The Exeter Falcons were a
speedway
Speedway may refer to:
Racing Race tracks
*Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida.
*Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta.
*Indianapolis Motor Spe ...
team based in the city of
Exeter
Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...
. The Falcons operated from 1947 to 2005 at the
County Ground Stadium
The County Ground Stadium, also previously known as the Devon County Athletic Ground, was a rugby union, greyhound racing and speedway stadium in Exeter, Devon.
It was one of two separate venues in Exeter known as the County Ground, along wit ...
in Exeter.
History
Origins & 1920s
Speedway began at the County Ground in 1929, when the Southern Speedways Ltd, led by Mr Seward Glanfield agreed a ten-year contract with the Devon Athletic Ground Company. The first meeting was held on 9 March 1929 but despite a full season of racing (which included an Exeter team racing challenge matches) the company went into liquidation.
1930s
A second promotion called County Speedways Ltd, ran the speedway in 1930 and 1931 but also went into liquidation.
[ In 1931 the Exeter team competed in the ]National Trophy
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
during the 1931 Speedway Southern League
The 1931 Southern League was the third season of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams, and its final season before amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Leagues. The Northern teams also had their third season ...
season, losing to High Beech in the first round.
1940s
At the start of 1947, plans began for the return of speedway to the County Ground and a lease was signed by Motor Sports (Exeter) Ltd (led by Frank Buckland) with the landlords County Athletic Ground Company. The Speedway Supporters Club persuaded the management to name the team the Falcons. The return was a success with excellent attendances and a fourth place finish in the 1947 Speedway National League Division Three. Cyril Roger
Cyril Manners Roger (27 December 1921 – 26 May 2015) was an international motorcycle speedway,who rider reached the final of Speedway World Championship five times.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Champions ...
was the stand out rider averaging 10.31.
The following season the Falcons signed Cyril's brother Bert Roger and Norman Clay and the additions were enough to help Exeter win the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three. The brothers left the Falcons after the 1948 season resulting in Exeter having a moderate 1949 season.
1950s
In 1951, the Falcons signed the youngest Roger brother, Bob Roger, on loan from New Cross Rangers
The New Cross Rangers were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1934 until their closure in 1953. They also rode as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936. The team were List of United Kingdom Spe ...
and with both Don Hardy and Goog Hoskin
Hubert Henry Hoskin (4 December 1927 – 20 January 2005) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England. During his speedway career he was known as Goog Hoskin.
Biography
Hoskin, born in Exeter, began his British leagues career riding for Exet ...
riding well, the team secured runner-up spot in the league and won the third tier National Trophy
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
. During the 1950s many teams folded which resulted in Exeter participating in the Southern League from 1952 to 1953. The Falcons finished runner-up in 1953 behind Rayleigh Rockets
The Rayleigh Rockets were a Motorcycle speedway, Speedway team which operated from 1949 until their closure in 1973 from the Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Rayleigh, Essex, Rayleigh, Essex .
History Origins and 1940s
In June 1948, the Speedway ...
, with Goog Hoskin topping the league averages and new Australian signing Jack Geran
John Francis Geran (10 December 1929 – 20 June 2021) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from Australia.
Speedway career
Geran reached the final of the Speedway World Championship on two occasions: in the 1957 Individual Speedw ...
averaged 9.33.[ Despite signing another leading Australian rider ]Neil Street
Neil Joseph Street (15 January 1931 – 6 October 2011) was an Australian international motorcycle speedway rider, manager and engineer.
Career
Street was born in Melbourne, Australia, first arrived in Britain in 1952 to ride for the Exeter ...
, the team went from 6th in 1954 to last in 1955. Changes to the league format in 1956 led to Bernard Slade and L.J. Hallett withdrawing Exeter from the league system. With the exception of sporadic challenge matches and open meetings during 1957 and 1958 there was limited speedway at the County Ground.
1960s
After a couple of challenge meetings held throughout 1960 and a five year league absence, the team returned to league action in the 1961 Provincial Speedway League
The 1961 Provincial Speedway League was the second season of the Provincial League.
Summary
Eleven speedway teams took part. Liverpool, Yarmouth and Bristol had all folded at the end of the previous season and Bradford were unable to take t ...
, under the promotion of Wally Mawdsley
Walter Mawdsley (30 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was a motorcycle speedway rider, manager and promoter from England. He was the team manager of the England national speedway team from to 1983 to 1984.
Biography
Mawdsley, born in Salfo ...
and Pete Lansdale
Harry Douglas Lansdale (26 December 1912 – 24 June 1993) was a motorcycle speedway rider and promoter from England.
Biography
Lansdale, born in Marylebone, London on 26 December 1912, was riding speedway bikes during the 1930s but began his ...
. As a rider, Lansdale also topped the team's averages with 9.33 and was well supported by Len Silver.
