1983 British League season
League | British League |
---|---|
Champions | Cradley Heath Heathens |
Knockout Cup | Cradley Heath Heathens |
League Cup | Belle Vue Aces |
Individual | Erik Gundersen |
Highest average | Hans Nielsen |
Division/s below | 1983 National League |
The 1983 British League season was the 49th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 19th known as the British League.[1]
Summary[]
Cradley Heath Heathens won the league and cup double.[2] Despite losing their double world champion Bruce Penhall to retirement the Cradley side performed just as well. Erik Gundersen, Simon Wigg and Lance King were now some of the world's leading riders and backed up by Phil Collins, Alan Grahame and Peter Ravn they were a formidable team. Even Penhall's replacement, a new signing from Denmark Jan O. Pedersen was already showing signs of a bright future.[3]
Final table[]
Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
1 | Cradley Heath Heathens | 28 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 52 |
2 | Ipswich Witches | 28 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 45 |
3 | Coventry Bees | 28 | 19 | 0 | 9 | 38 |
4 | Reading Racers | 28 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 34 |
5 | Belle Vue Aces | 28 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 33 |
6 | Wimbledon Dons | 28 | 15 | 1 | 12 | 31 |
7 | Hackney Hawks | 28 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
8 | King's Lynn Stars | 28 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 25 |
9 | Birmingham Brummies | 28 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 24 |
10 | Sheffield Tigers | 28 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 22 |
11 | Halifax Dukes | 28 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 21 |
12 | Leicester Lions | 28 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 20 |
13 | Poole Pirates | 28 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 18 |
14 | Eastbourne Eagles | 28 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 15 |
15 | Swindon Robins | 28 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 14 |
M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points
Leading averages[]
Rider | Team | Average |
---|---|---|
Hans Nielsen | Birmingham | 10.82 |
Dennis Sigalos | Ipswich | 10.75 |
Chris Morton | Belle Vue | 10.30 |
Kenny Carter | Halifax | 10.28 |
Erik Gundersen | Cradley Heath | 10.23 |
Michael Lee | Poole | 10.16 |
Phil Crump | Swindon | 10.03 |
Mitch Shirra | Reading | 10.02 |
Tommy Knudsen | Coventry | 9.87 |
Billy Sanders | Ipswich | 9.70 |
Ole Olsen | Coventry | 9.56 |
British League Knockout Cup[]
The 1983 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 45th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners.[4]
First Round[]
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
09/07 | Belle Vue | 56-22 | Halifax |
30/06 | Wimbledon | 46-32 | Swindon |
25/06 | Halifax | 41-37 | Belle Vue |
25/06 | Swindon | 34-44 | Wimbledon |
19/06 | Eastbourne | 34-43 | Kings Lynn |
11/06 | Coventry | 45-33 | Sheffield |
11/06 | Cradley Heath | 46-32 | Hackney |
11/06 | Kings Lynn | 47-31 | Eastbourne |
09/06 | Sheffield | 37-41 | Coventry |
30/05 | Birmingham | 43-35 | Reading |
30/05 | Reading | 44-34 | Birmingham |
27/05 | Hackney | 35-43 | Cradley Heath |
24/05 | Leicester | 40-38 | Ipswich |
19/05 | Ipswich | 43-34 | Leicester |
Quarter Finals[]
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
21/08 | Kings Lynn | 45-33 | Belle Vue |
20/08 | Belle Vue | 58-20 | Kings Lynn |
23/07 | Coventry | 44-34 | Wimbledon |
21/07 | Wimbledon | 38-40 | Coventry |
18/07 | Reading | 40-38 | Ipswich |
13/07 | Poole | 35-43 | Cradley Heath |
09/07 | Cradley Heath | 53-25 | Poole |
07/07 | Ipswich | 39-39 | Reading |
Semi Finals[]
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | Belle Vue | 38-40 | Coventry |
08/10 | Coventry | 44-34 | Belle Vue |
24/09 | Cradley Heath | 47-31 | Reading |
19/09 | Reading | 32-46 | Cradley Heath |
Final[]
First leg[]
Coventry Bees Ole Olsen 10 8 7 5 Rick Miller 4 Finn Thomsen (guest) 3 2 | 39 - 39 | Cradley Heath Erik Gundersen 13 Simon Wigg 11 Phil Collins 8 Alan Grahame 3 Peter Ravn 2 Jan O. Pedersen 2 Lance King R/R |
---|---|---|
[5] |
Second leg[]
Cradley Heath Erik Gundersen 13 Alan Grahame 9 Peter Ravn 7 Simon Wigg 7 Phil Collins 6 Jan O. Pedersen 5 Lance King R/R | 47 - 31 | Coventry Bees Ole Olsen 10 10 Bo Petersen (guest) 7 2 Rick Miller 1 1 0 |
---|---|---|
[5] |
Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 86-70.
