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Cradley Heathens

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Cradley Heathens
Club information
Track addressDudley Wood Stadium (1947–1995)
Monmore Green Stadium (2010–2015)
CountryEngland
Founded1947, 2010
Closed1995, 2019[1]
Club facts
ColoursGreen, white and red
Major team honours
British champions1981, 1983
Knockout Cup (tier 1)1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
British League Cup (tier 1)1982, 1984
Pairs championship (tier 1)1978
Midland Cup (tier 1)1980, 1983, 1984, 1987
Fours championship (tier1)1995
Provincial KO Cup (tier 2)1961, 1963
Inter League KO Cup1979
Inter League Fours1980
National League (tier 3)2013, 2014
National League KO Cup (tier 3)2013, 2014
National Shield (tier 3)2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
National League Fours (tier 3)2011, 2013, 2014
National League Pairs (tier 3)2013

Cradley Heathens were a motorcycle speedway team from Dudley, England. The team was founded in 1947 and competed primarily at the top level of British speedway at Dudley Wood Stadium until its closure in 1995. The team was revived as Dudley Heathens in 2010, competing in the National League, reverting to the Cradley Heathens name in 2013 but ceased operating after the 2019 season.[1]

History

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Origins & 1940s

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Dudley Wood Stadium circa.1950

In 1917, Cradley Heath St Lukes Football Club found farmland that was suitable for a pitch and constructed a basic football ground and stadium east of the Dudley Wood Road.[2][3] Due to financial issues, members of the club formed Cradley Sports Enterprise, who constructed speedway and greyhound tracks around the pitch.[4]

The Cradley Heath speedway team was formed for the 1947 season, with the team name taken from Dudley Wood stadium's proximity to Cradley Heath town centre, though it lies in the borough of Dudley, centred about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. At the time of formation the two towns were in different counties - Staffordshire and Worcestershire, but both towns are now part of the county of West Midlands. Riding as the Cradley Heath Cubs they competed in their first match away to Hanley Potters on 8 May 1947.[5] They first raced at Dudley Wood Stadium on 21 June 1947 against Wombwell Colliers.[6] The Cubs would finish runner-up in their inaugural league season to Eastbourne Eagles, only missing out on the title on points difference.[7] The team finished runner-up again in 1948 before a change in the club's nickname and division ensued for 1949. Having gained promotion from the National League Division Three to the National League Division Two, they adopted the name of Cradley Heathens.

1950s

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The Heathens raced in division 2 from 1950 to 1952 before they were forced to disband following the withdrawal of the promoter Eli Sumner due to financial issues.[8] The track reopened seven years later in 1959 for one unlicensed meeting.

1960s

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In 1960 the Heathens entered the newly formed Provincial League under the promotion of Morris Jephcott.[9] The club won their first major silverware in 1961, winning the Provincial League Knockout Cup (the second division cup). Watched by 10,000 in the home leg, they defeated Edinburgh Monarchs in the September two-legged final, with Ivor Brown and Harry Bastable scoring heavily.[10][11]

Ivor Brown topped the league averages in 1962[12] before the team secured a second Knockout Cup title during the 1963 season, defeating Newcastle Diamonds in the final.[13][14]

After one more season in division 2, the Heathens were founder members of the new British League (the top division of British speedway). The Heathens struggled for the next few years, managing a best placed finish of 7th in 1969.[15]

1970s

[edit]
Russ Osborne and Dave Perks race for Cradley in 1975

The Heathens continued to find the British League a challenge, continually finishing in the lower half of the league table despite the performances of Bernt Persson, Bob Andrews and Roy Trigg. From 1973 to 1976 they rode under the name Cradley United but results only marginally improved.[16]

The United name was dropped for the 1977 season and Cradley signed former world champion Anders Michanek. The season resulted in a much improved 7th place finish, which was then followed in 1978 by new signings; Bruce Penhall replacing Michanek at number 1 and Alan Grahame arriving from Birmingham. The Heathens won their first top division silverware in 1978 (jointly with Coventry Bees), winning the British League Pairs Championship held at Foxhall Stadium on 12 October. The meeting was abandoned after 14 heats due to fog but the result stood, with Steve Bastable and Penhall claiming the honours.[17][18]

The decade ended with further success when the team won the 1979 Knockout Cup, a season which also saw the arrival of the 19-year-old Dane Erik Gundersen.

