1976 British League season
League | British League |
---|---|
Champions | Ipswich Witches |
No. of competitors | 19 |
Knockout Cup | Ipswich Witches |
Individual | Ole Olsen |
Pairs | Ipswich Witches |
Highest average | John Louis |
Division/s below | 1976 National League |
The 1976 Gulf British League season was the 42nd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom[1] and the 12th season known as the British League.[2]
Summary
The White City Rebels made their debut as did 1975 National League champions Birmingham Brummies.[3] Oxford Cheetahs dropped down a division with White City inheriting both their riders and their nickname. The league was sponsored by Gulf Oil for a second season.
Ipswich Witches won their second consecutive title. The Witches team was once again headed by John Louis and Billy Sanders but this time Tony Davey also scored well with an average of 8.37, resulting in a comfortable league title success for the Suffolk team. The team then went on to claim the double on 28 October by winning the Knockout Cup.[4]
Wimbledon Dons had the worst possible start to a season when their leading rider and the man touted to be a world champion Tommy Jansson died during a 1976 Individual Speedway World Championship meeting in Stockholm, on 20 May.[5]
Final table
Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
1 | Ipswich Witches | 36 | 27 | 1 | 8 | 55 |
2 | Belle Vue Aces | 36 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 48 |
3 | Exeter Falcons | 36 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 48 |
4 | Coventry Bees | 36 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 44 |
5 | Swindon Robins | 36 | 19 | 4 | 13 | 42 |
6 | Reading Racers | 36 | 19 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
7 | Hackney Hawks | 36 | 20 | 0 | 16 | 40 |
8 | Newport | 36 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 39 |
9 | Cradley United | 36 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 39 |
10 | Poole Pirates | 36 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 37 |
11 | Wolverhampton Wolves | 36 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 37 |
12 | Hull Vikings | 36 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 36 |
13 | White City Rebels | 36 | 16 | 3 | 17 | 35 |
14 | King's Lynn Stars | 36 | 16 | 3 | 17 | 35 |
15 | Halifax Dukes | 36 | 14 | 1 | 21 | 29 |
16 | Wimbledon Dons | 36 | 12 | 3 | 21 | 27 |
17 | Sheffield Tigers | 36 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 27 |
18 | Birmingham Brummies | 36 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 14 |
19 | Leicester Lions | 36 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 11 |
M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points
Top Ten Riders
Rider | Nat | Team | C.M.A. | |
1 | John Louis | ![]() |
Ipswich Witches | 11.10 |
2= | Ivan Mauger | ![]() |
Exeter Falcons | 11.00 |
2= | Ole Olsen | ![]() |
Coventry Bees | 11.00 |
4 | Peter Collins | ![]() |
Belle Vue Aces | 10.98 |
5 | Phil Crump | ![]() |
Newport | 10.68 |
6 | Dave Jessup | ![]() |
Reading Racers | 10.42 |
7 | Malcolm Simmons | ![]() |
Poole Pirates | 10.30 |
8 | Dave Morton | ![]() |
Hackney Hawks | 10.28 |
9 | John Boulger | ![]() |
Cradley United | 9.93 |
10 | Martin Ashby | ![]() |
Swindon Robins | 9.89 |
British League Knockout Cup
The 1976 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 38th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Ipswich Witches were the winners.[6]
First Round
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
04/05 | Leicester | 39-39 | Halifax |
29/04 | Wimbledon | 48-30 | Birmingham |
26/04 | Birmingham | 38-40 | Wimbledon |
10/04 | Coventry | 48-30 | Wolverhampton |
09/04 | Wolverhampton | 38-39 | Coventry |
27/03 | Halifax | 41-37 | Leicester |
Second Round
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
31/07 | Belle Vue | 49-29 | Wimbledon |
01/07 | Coventry | 46-32 | White City |
27/06 | Halifax | 46-32 | Hull |
24/06 | Wimbledon | 35-43 | Belle Vue |
21/06 | Exeter | 46-32 | Newport |
12/06 | Cradley Heath | 34-44 | Ipswich |
10/06 | Ipswich | 39-38 | Cradley Heath |
09/06 | Hull | 44.5-33.5 | Halifax |
04/06 | Hackney | 40-38 | Reading |
04/06 | Newport | 47-31 | Exeter |
03/06 | Sheffield | 36-42 | Kings Lynn |
02/06 | Poole | 42-36 | Swindon |
31/05 | Reading | 37-41 | Hackney |
29/05 | Swindon | 54-24 | Poole |
26/05 | White City | 49-29 | Coventry |
22/05 | Kings Lynn | 42-36 | Sheffield |
Quarter Finals
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
18/09 | Halifax | 47-31 | Hackney |
03/09 | Hackney | 41-37 | Halifax |
26/08 | Ipswich | 45-33 | Swindon |
23/08 | Belle Vue | 45-33 | Newport |
18/08 | White City | 38-40 | Kings Lynn |
14/08 | Kings Lynn | 44-34 | White City |
13/08 | Newport | 40-38 | Belle Vue |
24/07 | Swindon | 44-34 | Ipswich |
Semi Finals
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
03/10 | Halifax | 42-35 | Kings Lynn |
02/10 | Belle Vue | 41-37 | Ipswich |
30/09 | Ipswich | 43-35 | Belle Vue |
29/09 | Kings Lynn | 46-32 | Halifax |
Final
First leg
Second leg
Ipswich Witches were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 91-63.
