martin Williams4.11
Simon Paget3.19
John Jeffries9.78
Malcolm Holloway9.33
Alan Spencer6.00
Wayne Holloway1.33
Richard Holloway0.00

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: More variety for the Tigers . Cambridge Daily News . 15 March 1996 . 14 July 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  2. Web site: Major League Competitions. Speedway Archive.
  3. Web site: 1996 Tables. Speedway GB.com.
  4. Web site: Linlithgow Speedway. Defunct Speedway.
  5. Web site: BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - MODERN ERA (1991-PRESENT). Official British Speedway website. 11 September 2021.
  6. Web site: 1996 Conference League Knockout Cup Final. Speedway GB.
  7. News: Half a team . Cambridge Daily News . 9 September 1996 . 28 June 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  8. Total points scored, plus bonus points, divided by total number of races, multiplied by 4