1980s

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The golden years of Cradley speedway arrived during the 1980s, the club won two league titles (1981 and 1983),[19] a further seven Knockout Cups from 1980 to 1989[20] and four Midland Cups.[21][22][23]

Along with Oxford Cheetahs and Coventry Bees, the three teams dominated British speedway during the decade and several of the world's leading riders rode for Cradley, including Bruce Penhall, Erik Gundersen and Jan O. Pedersen and these were well supported by the likes of Alan Grahame, Phil Collins, Simon Wigg, Lance King and Simon Cross. The 1980s promotion teams consisted of Dan McCormick, followed by Peter Adams in 1981 and then he was replaced by former rider Colin Pratt, who joined in 1984.[24]

1990s

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The club had operated continuously at top flight level from 1965 but the decade started without Gundersen, who had suffered a horrific accident on 17 September 1989, that left him paralysed.[25] The glory years began to fade despite the signings of American stars Greg Hancock in 1989 and Billy Hamill in 1990. Some success was experienced when in 1995, Hancock, Hamill, Cross and Scott Smith won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, which was held on 6 August 1995, at the East of England Arena.[26]

Unfortunately after the 1995 season, the team were evicted by the new landlords, who had bought the stadium to redevelop into housing. The team survived for one additional year, competing at the Loomer Road Stadium in Stoke in 1996, under the name 'Cradley and Stoke' Heathens, following a merger with the Stoke Potters.

2010s

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Supporters of the club continued to campaign to resurrect speedway in the local area and plans were submitted to Dudley Council for a new site in 2009. The Birmingham promoter, Tony Mole and Bob Edwards (on behalf of supporters group, CRASH – Cradley Raising Aid Saving Heathens) led the planning application[27] and an online petition to show support for the application which was linked from the Cradley Heath speedway website.[28]

The team returned in 2010 as the Dudley Heathens, competing in the third tier National League, with home meetings initially shared between two stadiums – Monmore Green (home track of Wolverhampton) and the Perry Bar Stadium (home track of Birmingham).[29] The team manager was Will Pottinger, and the club was promoted by Sky Sports speedway presenter Nigel Pearson, and then by Chris Van Straaten & Gary Patchett.

Between 2011 and 2014 home matches were solely at Monmore Green[30] and the team experienced considerable success as a third tier team, winning the league and cup double in both 2013 and 2014, in addition to various other trophies.[31][32]

The Heathens raced at Perry Barr Stadium in Birmingham for the 2015 season[33] Monmore Green during 2016. Max Clegg won the Riders' Championship during the 2016 National League speedway season.

The team's final season was the 2019 National League speedway season, in which the Heathens finished in fourth place.

2020s

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A team bearing the Heathens name has operated under the NORA umbrella on the Isle of Wight in 2021 and 2022 and in 2022 won the Michael Richardson Trophy.[1]

Season summary

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Extended content
Year League Position Trophies Notes
1947 1947 Speedway National League Division Three Runner-Up rode as Cubs
1948 1948 Speedway National League Division Three Runner-Up rode as Cubs
1949 1949 Speedway National League Division Two 4th Midland Cup (2 teams)[34]
1950 1950 Speedway National League Division Two 3rd Midland Cup (2 teams)[34]
1951 1951 Speedway National League Division Two 15th Central Shield
1952 1952 Speedway National League Division Two 4th
- - closure - - - -
1960 1960 Provincial Speedway League 6th
1961 1960 Provincial Speedway League 4th Provincial League KO Cup
1962 1962 Provincial Speedway League 8th
1963 1963 Provincial Speedway League 9th Provincial League KO Cup, Midland League
1964 1964 Provincial Speedway League 10th All 12 tracks unlicensed by ACU
1965 1965 British League season 16th top tier
1966 1966 British League season 19th Wooden Spoon
1967 1967 British League season 18th
1968 1968 British League season 14th
1969 1969 British League season 7th
1970 1970 British League season 15th
1971 1971 British League season 18th
1972 1972 British League season 16th
1973 1973 British League season 18th rode as United
1974 1974 British League season 13th rode as United
1975 1975 British League season 11th rode as United
1976 1976 British League season 9th rode as United
1977 1977 British League season 7th
1978 1978 British League season 5th
1979 1979 British League season 3rd Knockout Cup, Inter-League Cup
1980 1980 British League season 5th Knockout Cup, Midland Cup
1981 1981 British League season Winner
1982 1982 British League season Runner-Up Knockout Cup, League Cup, Premiership
1983 1983 British League season Winner Knockout Cup, Midland Cup
1984 1984 British League season 3rd League Cup, Midland Cup, Premiership
1985 1985 British League season 7th Premiership
1986 1986 British League season Runner-Up Knockout Cup, League Cup
1987 1987 British League season Runner-Up Knockout Cup, Midland Cup, Brit Trophy
1988 1988 British League season 3rd Knockout Cup, Premiership
1989 1989 British League season 3rd Knockout Cup, Premiership
1990 1990 British League season 7th Premiership
1991 1991 British League season 3rd
1992 1992 British League season 4th
1993 1993 British League season 11th
1994 1994 British League season 9th
1995 1995 Premier League speedway season 3rd Premier League Fours
1996 1996 Premier League speedway season 5th Operating from Chesterton, Stoke, rode as Cradley & Stoke Heathens
- - closure - - - -
2010 2010 National League speedway season 3rd Operating from Perry Barr and Monmore Green
2011 2011 National League speedway season 7th National Shield, National League Fours Operating from Monmore Green
2012 2012 National League speedway season 2nd National Shield Operating from Monmore Green, finished 1st in regular season table
2013 2013 National League speedway season 1st National Shield, National League Pairs & Fours, National League Knockout Cup Operating from Monmore Green
2014 2014 National League speedway season 1st National League Fours, National League Knockout Cup Operating from Monmore Green
2015 2015 National League speedway season 3rd
2016 2016 National League speedway season 4th
2017 2017 National League speedway season 7th
2018 2018 National League speedway season N/a National trophy only
2019 2019 National League speedway season 4th

The club also operated a junior team in the British Junior League in the years 1986 to 1992 inclusive, being Runners-Up in 1986 and Winners in 1991.