Teams
Belle Vue Aces
-
Jim Brett
-
Les Collins
-
Peter Collins
-
Russ Hodgson
-
Phil Kynman
-
Steve Lawson
-
Chris Morton
-
Kristian Praestbro
-
Geoff Pusey
-
Derek Richardson
-
Chris Turner
-
Paul Tyrer
-
Alan Wilkinson
Birmingham Brummies
-
Keith Anderson
-
Carl Askew
-
Arthur Browning
-
Steve Davenport
-
Ricky Day
-
Mick Fishwick
-
Alan Grahame
-
Andy Grahame
-
Jan Terje Gravningen
-
Garry Middleton
-
Audun Ove Olsen
-
Lou Sansom
-
Sören Sjösten
-
Bob Valentine
Coventry Bees
-
Nigel Boocock
-
Tony Gillias
-
John Harrhy
-
Ian Hindle
-
Ole Olsen
-
Alan Molyneux
-
Dave Mortiboys
-
Mitch Shirra
-
Frank Smith
-
Jiří Štancl
Cradley United
-
Phil Bass
-
Steve Bastable
-
John Boulger
-
Paul Church
-
Ian Clark
-
Colin Cook
-
Bruce Cribb
-
Graham Kerry
-
Dave Perks
-
Bernt Persson
-
Arthur Price
-
Nigel Wasley
-
Kevin Young
Exeter Falcons
-
Kazimierz Adamczak
-
Scott Autrey
-
Keith Evans
-
Mike Farrell
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Brian Havelock
-
Kevin Holden
-
Alan Johns
-
Steve Koppe
-
Ivan Mauger
-
Geoff Mudge
-
Kelvin Mullarkey
-
Peter Prinsloo
-
Chris Robins
-
Les Rumsey
-
Bob Spelta
-
John Titman
Hackney Hawks
-
Laurie Etheridge
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Karl Fiala
-
Trevor Hedge
-
Ted Hubbard
-
Dave Kennett
-
Steve Lomas
-
Jack Millen
-
Dave Morton
-
Zenon Plech
-
Barry Thomas
-
Keith White
Halifax Dukes
-
Pete Adams
-
Ian Cartwright
-
Andy Cusworth
-
Grahame Dawson
-
Keith Evans
-
Steve Finch
-
Gerry Hintz
-
Henny Kroeze
-
Mike Lohmann
-
Charlie Monk
-
Mick Newton
-
Adam Olkiewicz
-
Graham Plant
-
Chris Pusey
Hull Vikings
-
Kazimierz Adamczak
-
Frank Auffret
-
Bobby Beaton
-
Barry Briggs
-
Mike Curoso
-
Grahame Dawson
-
Graham Drury
-
Mitch Graham
-
Brian Havelock
-
Ron Henderson
-
Phil Micheledies
-
Egon Müller
-
Joe Owen
-
Tom Owen
-
Brendan Shiletto
Ipswich Witches
-
Tony Davey
-
Colin Cook
-
Dave Gooderham
-
Andy Hines
-
Ted Howgego
-
Kevin Jolly
-
Trevor Jones
-
Mike Lanham
-
John Louis
-
Billy Sanders
King's Lynn Stars
-
Ray Bales
-
Terry Betts
-
Billy Burton
-
Stuart Cope
-
Adi Funk
-
David Gagen
-
Richard Hellsen
-
Jan Henningsen
-
Michael Lee
-
Billy Spiers
-
Pete Smith
-
Ian Turner
Leicester Lions
-
Phil Bass
-
Mike Beaumont
-
Ernst Bøgh
-
Roy Carter
-
Andy Cusworth
-
Eric Dugard
-
Reidar Eide
-
Alan Emerson
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Vic Harding
-
Tony Lomas
-
John McNeil
-
Hugh Saunders
-
Grzegorz Szczepanik
-
Ila Teromaa
-
Pepe Teromaa
-
Doug Underwood
-
Ray Wilson
Newport
-
Kazimierz Adamczak
-
Graham Banks
-
Malcolm Barrett
-
Phil Bass
-
Neil Cameron
-
Graham Clifton
