Eastbourne Eagles

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Eastbourne Eagles
Eastbourne Eagles Logo, 2020.png
Club information
Track addressArlington Stadium
Arlington
Hailsham
Sussex BN27 1RN
CountryEngland England
Founded1929
Team managerTrevor Geer
Team captainLewis Kerr
LeagueSGB Championship
Websitewww.eastbourne-speedway.com
Club facts
ColoursBlue & Yellow
Track size275 metres (301 yd)
Track record time54.9 seconds
Track record holderJason Crump & Chris Holder
Major team honours
League champions1995, 2000
Division 2 champions1959, 1971, 1977, 1986, 1987
Division 3 champions1947, 2018
Knockout Cup winners1994, 1997, 2002, 2008
Knockout Cup Div 21975, 1977, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1987
Knockout Cup Div 32015, 2016, 2017, 2018

The Eastbourne Eagles are a British speedway team, based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne, England, that race in the SGB Championship.

History[]

1976 Eagles

Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in 1929.[1] During their first league season they were the 1947 Speedway National League Division Three champions. Despite winning the title at their first attempt they were forced to close down due to a petrol ban enforced at their Arlington Stadium. They decided to transfer their team to Hastings Saxons and at the beginning of 1948 the Speedway Control Board granted a licence to Hastings to stage speedway. Eastbourne would not compete again in the league until they joined the Southern Area League in 1954.[2]

In 1957, they won the 1959 Southern Area League which was the second division league at the time but once again did not compete in league action for another decade. The Eagles returned for the 1969 British League Division Two season and two years later won their piece of silverware, winning the 1971 British League Division Two.[3] The club won their first (of many) Knockout Cups in 1975.

In 1995, Eastbourne won their first highest league title, after they won the 1995 Premier League speedway season. The gulf in quality of teams was evident after the merging of the two leagues, with the Eagles winning the title 56 points clear of bottom club Exeter Falcons.[4] Eastbourne had been an easy runner-up the previous year to runaway winners Poole Pirates and retained four of their riders Martin Dugard, Dean Barker, Stefan Dannö and Stefan Andersson, which provided enough firepower to seal the Championship.[5]

They became the highest league champions for the second time after winning the 2000 Speedway Elite League. They were Elite League Knockout Cup winners in 2002[6] and again in 2008.[7] The 2008 success was their fourth highest division Knockout Cup win. The Eagles competed in the Elite League until 2014 and the National League from 2015 until 2018.

In 2021, the Eagles competed in the SGB Championship 2021 (division 2) but withdrew from the league (on 26 August) because of financial problems. Their results were expunged as were the NDL results of their junior side called the Eastbourne Seagulls.[8]

Notable former riders[]

Season summary[]

Extended content
Year and league Position Notes
1947 Speedway National League Division Three 1st champions
1954 Southern Area League 5th
1955 Southern Area League 4th
1956 Southern Area League 2nd
1957 Southern Area League 2nd
1959 Southern Area League 1st champions
1969 British League Division Two season 8th
1970 British League Division Two season 2nd
1971 British League Division Two season 1st champions
1972 British League Division Two season 5th
1973 British League Division Two season 3rd
1974 British League Division Two season 2nd
1975 New National League season 4th Knockout Cup winners
1976 National League season 8th
1977 National League season 1st champions & Knockout Cup winners
1978 National League season 4th Knockout Cup winners
1979 British League season 16th
1980 British League season 16th
1981 British League season 13th
1982 British League season 12th
1983 British League season 14th
1984 British League season 11th
1985 National League season 10th
1986 National League season 1st champions & Knockout Cup winners
1987 National League season 1st champions & Knockout Cup winners
1988 National League season 3rd
1989 National League season 7th
1990 National League season 11th
1991 British League season 12th
1992 British League season 12th
1993 British League season 3rd
1994 British League season 2nd Knockout Cup winners
1995 Premier League speedway season 1st champions
1996 Premier League speedway season 3rd
1997 Elite League speedway season 2nd Knockout Cup winners
1998 Elite League speedway season 5th
1999 Elite League speedway season 9th
2000 Elite League speedway season 1st champions
2001 Elite League speedway season 7th
2002 Elite League speedway season 1st PO final & Knockout Cup winners
2003 Elite League speedway season 6th
2004 Elite League speedway season 4th
2005 Elite League speedway season 4th
2006 Elite League speedway season 9th
2007 Elite League speedway season 7th
2008 Elite League speedway season 5th Knockout Cup winners
2009 Elite League speedway season 7th Elite Shield
2010 Elite League speedway season 7th
2011 Elite League speedway season 2nd PO final
2012 Elite League speedway season 5th
2013 Elite League speedway season 8th
2014 Elite League speedway season 5th
2015 National League speedway season 2nd Knockout Cup winners
2016 National League speedway season 3rd Knockout Cup winners
2017 National League speedway season 1st PO final & Knockout Cup winners
2018 National League speedway season 2nd champions (PO winners) & Knockout Cup winners
SGB Championship 2019 9th
SGB Championship 2021 N/A withdrew, results expunged

