In 1982 the National League, also known as
British League Division Two
The British League Division Two was created in 1968 and was the second tier of motorcycle speedway, speedway racing in the United Kingdom until the restructuring of British speedway in 1995. It was renamed the New National League in 1975 and the Na ...
, was the second tier of
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 ...
racing in the United Kingdom.
Summary
Long Eaton Invaders replaced
Workington Comets
The Workington Comets are a British motorcycle speedway club, based in Workington, Cumbria based at the Northside Speedway track (known as the GT Tyres Arena for sponsorship purposes). The team previously operated from 1970 to 2018 and were ba ...
, after the latter withdrew from the league before the start of the season.
Wolverhampton Wolves
Wolverhampton Wolves were a British motorcycle speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They were champions of the United Kingdom five times and raced at Monmore Green Stadium from 1928 to 2023.
History 1928–1930
Speedway (known ...
were unable to form a team and would not race for two seasons.
The league champions were
Newcastle Diamonds
Newcastle Diamonds were a motorcycle speedway team that raced in the British speedway leagues from 1929 to 2022. They were based at Newcastle Stadium on the Fossway, Byker. The Stadium was previously known as Brough Park.
History Origins and ...
.
Milton Keynes rider Brett Alderton was killed in an accident during the second half of a league meeting at King's Lynn. The 18-year old Australian sustained a fatal head injury on 17 April.
Final table
Fixtures and results
Top five riders (league averages)
National League Knockout Cup
The 1982 National League Knockout Cup was the 15th edition of the
Knockout Cup for tier two teams.
Newcastle Diamonds
Newcastle Diamonds were a motorcycle speedway team that raced in the British speedway leagues from 1929 to 2022. They were based at Newcastle Stadium on the Fossway, Byker. The Stadium was previously known as Brough Park.
History Origins and ...
were the winners of the competition.
First round
Second round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
First leg
Second leg
Newcastle were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 118–74.
Riders' Championship
Joe Owen
Joseph William Owen (born 13 September 1956) is a British former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned three international caps for the England national speedway team.
Career
Born in Ormskirk, Owen took up speedway at the age of f ...
won the
Riders' Championship, sponsored by the Daily Mirror and held at
Wimbledon Stadium
Wimbledon Stadium, also known as Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, was a greyhound racing track located in Wimbledon in southwest London, England.
It also hosted stock car and other small circuit motor racing events, and until 2005 hosted motorc ...
on 18 September 1982.
Pairs
The
National League Pairs was held at
Abbey Stadium
The Abbey Stadium, currently known as the Cledara Abbey Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Cambridge, England. It has been the home ground of Cambridge United since 1932, and currently has a maximum capacity of 7,937 spe ...
on 28 August and was won by Weymouth Wildcats.
Semi finals
*Weymouth bt Middlesbrough
*Long Eaton bt Newcastle
Final
*Weymouth bt Long Eaton
Fours
Newcastle Diamonds won the fours championship final, held at the
East of England Arena
The East of England Showground is a large showground area (667,731sqm) located on East of England Way near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The Showground is owned by Bellway as of around 2019 and the site currently includes the East of E ...
on 25 July.
Semi finals
*SF1 = Newcastle 16, Middlesbrough 12, Ellesmere Port 10, Peterborough 10
*SF2 = Mildenhall 15, Rye House 14, Oxford 12, Exeter 7
Final
Leading final averages
Riders & final averages
Berwick
*
Steve McDermott 8.83
*
Bruce Cribb
Bruce Brian Hoani Cribb (born 27 June 1946) is a former speedway rider from New Zealand, who rode in the United Kingdom for several teams in a career spanning over twenty years. He earned 22 international caps for the New Zealand national spee ...
7.85
*
Brian Collins 7.24
*
George Hunter 7.23
*
Paul Thorp 6.47
*
Rob Grant Sr. 6.12
*Mike Caroline 5.45
*Rob Carter 2.75
Boston
*
Steve Lomas
Stephen Martin Lomas (born 18 January 1974) is a Northern Irish football manager and former professional footballer.
