Eric Francis Collins (5 October 1910 – 23 February 1954) was an Australian international

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

rider who rode in the early days of speedway in the United Kingdom.

Career

Collins rode for Lea Bridge 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 ...

. In 1932, he then switched to Plymouth Tigers, after the formation of the National League. It was during the 1932 season that he also reached the final of the 1932 Star Riders' Championship, which was considered at the time to be the World Championship of speedway. After staying in Australia for two seasons he joined

Wimbledon Dons The Wimbledon Dons were a professional motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane in London from 1929 until 1991. The team were seven times champions of Britain. History Origins The speedway track opened ...

and rode for them from 1935 to 1939. He also doubled up for Bristol Bulldogs in 1936. He won 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 ...

with Wimbledon during the 1938 Speedway National League, where he top scored during the home leg of the final.

Players cigarette cards

Collins is listed as number 9 of 50 in the 1930s Player's

cigarette card Cigarette cards are trading cards issued by tobacco industry, tobacco manufacturers to stiffen cigarette packaging and nicotine marketing, advertise cigarette brands. Between 1875 and the 1940s, cigarette companies often included collectible car ...

collection.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Eric 1910 births 1954 deaths Australian speedway riders Bristol Bulldogs riders Australian expatriate speedway riders in England Lea Bridge speedway riders Plymouth Tigers riders Wimbledon Dons riders