1956 Speedway National League Division Two

British motorcycle speedway season October 2023 October 2023 National League Division Two 7 Champions Swindon Robins National Trophy(Div 2 final) Southampton Saints National League (Div 1) Southern League Per Olof Söderman 1955 1957 1956 was the final season of the Speedway National League Division Two.http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/ Home speedwayresearcher.org.uk Summary With the number of sides competing at national level diminishing from 37 at the start of 1951 to just 14 in 1956, only a single national division would be in existence by 1957. Poole Pirates had been promoted to Division One and Exeter Falcons had closed leaving seven entrants.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway Archivehttps://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/history/leaguetables1946-1964 BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964) Official British Speedway website 13 August 2021 Swindon Robins captured the title by a single point.https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1956.html Year by Year Speedway Researcher 13 August 2021Rogers Martin The Illustrated History of Speedway 1978 129 Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd 0-904584-45-3 Southampton's 34-year-old captain Ernie Rawlins died in Southampton Hospital on 22 September 1956, following an accident in the match against Birmingham on 18 September.Speedway Star Dies Sunday Sun (Newcastle) 23 September 1956 13 August 2021 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001723/19560923/002/0001 British Newspaper Archive subscription Final table Pos Team M W D L Pts1 Swindon Robins 24 16 0 8 322 Southampton Saints 24 15 1 8 313 Rayleigh Rockets 24 14 1 9 294 Ipswich Witches 24 13 0 11 265 Coventry Bees 24 12 0 12 246 Leicester Hunters 24 6 1 17 137 Oxford Cheetahs 24 6 1 17 13 Fixtures & results A Fixtures main FBR grey COV IPS LEI OX RAY SOT SWI Coventry 51–44 53–43 71–25 54–42 63–33 43–53 Ipswich 51–45 56–40 65–30 49–46 57–39 47–49 Leicester 45–51 55–41 58–38 40–56 47–49 45–51 Oxford 54–42 55–41 47–49 48–48 38–58 47–49 Rayleigh 64–32 55–41 69–27 63–33 67–29 64–32 Southampton 60–36 54–42 48–48 63–33 60–36 59–37 Swindon 53–41 56–40 50–46 55–41 52–44 57–39 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1956.html Speedway Researcher 1956 fixtures & results 22 January 2025 B Fixtures main FBR grey COV IPS LEI OX RAY SOT SWI Coventry 46–50 49–47 56–40 56–40 51–42 51–45 Ipswich 54–42 57–39 63–32 51–45 53–43 47–49 Leicester 43–52 47–49 66–30 62–34 41–55 53–43 Oxford 59–37 45–51 50–46 48–47 45–51 51–45 Rayleigh 54–42 68–28 55–41 58–38 62–34 49–47 Southampton 50–46 53–43 70–26 66–30 63–33 57–39 Swindon 55–40 65–31 61–34 56–39 46–49 51–45 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1956.html Speedway Researcher 1956 fixtures & results 22 January 2025 Top Five Riders (League only) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Per Olof Söderman SWE Coventry 11.74 2 Ken McKinlay SCO Leicester 10.25 3 Dick Bradley ENG Southampton 10.22 4 Bob Roger ENG Swindon 9.53 5 Ian Williams WAL Swindon 9.52 National Trophy Stage One For Stage Two - see Stage Two The 1956 National Trophy was the 19th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of two stages; stage one was for the second-tier clubs, stage two was for the top-tier clubs. Southampton won stage one and qualified for second and final stage.