As a player, Lomas was a midfielder from 1991 to 2010. He had spells in the Premier League for both Manchester City and West Ham ...
9.17
*
David Gagen 9.09
*
Rob Hollingworth 8.86
*Dennis Mallett 5.94
*
David Blackburn 4.71
*Guy Wilson 4.68
*Peter Framingham 4.19
*Robbie McGregor 3.60
*Chris Cole 2.97
Canterbury
*
Barney Kennett 8.66
*
Denzil Kent 7.74
*
Ian Clark 7.64
*Darryl Simpson 5.18
*Keith Pritchard 4.46
*Kevin Brice 4.36
*Nigel Couzens 4.36
*Mark Martin 3.74
Crayford
*
Barry Thomas 8.75
*
Trevor Banks
Trevor Charles Banks (born 4 October 1955) is a former Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer from England, who competed in grasstrack and Long track motorcycle racing, longtrack.
Career
Banks was an established grasstrack and longtrack rider b ...
7.62
*Mike Spinks 6.83
*Alan Sage 6.48
*
Alan Mogridge 5.96
*
Laurie Etheridge 5.67
*Paul Bosley 5.22
*Mike Pither 5.02
*Trevor Barnwell 3.53
*Chris Tritton 3.23
*
Andy Galvin 2.40
Edinburgh
*
Dave Trownson 9.21
*
Eric Broadbelt 7.05
*
Brett Saunders 7.03
*Ivan Blacka 6.54
*Benny Rourke 6.00
*
Chris Turner 5.95
*
Mark Fiora 5.69
*Roger Lambert 4.36
*Ian Westwell 2.87
*
Sean Courtney 2.53
Ellesmere Port
*
John Jackson 9.15
*
Steve Finch 8.56
*Rob Maxfield 7.26
*
Eric Monaghan 6.97
*Phil Alderman 5.98
*Billy Burton 5.98
*Glen Parrott 4.91
*Rob Tate 4.63
Exeter
*John Barker 9.07
*Les Sawyer 8.56
*
Andy Campbell 8.38
*
Keith Millard 8.18
*
Bob Coles 6.54
*Keith Wright 4.67
*
Steve Bishop 4.37
*Mike Semmonds 3.72
*Dave Brewer 3.43
Glasgow
*
Steve Lawson 10.40
*
Kenny McKinna 8.78
*Colin Caffrey 5.92
*
Harry Maclean 4.53
*Rob Carter .86
*Kym Mauger 3.67
*Alan Mason 3.65
*Martin McKinna 2.64
*Des Wilson 1.71
Long Eaton
*
Alan Molyneux 9.35
*Paul Stead 8.41
*
Dave Perks 7.94
*Nigel Close 6.63
*Paul Evitts 6.46
*Nicky Allott 6.20
*Mark Summerfield 5.03
*
David Blackburn 4.56
Middlesbrough
*
Martin Dixon 9.39
*
Steve Wilcock 9.27
*Mike Spink 7.67
*Geoff Pusey 7.34
*Paul Price 5.21
*
Rob Woffinden
Robert Woffinden (27 March 1962 – 30 January 2010) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.
Biography
Woffinden, born in Scunthorpe, started riding during the second half matches of the Scunthorpe Saints fixtures, at the Quibell Park ...
4.86
*Alan Armstrong 4.33
*Peter Spink 3.61
*Bernie Collier 1.64
Mildenhall
*
Derek Harrison 9.33
*
Ray Bales 8.78
*
Richard Knight 8.32
*Mick Bates 7.65
*
Robert Henry 7.62
*Carl Baldwin 7.59
*Andy Warne 4.48
*
Carl Blackbird 4.44
Milton Keynes
*
Keith White 8.09
*Andy Hibbs 8.00
*Craig Featherby 7.25
*
Nigel Sparshott 7.03
*Steve Payne 6.29
*Tony Featherstone 5.60
*Paul Clarke 4.08
Newcastle
*
Joe Owen
Joseph William Owen (born 13 September 1956) is a British former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned three international caps for the England national speedway team.
