1948 Speedway National League Division Three

The 1948 National League Division Three was the second season of British speedway's National League Division Three[1][2]

1948 Speedway National League Division Three
LeagueNational League Division Three
Season1948
ChampionsExeter Falcons
No. of competitors12
National Trophy (Div 3 final)Southampton Saints
Highest averageAlf Bottoms
Division/s aboveDivision One
Division Two

The league had expanded from 8 teams to 12. Reigning champions Eastbourne Eagles were forced to close due to a petrol ban at their stadium, so their team moved a few miles along the Sussex coast to Hastings. The new entrants Coventry Bees, Hull Angels, Poole Pirates and Yarmouth Bloaters all struggled to make an impact and finished in the bottom five positions. Exeter Falcons won their first title.[3]

Alf Bottoms of Southampton topped the averages.[4]

Eric Dunn of Hastings Saxons was a third speedway rider (with Reg Craven and Bill Wilson) to be killed during the season. 34-year-old Dunn was riding in a meeting (on 13 June) at the Arlington track when he fell and was hit by a rider behind. He died two days later in hospital (15 June).[5]

Final League table
Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 Exeter Falcons 44 32 1 11 65
2 Cradley Heath Cubs 44 29 2 13 60
3 Southampton Saints 44 29 0 15 58
4 Tamworth Hounds 44 23 4 17 50
5 Hanley Potters 44 24 1 19 49
6 Hastings Saxons 44 22 0 22 44
7 Plymouth Devils 44 21 2 22 43
8 Coventry Bees 44 19 1 24 39
9 Hull Angels 44 19 0 25 38
10 Poole Pirates 44 17 0 27 34
11 Yarmouth Bloaters 44 13 1 30 27
12 Wombwell Colliers 44 10 1 33 21

Leading Averages
Rider Team C.M.A.
1 Alf Bottoms Southampton 11.29
2 Wally Green Hastings 11.23
3 Cyril Roger Exeter 9.93
4 Jock Grierson Hastings 9.77
5 Bert Roger Exeter 9.72

National Trophy

The 1948 Trophy was the 11th edition of the Knockout Cup.[6] The Qualifying event for Division 3 teams saw Southampton Saints win the final and qualify for the Elimination event. The Elimination event for Division 2 teams saw Birmingham Brummies win the final and qualify for the Quarter Finals proper.

Qualifying Event First Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
08/04Plymouth56-50Cradley Heath
17/04Cradley Heath66-42Plymouth
13/04Southampton89-19Wombwell
23/04Wombwell31-77Southampton
07/04Tamworth82-26Exeter
12/04Exeter81-27Tamworth

Qualifying Second Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
29/04Stoke Hanley64-43Coventry
01/05Coventry48-59Stoke Hanley
04/05Southampton77-31Tamworth
05/05Tamworth46-62Southampton
26/04Poole74-32Yarmouth
27/04Yarmouth47-67Poole
01/05Hull42-66Cradley Heath
07/05Cradley Heath78-29Hull

Qualifying Third Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
10/05Poole49-57Stoke Hanley
13/05Stoke Hanley64-44Poole
11/05Southampton85-23Cradley Heath
21/05Cradley Heath54-50Southampton

Qualifying Final Round

First leg

Southampton Saints
Alf Bottoms 18
Bob Oakley 15
Jimmy Squibb 10
Alf Kaines 9
Bert Croucher 8.5
George Bason 8
Tom Oakley 2
Cecil Bailey 2		74.5 – 33.5Hanley Potters
Gil Blake 11
Les Jenkins 6
Ray Harris 5
Dave Anderson 4
Vic Pitcher 3.5
Dick Howard 2
Ken Adams 2
Frank Evans 0
[7][8]

Second leg

Hanley Potters
Gil Blake 14
Ray Harris 9
Les Jenkins 6
Dick Howard 5
Dave Anderson 4
Vic Pitcher 3
Frank Evans 3
Ken Adams 1		43 – 64Southampton Saints
Alf Bottoms 17
Bob Oakley 14
Jimmy Squibb 9
Bert Croucher 8
Alf Kaines 7
Cecil Bailey 6
George Bason 3
Tom Oakley 0
[9][8]

See also

References
  1. "Home". speedwayresearcher.org.uk.
  2. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  3. "Major League Competitions". Speedway Archive.
  4. "National League Division 3 1948" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  5. "Speedway News". Eastbourne Gazette. 16 June 1948. Retrieved 11 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "1948 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
  7. "Speedway Defeat". Staffordshire Sentinel. 26 May 1948. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Southampton 1948 results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  9. "Cup final defeat". Staffordshire Sentinel. 28 May 1948. Retrieved 30 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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