Season summary (juniors)[]

Extended content
Year and league Position Notes
1996 Speedway Conference League 12th Starlets
2021 National Development League speedway season N/A Seagulls, withdrew, results expunged

2021 season
the Seagulls were formed in February 2021 tand disbanded in August 2021. This was the junior side of the Eagles.[9] The Seagulls' first two signings for the season were Jake Knight and Richard Andrews, both returning to Arlington having ridden for the Eagles when they were in the National League.[10][11] Club asset, and local youngster, Nathan Ablitt was then confirmed as one of the Seagulls' reserves starting on a 3.00 average.[12] The Seagulls then completed the signings of Chad Wirtzfeld and Connor King, who both had previous National League experience with the Isle of Wight Warriors.[13][14] Henry Atkins became the Seagulls' sixth signing, he raced for the Seagulls alongside riding for his SGB Championship team, the Plymouth Gladiators.[15] Another local rider, Nick Laurence, was named as the Seagulls' second reserve and their final signing.[16]

Riders previous seasons[]

Extended content

2021 team

2019 team

2018 team

2017 team

2016 team

2015 team

  • New Zealand Bradley Wilson-Dean
  • England Ben Hopwood
  • England Marc Owen
  • Germany Daniel Spiller
  • England Georgie Wood
  • England Richard Andrews
  • England Kelsey Dugard

2014 team

2013 team

2012 team

Notes

  1. ^ Tom Brennan was replaced in the team by Kyle Newman on 21 May 2019.
  2. ^ Ben Morley was replaced in the team by Jason Edwards on 16 July 2019.
  3. ^ Kelsey Dugard was replaced in the team by Ethan Spiller on 27 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b Kelsey Dugard and Connor Coles were replaced in the team by Matt Saul and Jake Knight on 2 June 2017.
  5. ^ Matt Saul was replaced in the team by Charlie Saunders on 3 August 2017.
  6. ^ Mark Baseby was replaced in the team by Josh Bailey on 23 August 2017.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
  2. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  4. ^ "HISTORY ARCHIVE". British Speedway. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ^ "1995 league tables". Speedway GB.
  6. ^ Bamford, Robert (January 2004). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2004. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524-2915-9.
  7. ^ "Eagles seal KO Cup shock". Skysports. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  8. ^ "Eastbourne Speedway withdraw from 2021 season". Eastbourne Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  9. ^ "National Development League Details". Speedway GB. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Knight back for Seagulls". Speedway GB. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Andrews joins Seagulls". Speedway GB. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Ablitt is our latest Seagull". Eastbourne Eagles. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Eastbourne welcomes Chad Wirtzfeld". Eastbourne Eagles. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Connor King announced as the fifth Seagull". Eastbourne Eagles. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Atkins joins Seagulls NDL squad". Eastbourne Eagles. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Laurence completes Seagulls". Speedway GB. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
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