Career
Born in Ormskirk, Owen took up speedway at the age of f ...
11.01
*
Rod Hunter 10.12
*
Bobby Beaton 9.01
*
Alan Emerson 7.81
*Keith Bloxsome 7.35
*
Tom Owen 7.12
*Robbie Foy 3.65
*Barry Shearer 1.47
Oxford
*
Ashley Pullen 7.73
*
Graham Drury 7.54
*Colin Ackroyd 7.42
*
Simon Cross
Simon James Cross (born 31 May 1965 in Hereford, England) is a former motorcycle speedway rider who spent most of his career with the Cradley Heathens.
Career
Cross began his British leagues speedway career riding for the Oxford Cheetahs dur ...
6.88
*Kevin Smart 5.13
*Wayne Jackson 5.10
*
Brian Woodward 4.83
*John Frankland 4.50
*Gary Chessell 3.90
*Bill Barrett 3.14
*
Mick Handley 3.06
*Mick Fletcher 2.15
Peterborough
*Andy Hines 8.64
*Dave Allen 8.26
*
Mick Hines 7.33
*Andy Buck 6.38
*Andy Fisher 5.49
*
Ian Barney 5.38
*Neil Cotton 3.06
Rye House
*
Bobby Garrad 9.85
*
Marvyn Cox
Marvyn Cox (born 11 July 1964 in Whitstable, Kent) is a former motorcycle speedway rider. Cox was twice a winner of the German Individual Championship in 1993 and 1995, when he raced under a German licence. At retirement, he had earned 25 inter ...
8.87
*
Kelvin Mullarkey 7.78
*Steve Naylor 7.72
*Peter Johns 4.95
*Andy Fines 4.68
*Steve Bryenton 4.31
*Garry Monk 3.04
Scunthorpe
*Mike Wilding 7.88
*Kevin Teager 7.18
*
Nigel Crabtree 7.07
*
Rob Woffinden
Robert Woffinden (27 March 1962 – 30 January 2010) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.
Biography
Woffinden, born in Scunthorpe, started riding during the second half matches of the Scunthorpe Saints fixtures, at the Quibell Park ...
5.97
*Derek Richardson 5.74
*Julian Parr 5.45
*Terry Kelly 5.11
*Ian Gibson 4.13
*Mark DeKok 4.09
Stoke
*Rod North 7.24
*
Pete Smith 6.91
*Mark Collins 6.53
*
Mike Sampson 6.05
*Ian Robertson 6.01
*
Brian Havelock 5.69
*
Arthur Browning 5.36
*Pete Ellams 5.31
*Jim Burdfield 4.41
*Steve Sant 3.32
Weymouth
*
Simon Wigg
Simon Antony Wigg (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000) was an English speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider. He won five World Long Track Championships and finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.Rogers, G.(2005 ...
10.36
*
Martin Yeates
Martin Yeates (born 24 November 1953 in Salisbury, England) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.
Career
Yeates prominently rode for the Poole Pirates, Weymouth Wildcats and Oxford Cheetahs.
In 1980 he signed for Weymouth ...
8.46
*
Steve Schofield 7.10
*Terry Tulloch 6.72
*
Les Rumsey
Leslie John Rumsey (born 27 July 1955) is a former speedway rider from England.
Speedway career
Rumsey rode in the top two tiers of British Speedway from 1972 to 1983, riding for various clubs. Rumsey signed for Canterbury Crusaders in 1972 ...
6.39
*Stan Bear 6.00
*
John McNeill 5.69
*Steve Crockett 3.56
*Mark Minett 2.86
*Rob Mather 2.85
See also
*
List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
The List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions is split into three divisions, the top tier, the second tier and third tier, all three divisions have been known in various guises such as National League, Premier League, Elite League and many ...
*
Knockout Cup (speedway)
Knockout Cup (sometimes referred to as the KO Cup) is a type of British motorcycle speedway competition, examples of which have run annually since 1929.
Each tier of British Speedway has its own respective Knockout Cup. The current Knockout Cu ...
References
{{United Kingdom Speedway Seasons
Speedway British League Division Two / National League