League Cup[]
The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Belle Vue Aces beating Coventry Bees in the final 86-70 on aggregate.
South Group[]
Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
1 | Wimbledon Dons | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
2 | Ipswich Witches | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 18 |
3 | Reading Racers | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
4 | Poole Pirates | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
5 | Hackney Hawks | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
6 | King's Lynn Stars | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 13 |
7 | Eastbourne Eagles | 14 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 5 |
8 | Swindon Robins | 13 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
North Group[]
Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
1 | Coventry Bees | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 19 |
2 | Belle Vue Aces | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 16 |
3 | Cradley Heathens | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 15 |
4 | Halifax Dukes | 11 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
5 | Leicester Lions | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
6 | Sheffield Tigers | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
7 | Birmingham Brummies | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Final[]
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
22/10 | Coventry | 39–39 | Belle Vue |
23/10 | Belle Vue | 47–31 | Coventry |
Teams[]
Belle Vue Aces[]
- Bobby Beaton
- Louis Carr
- Peter Carr
- Peter Collins
- Rod Hunter
- Kenny McKinna
- Chris Morton
- Peter Ravn
- Larry Ross
- Andy Smith
Birmingham Brummies[]
- Nigel Crabtree
- Bruce Cribb
- Neil Evitts
- Mark Fiora
- Andy Grahame
- Derek Harrison
- John Jørgensen
- Karl Maier
- Hans Nielsen
- Petr Ondrašík
- Paul Thorp
- Steve Wilcock
Coventry Bees[]
- Steve Bastable
- David Gagen
- Gary Guglielmi
- Tommy Knudsen
- Ole Olsen
- Rick Miller
- Keith White
Cradley Heath[]
- Ian Barney
- Phil Collins
- Simon Cross
- Alan Grahame
- Erik Gundersen
- Lance King
- Jan O. Pedersen
- Peter Ravn
- Simon Wigg
Eastbourne Eagles[]
- Ian Barney
- Trevor Geer
- Mike Lanham
- Finn Jensen
- Barney Kennett
- Lillebror Johansson
- Petr Ondrašík
- Paul Woods
Hackney Hawks[]
- Ian Clark
- Marvyn Cox
- Bob Garrad
- Martin Hagon
- Antonín Kasper Jr.
- Bo Petersen
- Jens Rasmussen
- Barry Thomas
- Finn Thomsen
- John Titman
- Sean Willmott
Halifax Dukes[]
- Steve Baker
- Eric Boocock
- Kenny Carter
- Martin Dixon
- Doug Wyer
Ipswich Witches[]
- Jeremy Doncaster
- Preben Eriksen
- Billy Sanders
- Dennis Sigalos
King's Lynn Stars[]
- Richard Hellsen
- Kevin Jolly
- Gordon Kennett
- John Louis
- Colin Richardson
- Melvyn Taylor
Leicester Lions[]
- David Blackburn
- Billy Burton
- Les Collins
- Neil Collins
- Colin Cook
- Mark Courtney
- Mark Fiora
- Finn Jensen
- Phil Herne
- Mike Lanham
- Rob Lightfoot
- Steen Mastrup
- Joe Owen
- Steve Regeling
Poole Pirates[]
- Andy Campbell
- John Davis
- Sam Ermolenko
- Robert Henry
- Michael Lee
- Neil Middleditch
- Kevin Smith
- Erik Stenlund
- Václav Verner
Reading Racers[]
- Jan Andersson
- Pierre Brannefors
- Derek Harrison
- Tim Hunt
- Finn Jensen
- Richard Knight
- Steve McDermott
- Dave Perks
- Steve Schofield
- Bobby Schwartz
- Mitch Shirra
- Glyn Taylor
Sheffield Tigers[]
- David Bargh
- John Davis
- Shawn Moran
- Dave Morton
- David Walsh
- Reg Wilson
Swindon Robins[]
- Alf Busk
- Phil Crump
- Phil Herne
- Malcolm Holloway
- Tim Hunt
- Bob Kilby
- Steen Mastrup
- Alun Rossiter
- Per Sorensen
- Milan Špinka
- Martin Yeates
Wimbledon Dons[]
- Mike Ferreira
- Dave Jessup
- Roger Johns
- Richard Knight
- Kai Niemi
- Alan Mogridge
- Malcolm Simmons
- Kelvin Tatum
See also[]
- List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
- Knockout Cup (speedway)
References[]
- ^ "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
- ^ "1983 league tables". Speedway GB.
- ^ "1983". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "1983 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
- ^ a b "Coventry Bees 1983 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- British League
- 1983 in British motorsport
- 1983 in speedway