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2013/06/national-trophy-1956.html 1956 National Trophy Speedway archive Division Two First round Date Team one Score Team two21/04 Coventry 55-53 Ipswich21/04 Rayleigh 74-34 Oxford21/04 Swindon 65-43 Leicester20/04 Leicester 65-43 Swindon19/04 Ipswich 68-40 Coventry19/04 Oxford 40-68 Rayleigh05/05replay Swindon 51-56 Leicester04/05replay Leicester 76-32 Swindon Division Two semifinals Date Team one Score Team two26/05 Rayleigh 68-39 Southampton25/05 Leicester 67-40 Ipswich22/05 Southampton 69-39 Rayleigh21/05 Ipswich 46-62 Leicester Division Two final First leg 19 June 1956 Southampton SaintsDick Bradley 15Brian Hanham 13Ernie Rawlins 12Johnny Hole 7Frank Bettis 6Alby Golden 5Maurie Mattingley 4Ron Sharp 2 64 – 43 https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/southampton1956.pdf 1956 Southampton results Speedway Researcher 13 October 2022 Leicester LionsKen McKinlay 14Ron Phillips 11Charlie Barsby 5Len Williams 5Bryan Elliott 3Barrie East 3Gordon McGregor 2Ivor Brown 0 Banister Court Stadium Second leg 22 June 1956 Leicester LionsLen Williams 12Ken McKinlay 9Ron Phillips 8Gordon McGregor 7Charlie Barsby 6Barrie East 4Ivor Brown 4Dennis Parker 4 54 – 54 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003330/19560623/390/0009 Hunters' Draw was not enough:Exit Leicester Evening Mail 23 June 1956 British Newspaper Archive subscription 5 October 2024 Southampton SaintsErnie Rawlins 14Dick Bradley 13Brian Hanham 9Maurie Mattingley 7Alby Golden 5Johnny Hole 2Frank Bettis 2Ron Sharp 2 Leicester Stadium Riders & final averages Coventry 22em SWE Per Olof Söderman 11.74 SCO Bob Mark 7.50 NZL Charlie New 8.04 ENG Reg Duval 6.53 ENG Nick Nicholls 6.40 ENG Jim Lightfoot 5.98 ENG Eric Hockaday 5.05 ENG Les Tolley 4.41 Ipswich 22em ENG Bert Edwards 9.21 AUS Bob Sharp 8.93 AUS Junior Bainbridge 8.70 ENG Tich Read (George Snailum) 6.40 ENG Ken Adams 5.31 ENG Danny Dunton 4.56 SCO Larry Lazarus 3.54 AUS Bill Bryden 3.05 ENG Ken Last 2.76 ENG Len Silver 2.33 Leicester 22em SCO Ken McKinlay 10.25 SCO Gordon McGregor 8.21 ENG Derick Close 6. ENG Johnny Green 5. ENG Charlie Barsby 5.92 ENG Len Williams 5.89 AUS Ron Phillips 5.61 ENG Les McGillivray 4.73 ENG Barry East 3.61 ENG Bryan Elliott 2.42 ENG Vic Hall 2.09 ENG Dennis Parker 1.33 ENG Ivor Brown 1.33 Oxford 22em ENG Ronnie Genz 8.53 ENG Peter Robinson 6.20 ENG Bob Baker 5.90 ENG Dennis Newton 5.60 ENG Howdy Byford 5.55 ENG Pat Clark 5.07 ENG Terry Courtnell 4.70 SCO Tommy Miller 4.29 NZL Bill Thatcher 4.00 ENG Roy Bowers 4.00 ENG Jim Tebby 3.69 ENG Maury Courtnell 2.46 Rayleigh 22em ENG Jack Unstead 9.50 ENG Gerry Jackson 8.25 ENG Les McGillivray 7.78 ENG Pete Lansdale 7.17 ENG Alan Smith 6.99 ENG Maury McDermott 6.40 GGY Johnny Fitzpatrick 5.38 ENG Eric Ebbs 5.33 Southampton 22em ENG Dick Bradley 10.22 ENG Bill Holden 8.48 ENG Ernie Rawlins 8.41 ENG Brian Hanham 8.36 ENG Ron Sharp 5.75 ENG Alby Golden 5.43 ENG Maury Mattingley 5.25 ENG Johnny Hole 5.17 ENG Charlie May 4.59 ENG Frank Bettis 3.20 Swindon 22em ENG Bob Roger 9.53 WAL Ian Williams 9.52 ENG George White 9.15 ENG Ernie Lessiter 5.69 ENG Ray Harris 4.76 ENG Ron Swaine 4.13 ENG Danny Malone 3.83 ENG Al Sparrey 3.58 ENG Glyn Chandler 3.08 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:Speedway National League Division Two Speedway National League Division Two National League Division Two