Nottingham
Club information
Track addressWhite City Stadium
Trent Lane
Nottingham
CountryEngland
Founded1930
Closed1938
LeagueSouthern League
National League
Provincial League
Club facts
Track size440 yards (400 m) (1929–31)
412 yards (377 m) (1933–34)
380 yards (350 m) (1936–38)
Major team honours
Provincial League Trophy winners1937
Provincial League Coronation Cup winners1937

The Nottingham speedway team competed in the 1930s, with a home track on Trent Lane, Nottingham.[1][2]

History

The track was first used in 1928, when the Nottingham Tornado Motorcycle Club put in a grass track but plans for greyhound racing had been discussed in early 1927 and the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) ensured that they had a financial interest in the stadium.[3]

In 1929, a dirt track was laid down by the Olympic Speedway Ltd over the grass track and the stadium was known as the Olympic Grounds and open matches were held. A Nottingham team competed in the Southern League in 1930 and 1931 but finished last in the league table on both occasions. During the 1931 season the team had completed 20 fixtures before they withdrew form the league.[4]

In 1933, White City (Nottingham) Ltd constructed a new stadium known as the White City Stadium which included a new greyhound track and speedway circuit, replacing the original Olympic Grounds. The speedway team returned, competing in the National League but finished last once again and did not return for the 1934 season.[5][6][1][2]

The team returned to the league in 1936, competing in the second tier called the Provincial League[7] finishing third. The following season was the most successful as they won both the Provincial League Trophy and Coronation Cup and finished third in the league.[8][9]

In 1938 the Provincial League became the National League Division Two; Nottingham started the season but withdrew after the final meeting to be held at Nottingham on 31 May 1938, with Leeds taking over the team's remaining fixtures.[1]

The team were nicknamed 'The Lacemen', and also briefly the 'Wasps'.[1][2]

Notable riders

Season summary

Year and league Position Notes
1930 Speedway Southern League13th
1931 Speedway Southern League11thwithdrew, results stood
1933 Speedway National League10th
1936 Provincial Speedway League3rd
1937 Provincial Speedway League3rdProvincial Trophy and Coronation Cup winners
1938 Speedway National League Division TwoN/Awithdrew, replaced by Leeds Lions

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bamford, Robert & Jarvis, John (2001) Homes of British Speedway, Tempus, ISBN 0-7524-2210-3, p. 193-4
  2. 1 2 3 Dalling, Philip (2007) Nottingham and Long Eaton Speedway, Stadia, ISBN 978-07524-4163-4, p. 13-40, 49-65, 77-112
  3. ↑ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  4. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd.
  6. ↑ "Nottingham White City Opened, Monday June 26". The Nottingham Guardian. 1933.
  7. ↑ "Dirt track racing in Nottingham again". Nottingham Journal. 15 January 1936. Retrieved 3 August 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "1936 Provincial Trophy". Speedway Archive. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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