1963 Provincial Speedway League

The 1963 Provincial Speedway League was the fourth season of the Provincial League in the United Kingdom.[1] Thirteen speedway teams took part.

1963 Provincial Speedway League
LeagueProvincial League
ChampionsWolverhampton Wolves
No. of competitors13
Knockout CupCradley Heathens
IndividualIvan Mauger
Highest averageGeorge Hunter
Division/s above1963 National League

Season summary

Wolverhampton won the league but there was controversy at the end of the year when Wolverhampton refused to move up to the National League which was dwindling in numbers. This would lead to the Provincial League running outside of the jurisdiction of the Speedway Control Board in 1964. At the start of the year Neath had folded, and their place was taken by the new track at St Austell. After finishing at the bottom of the table the previous year, Bradford and Leicester were no longer running due to financial difficulties and Plymouth had also withdrawn. Long Eaton returned to competitive racing after ten years, a new track opened at Hackney, and Rayleigh returned under new ownership after a missing the 1962 season. New Cross Rangers also returned but closed in August, never to re-open.[2][3][4][5]

Final table
Pos Team M W D L Pts
1 Wolverhampton Wolves 24 15 1 8 31
2 Stoke Potters 24 14 1 9 29
3 Poole Pirates 24 14 0 10 28
4 Sheffield Tigers 24 14 0 10 28
5 St Austell Gulls 24 13 2 9 28
6 Newcastle Diamonds 24 13 1 10 27
7 Exeter Falcons 24 12 1 11 25
8 Edinburgh Monarchs 24 12 1 11 25
9 Cradley Heath Heathens 24 11 1 12 23
10 Hackney Hawks 24 10 1 13 21
11 Middlesbrough Bears 24 9 2 13 20
12 Long Eaton Archers 24 7 2 15 16
13 Rayleigh Rockets 24 5 1 18 11

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

Top Five Riders (League only)
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 George Hunter Scotland Edinburgh Monarchs 11.09
2 Ivan Mauger New Zealand Newcastle Diamonds 10.42
3 Ivor Brown England Cradley Heathens 10.30
4 Jimmy Squibb England New Cross Rangers/Exeter Falcons 10.30
5 Clive Featherby England Sheffield Tigers 10.05

Provincial League Knockout Cup

The 1963 Provincial League Knockout Cup was the fourth edition of the Knockout Cup for the Provincial League teams. Cradley Heathens were the winners.[6]

First round
Date Team one Score Team two
30/04New Cross58–37St Austell
03/06Rayleigh35–61Stoke
18/06Long Eaton43–52Newcastle
20/06Middlesbrough58–38Wolverhampton
20/06Sheffield57–39Exeter
03/07Poole50–46Edinburgh

Second round
Date Team one Score Team two
08/07Newcastle65–31Middlesbrough
10/07Hackney54–42New Cross
10/07Poole44–52Sheffield
05/08Cradley Heath55–41Stoke

Semi-finals
Date Team one Score Team two
12/08Newcastle60–36Hackney
31/08Cradley Heath61–35Sheffield

Final
Date Team one Score Team two
30/09Newcastle50–45Cradley Heath
02/10Cradley Heath64–32Newcastle

See also

References
  1. "Championship History". Poole Speedway. 2008. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  2. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  3. "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  4. Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  5. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. "1963 Provincial League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
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