-
Bob Coles
-
Phil Crump
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Steve Gresham
-
Phil Herne
-
Robert Henry
-
Danny Kennedy
-
Barney Kennett
-
Tormod Langli
-
John McNeil
-
Jack Millen
-
Preben Rosenkilde
-
Neil Street
-
Kelvin Mullarkey
-
Brian Woodward
-
Kevin Young
Poole Pirates
-
Eric Broadbelt
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Vic Harding
-
Danny Kennedy
-
Richard May
-
Neil Middleditch
-
Malcolm Simmons
-
Christer Sjösten
-
Pete Smith
-
Martin Yeates
Reading Racers
-
Mick Bell
-
Eugeniusz Blaszak
-
John Davis
-
Ian Gledhill
-
Bob Humphreys
-
Dave Jessup
-
Bernie Leigh
-
Bolesław Proch
-
Bob Spelta
-
Gary Spencer
Sheffield Tigers
-
Nicky Allott
-
Chris Bevan
-
Tony Boyle
-
Ernst Bøgh
-
Louis Carr
-
Keith Evans
-
Carl Glover
-
Les Glover
-
Arnold Haley
-
Ian Jeffcoate
-
Bengt Larsson
-
Taffy Owen
-
Craig Pendlebury
-
Reg Wilson
-
Doug Wyer
Swindon Robins
-
Cliff Anderson
-
Jan Andersson
-
David Ashby
-
Martin Ashby
-
Phil Bass
-
Geoff Bouchard
-
Ian Clark
-
Karl Fiala
-
Norman Hunter
-
Soren Karlsson
-
Danny Kennedy
-
Bob Kilby
-
Brian Leonard
-
Bobby McNeil
-
Kelvin Mullarkey
-
Kevin Pope
-
Pete Reading
-
Colin Richardson
-
Chris Robins
White City Rebels
-
Jim Brett
-
Neil Cameron
-
Brian Clark
-
Paul Gachet
-
Trevor Geer
-
Richard Greer
-
Richard Hellsen
-
Rob Hollingworth
-
Danny Kennedy
-
Gordon Kennett
-
Steve Lawson
-
Dag Lövaas
-
Jack Millen
-
Kai Niemi
-
Steve Weatherley
Wimbledon Dons
-
Barry Crowson
-
Mick Hines
-
Tommy Jansson
-
Alan Johns
-
Roger Johns
-
Colin Richardson
-
Larry Ross
-
Stefan Salomonsso
-
Brendan Shiletto
-
Edgar Stangeland
Wolverhampton Wolves
-
Leif Berlin
-
Robbie Blackadder
-
Geoff Cable
-
Colin Farquharson
-
Tony Featherstone
-
Andy Hines
-
Rob Hollingworth
-
George Hunter
-
John Jackson
-
Jimmy McMillan
-
Giuseppe Marzotto
-
Steve McDermott
-
Colin Meredith
-
Phil Micheledies
-
Jack Millen
-
Dave Mortiboys
-
Chris Robins
-
Malcolm Shakespeare
-
Mark Stokes
-
Finn Thomsen
-
Dave Trownson
-
Martin Yeates
See also
References
- ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 100. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
- ^ "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
- ^ "HISTORY ARCHIVE". British Speedway. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 129–133. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
- ^ "Legend Who Died Young". Retro Speedway. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "1976 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
- ^ a b "Season 1976" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 25 June 2021.