1953 Speedway National League


The 1953 National League Division One was the 19th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the eighth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

Summary

Wembley Lions won their fifth consecutive title and their eighth overall.
Wimbledon Dons won the National Trophy for the fourth time and Harringay Racers completed a cup double winning the Coronation Cup and London Cup.
New Cross Rangers folded part way through the 1953 season because MD Fred Mockford stated attendances were down to 5,000 and racing was being staged at a loss.
Novice rider Harry Eyre died in Poplar Hospital on 7 July 1953. He suffered fatal injuries earlier that evening at West Ham Stadium, in a second half novices match against Bradford.

National League final table

New Cross Rangers withdrew mid-season - record expunged.

Coronation Cup

The Coronation Cup was run in a league format. Harringay Racers came out on top.
PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Harringay Racers16120424
2Wembley Lions1690718
3Bradford Tudors1681717
4Belle Vue Aces1680816
5Norwich Stars1671815
6Wimbledon Dons1670914
7West Ham Hammers1670914
8Bristol Bulldogs1670914
9Birmingham Brummies16601012

New Cross Rangers completed 14 of their 16 fixtures before withdrawing and their record was expunged.

National Trophy

The 1953 National Trophy was the 16th edition of the Knockout Cup.
First round
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
25/04Ipswich57-51Southampton
25/04 Swindon 68-40Exeter
24/04 Plymouth54-54Oxford
23/04 Cardiff80-28St Austell
23/04 Oxford66-42Plymouth
21/04 Southampton74-33Ipswich
21/04 St Austell55-53Cardiff
20/04 Exeter60-48Swindon

Second round
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
19/05 Cardiff 42.5-65.5Leicester
15/05 Leicester70-38Cardiff
15/05 Motherwell78-30Swindon
15/05 Wolverhampton71-37Southampton
14/05 Oxford51-57Rayleigh
12/05 Southampton49-59Wolverhampton
11/05 Liverpool40-68Coventry
09/05 Coventry76-32Liverpool
09/05 Edinburgh47-61Glasgow White City
09/05 Rayleigh67-41Oxford
09/05 Stoke69-39Yarmouth
09/05 Swindon62-46Motherwell
06/05 Glasgow White City75-33Edinburgh
05/05 Yarmouth52-55Stoke

Third round
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
24/06 Glasgow White City76-32Wolverhampton
29/05 Leicester68-40Rayleigh
29/05 Motherwell73-35Poole
29/05 Wolverhampton49-59Glasgow White City
25/05 Poole62-46Motherwell
23/05 Coventry69-39Stoke
23/05 Rayleigh72-36 Leicester
21/05 Stoke71-37Coventry

Fourth round
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
11/07 Bradford Odsal63-45 Bristol
04/07 Belle Vue50-58Wimbledon
04/07 Harringay85-23Motherwell
04/07 Norwich71-37West Ham
04/07 Rayleigh64-44Glasgow White City
03/07 Bristol 65-42Bradford Odsal
03/07 Motherwell63-45Harringay
01/07 Glasgow White City69-39Rayleigh
30/06 West Ham59-49Norwich
29/06 Wimbledon77-31Belle Vue

Quarterfinals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
01/08 Stoke38-70Wimbledon
25/07 Norwich58-49Bristol
24/07 Bristol64-44Norwich
20/07 Wimbledon89-19Stoke
18/07 Harringay40-68Wembley
16/07 Wembley 60-48Harringay
15/07 Glasgow White City56-52Birmingham
11/07 Birmingham70-38Glasgow White City

'''Semifinals'''

Final

First leg
Second leg
Wimbledon were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 110–106.

London Cup

First round
Team oneScoreTeam two
Wimbledon61–46, 56–52Wembley

Semi final round
Team oneScoreTeam two
Wimbledon46–58, 38–69West Ham
Harringay64–44, w/oNew Cross

Final

First leg
Second leg
Harringay won on aggregate '''110–106'''

Midland Cup

Birmingham won the Midland Cup, which consisted of six teams. There were two teams from division 1 and four teams from division 2.
First round
Team oneTeam twoScore
LeicesterStoke65–31, 46–50

Semi final round
Team oneTeam twoScore
LeicesterCoventry50–46, 43–53
BirminghamBradford73–25, 59–37

Final

First leg
Second leg
Birmingham won on aggregate '''119–73'''

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue
  • 7.88
  • 7.74
  • 8.27
  • 7.00
  • 6.69
  • 4.62
  • 4.22
  • 3.87
  • 3.86
  • 3.74
  • 2.00
  • 2.00
Birmingham
  • 10.47
  • 7.67
  • 7.64
  • 7.19
  • 7.19
  • 6.36
  • 5.97
  • 4.57
  • 4.48
  • 4.21
  • 3.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.18
Bradford
  • 9.94
  • 8.00
  • 7.14
  • 6.26
  • 6.20
  • 5.50
  • 5.69
  • 5.04
  • 5.00
  • 3.69
  • 4.27
Bristol
  • 10.25
  • 8.13
  • 7.88
  • 7.55
  • 6.67
  • 6.10
  • 5.80
  • 4.37
  • 4.24
Harringay
  • 9.84
  • 9.00
  • 8.14
  • 7.73
  • 7.60
  • 5.87
  • 5.33
  • 5.00
  • 4.68
  • 4.00
New Cross
Norwich
  • 9.19
  • 7.48
  • 6.76
  • 6.40
  • 5.60
  • 5.49
  • 5.12
  • 3.40
  • 2.29
  • 2.00
Wembley
  • 10.13
  • 9.66
  • 9.13
  • 7.87
  • 6.26
  • 4.78
  • 6.23
  • 6.05
  • 4.57
West Ham
  • 10.61
  • 8.00
  • 7.43
  • 7.72
  • 4.68
  • 4.49
  • 5.50
  • 3.92
  • 2.86
  • 2.29
Wimbledon
  • 10.63
  • 8.66
  • 8.00
  • 6.97
  • 6.31
  • 7.50
  • 5.57
  • 5.05
  • 4.49
  • 4.42
  • 2.72
  • 1.60