The following year, the Falcons won the 1962 Provincial League Knockout Cup. The next two seasons were uneventful but both Alan Cowland and Jimmy Squibb
Cyril Maurice Squibb (21 November 1921 – 30 August 2004) (known as Jimmy Squibb during his speedway career) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned four international caps for the England national speedway team ...
rode well for the Falcons. In 1965, British speedway resolved ongoing issues by introducing the British League
The British League was the main motorcycle speedway league in Britain from its formation in 1965 until 1995 when British speedway was restructured. It initially had a single division, with a British League Division Two, second division starting i ...
and the Falcons were founder members. In a tough league the team did well to finish 3rd during the 1968 British League season, largely due to the efforts of new signing Martin Ashby.
1970s
The early part of the 1970s was at best average but that was about to change following the signing of New Zealander and multiple world champion Ivan Mauger
Ivan Gerald Mauger (4 October 1939 – 16 April 2018; last name pronounced "Major") was a New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships (Finals), a feat equalled only with the inclusion of the Speedway GP Champ ...
during the 1973 British League season
Events January
* January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
. Promoter Wally Mawdsley also signed 20-year-old American Scott Autrey
Scott Brian Autrey (born July 9, 1953) is an American former professional motorcycle speedway rider. In 1976, he became the first American rider to reach a speedway world final since Ernie Roccio in 1951. He earned 22 caps for the United States ...
and Tony Lomas
Anthony Carl Lomas (born 10 May 1943) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned 12 international caps for the England national speedway team.
Biography
Born in Coventry, Lomas took up speedway at a Coventry training school ...
. The team began to gel and with the help of existing riders such as Mike Sampson and Kevin Holden, the Falcons won the 1974 British League title.
Although the remainder of the decade saw Exeter compete near the top of the table, they were unable to repeat the success of 1974. In 1979, Autrey topped the league avergaes for Exeter.[
]
1980s
Exeter began the 1980s in the second tier of British speedway with the team entered for the 1980 National League season. Journalist Peter Oakes had also joined Mawdsley as a co-promoter at this stage.
The Falcons were surprise winners of the Knockout Cup during the 1983 National League season, following three seasons of uninspiring results. However, the following season the team moved back into the top league after Ivan Mauger returned to the club. Unfortunately Mauger was now 44 years-old and the team were outclassed, leading to a quick return to the second tier National League. The next five seasons saw the Falcons struggle badly with a slight improvement to 5th place in 1989 due in part to the form of Australian rider Steve Regeling.
1990s
Regeling was superb in 1990, averaging 10.20 but he lacked support and left in 1992. By 1994, the Falcons under the promotion of Colin Hill, were propping up the league table. The merged Premier League was a bad experience for Falcons fans despite the opportunity of watching Mark Loram
Mark Roysten Gregory Loram (born 12 January 1971)
is a British former motorcycle speedway rider, who won the World Speedway Championship in 2000 and won the British Championship in 1997, 1999, and 2001. He earned 36 international caps for t ...
and Simon Wigg wear the Falcons jacket. Loram broke the track record with a time of 64.3 seconds on 29 April 1996. In 1995 and 1996, the club also ran a junior side called the Devon Demons.
Three seasons of second tier speedway ensued and the Falcons fared much better, finishing in the top six from 1997 to 1999.
2000s
The Falcons were not expected to challenge for the title during the 2000 Premier League speedway season but the number 1 rider Michael Coles found himself backed up by six other riders that averaged from 7.79 to 6.20. The consistency paid off, with the Falcons winning all their home games and pipping Swindon Robins
The Swindon Robins are a motorcycle speedway team from England, established in 1949 that have competed primarily in the top division of speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. They are five times league champions of the United Kingdo ...
to the title on points difference, after picking up all 13 bonus points that were available.
The Falcons raced for five more Premier League seasons before the club were forced to close at the end of 2005 after the stadium owners, Exeter Rugby Union club, sold the stadium to developers.
Since 2008
Promoter Allen Trump received permission from Teignbridge
Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Newton Abbot. The district also includes the towns of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton and Teignmouth, along with numerous vi ...
council officials in 2008 to construct a new track at the Exeter Racecourse. The new track was expected to open for the start of the 2009 season, and Trump had applied to the British Speedway Promoters' Association
The British Speedway Promoters Limited (BSPL) organises the domestic motorcycle speedway competitions in the United Kingdom. They are also responsible for the promotion and running of the FIM meetings staged in Britain. Wimbledon controller Ronn ...
for permission to enter a team for the 2009 Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
but the plans fell through.
At a public meeting in July 2015, a month after the team participated in their first full meeting in a decade at the Oaktree Arena near Highbridge, the Exeter Falcons announced talks were underway about the development of a new track near Exeter but again plans failed to materialise.
In 2018, an Exeter team participated in the junior Southern Development League but were once again left without a home in 2021, following the demise of the Oaktree Arena.
Notable riders
Season summary (1st team)
Season summary (juniors)
References
{{Reflist
Defunct speedway teams in the United Kingdom
Sport in Exeter