1952 Speedway Southern League

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1952 Speedway Southern League
LeagueSouthern League
Season1952
ChampionsRayleigh Rockets
No. of competitors10
National Trophy
(Southern final)		Plymouth Devils
Highest average
Division/s aboveNational League Div 1
National League Div 2

The 1952 Southern League was the first season of the newly created regional third tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams. From the defunct National League Division Three of the previous season, only Poole Pirates did not join the new league. Ipswich Witches and Southampton Saints were new entrants.[1]

Rayleigh Rockets were champions whilst Long Eaton Archers withdrew mid-season.[2] of Plymouth topped the averages.[3][4]

Final table[]

Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Rayleigh Rockets 36 28 0 8 56
2 Cardiff Dragons 36 23 0 13 46
3 Plymouth Devils 36 20 1 15 41
4 Wolverhampton Wasps 36 20 1 15 41
5 Exeter Falcons 36 20 1 15 41
6 Swindon Robins 36 18 0 18 36
7 Aldershot Shots 36 15 1 20 31
8 Ipswich Witches 36 12 0 24 24
9 Southampton Saints 36 11 0 25 22
10 St Austell Gulls 36 11 0 25 22

Withdrawal (Record expunged) : Long Eaton Archers

Leading Averages[]

Rider Team C.M.A.
1 Plymouth 10.26
2 Plymouth 9.93
3 Plymouth 9.46
4 Exeter 9.45
5 Rayleigh 9.33

National Trophy Stage Three[]

  • For Stage Two - see Stage Two
  • For Stage Three - see Stage Three

The 1952 National Trophy was the 15th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of three stages; stage one was for the third tier clubs, stage two was for the second tier 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. Plymouth won stage one and therefore qualified for stage two.[5]

Third Division Qualifying First Round[]

Date Team One Score Team Two
22/04 Southampton 49-58 Cardiff
18/04 Wolverhampton 74-33 Long Eaton
17/04 Cardiff 75-33 Southampton
17/04 Long Eaton 58-50 Wolverhampton

Third Division Qualifying Second Round[]

Date Team One Score Team Two
26/04 Swindon 52-56 Cardiff
25/04 Wolverhampton 49-59 Exeter
24/04 Cardiff 74-32 Swindon
24/04 Ipswich 50-57 Rayleigh
21/04 Exeter 73-34 Wolverhampton
19/04 Rayleigh 60-48 Ipswich
19/04 Aldershot 48-60 Plymouth
17/04 Plymouth 76-31 Aldershot

Third Division Qualifying Semi Finals[]

Date Team One Score Team Two
08/05 Cardiff 59-48 Rayleigh
03/05 Rayleigh 70-38 Cardiff
01/05 Plymouth 67-41 Exeter
28/04 Exeter 57-51 Plymouth

Qualifying Final[]

First leg

Plymouth Devils
Pete Lansdale 17
George Wall 16
Bill Tatcher 14
Alan Smith 11
Brian Hitchcock 5
Denis Hayles 3
Doug Fursey 3
Frank Wheeler 0		69 – 38Rayleigh Rockets
Jack Unstead 10
Peter Clark 8
Julie Benson 6
Ron Howes 5
Tom O'Connor 3
Gerald Jackson 3
Les McGillivray 2
Maurice McDermott 1
[6]
Pennycross Stadium

Second leg

Rayleigh Rockets
Jack Unstead 16
Les McGillivray 13
Gerald Jackson 10
Julie Benson 10
Ron Howes 8
Tom O'Connor 5
Peter Clark 5
Maurice McDermott 0		67 – 41Plymouth Devils
George Wall 14
Alan Smith 10
Pete Lansdale 8
Bill Tatcher 4
Brian Hitchcock 3
Johnny Bradford 2
Denis Hayles 1
Frank Wheeler 0
[7][6]
Rayleigh Weir Stadium


See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Major League Competitions". Speedway Archive.
  2. ^ http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/docs/1952/leaguetables.pdf[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Southern League 1952" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. ^ http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/speedwayyears/1952.html[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "1952 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
  6. ^ a b "Rayleigh 1952 results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Lightfoot the Phantom". Sunday Mirror. 18 May 1952. Retrieved 4 November 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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