Club honours

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British League
Champions: 1981, 1983

Knockout Cup (Div 1)
Winners: 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986+, 1987, 1988, 1989 (+shared with Oxford)

Knockout Cup (Div 2)
Winners: 1961, 1963

League Cup
Winners: 1982, 1984, 1986+ (+shared with Oxford)

Inter-League Cup
Winners: 1979

Premiership
A season-opening challenge match, held over two legs, between the previous year's League and KO Cup winners (similar to English football's Charity Shield).[35]

Winners: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990

Inter-League Four Team Tournament
Winners: 1980

Premier League Four Team Tournament
Winners: 1995

Midland Cup/Lge/Shield
Winners: 1950, 1951, 1963, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987

National League

  • National Shield - 2011, 2012 and 2013[36]
  • National League Fours Winners - 2011, 2013 and 2014[37]
  • National League Pairs Winners - 2013[37]
  • National League Champions - 2013 and 2014[37]
  • National League Knock Out Cup - 2013 and 2014[37]

Notable riders

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Individual honours

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Extended content

World Champion

Under-21 World Champion

Long Track World Champion

British Under-21 Champion

Intercontinental Champion

Overseas Champion

British League Riders Champion

National League Riders Champion

American Champion

Danish Champion

Swedish Champion

Scottish Open Champion

Australasian Champion

South Australian Champion

Western Australian Champion

Victorian Champion (Aust)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "NO GO FOR HEATHENS - British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2019-12-23.
  2. ^ "Cradley and Old Hill". Sports Argus. 30 March 1959. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "OS County Series Staffordshire 1939". old-maps.co.uk.
  4. ^ "Book charts the rise and fall of Cradley St Lukes". Stourbridge News. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Hanley Speedway Thrills and Spills". Staffordshire Sentinel. 9 May 1947. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Speedway racing". Evening Despatch. 19 June 1947. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "1947 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Cradley Heath Speedway Closing". Evening Despatch. 10 February 1953. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Speedway Nursery Planned". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 28 April 1962. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Cradley Heath to take cup now?". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 10 September 1961. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Cradley Heath's Trophy". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 24 September 1961. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Cradley Heath coast home to Cup victory". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 13 October 1963. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Cradley Heath Speedway 1963 Statistical Record" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  15. ^ "1964 to 1969". Cyber Morotcycles. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  16. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  17. ^ "Sport in Brief". Birmingham Daily Post. 30 September 1977. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "1978 Complete season records" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  19. ^ Bamford, Reg. Speedway Yearbook. History Press Limited. ISBN 978-0-7524-2955-7.
  20. ^ Bamford, Robert. Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2007. History Press Limited. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1.
  21. ^ "Schwartz is a cup hit for Cradley". Sandwell Evening Mail. 10 October 1980. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  22. ^ "Cradley finish on high note". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 28 October 1984. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 22 October 1987. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ^ "Cradley lose again". Sandwell Evening Mail. 5 January 1984. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  25. ^ "Erik Gundersen reflects on Odsal horror crash 30 years on". Telegraph & Argus. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Speedway". Birmingham Daily Post. 7 August 1995. Retrieved 5 July 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ^ "Cradley bid lodged". British Speedway Promoters' Association. 1 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  28. ^ "Heathens plans given boost". BBC Sport. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  29. ^ "Dudley Heathens given National League speedway go-ahead", BBC, 28 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2013
  30. ^ "Dudley Heathens choose to race at Wolverhampton", BBC, 27 January 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2013
  31. ^ "2015 Cradley Heathens". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  32. ^ "Speedway: Max Clegg relishes Cradley Heathens captaincy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  33. ^ "Cradley Heathens Speedway: HEATHENS AT THE BARR!". www.cradleyheathens.co. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  34. ^ a b "Cradley retain Speedway Trophy". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 8 August 1950. Retrieved 15 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  35. ^ Foster, Peter (2003). Heathens: Cradley Heath Speedway 1977-1996. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 58. ISBN 07524-2738-5.
  36. ^ "Mildenhall Speedway: Fen Tigers miss out on National Shield.", worldspeedway.com, 1 May 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013
  37. ^ a b c d "British Speedway Roll of Honour 2013", speedwaygb.co, 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013

Further reading

[edit]
  • Foster, Peter (2002). Heathens: Cradley Heath Speedway 1947-1976. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 07524-2704-0.