Southampton Saints
Club information
Track addressBanister Court Stadium
Southampton
Hampshire
CountryEngland
Founded1928
Closed1963
Club facts
ColoursRed and White stripes
Track size333 yards (304 m)
Major team honours
National League champions1962
National Trophy Winners1961
Provincial League champions1936
Provincial Trophy Winners1936
Div 2 National Trophy Winners1936, 1937, 1956
Div 3 National Trophy Winners1948

Southampton Saints were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1928 until its closure in 1963. Its track was located at Banister Court Stadium in Southampton, Hampshire.

History

Southampton was one of the founder members of the 1929 Speedway Southern League, one of the two leagues that came into existence that year. They finished runner-up in the 1929 league and the 1930 Speedway Southern League before joining the National league in 1932. However, halfway through the 1932 National Association Trophy they withdrew and the operation moved to London, with the team becoming the Clapton Saints.[1] The Southampton team returned in 1936 and won the second tier of British speedway, the 1936 Provincial Speedway League.[2]

They were National League runners up in 1961 and National League champions in 1962. The club closed in 1963 when the promoter, Charles Knott, sold the stadium to developers.[3][4][5][6]

Notable riders

Season summary

Year and league Position Notes
1929 Speedway Southern League2ndNational Trophy champions
1930 Speedway Southern League2nd
1931 Speedway Southern League7th
1936 Provincial Speedway League1stChampions & Provincial League Trophy winners
1937 Provincial Speedway League2nd
1938 Speedway National League Division Two3rd
1939 Speedway National League6th+
1947 Speedway National League Division Three3rd
1948 Speedway National League Division Three3rdDiv 3 National Trophy Winners
1949 Speedway National League Division Two7th
1950 Speedway National League Division Two7th
1951 Speedway National League Division TwoN/Aresigned record expunged
1952 Speedway Southern League9th
1953 Speedway Southern League5th
1954 Speedway National League Division Two9th
1955 Speedway National League Division Two5th
1956 Speedway National League Division Two2ndDiv 2 National Trophy Winners
1957 Speedway National League6th
1958 Speedway National League3rd
1959 Speedway National League5th
1960 Speedway National League7th
1961 Speedway National League2ndNational Trophy champions
1962 Speedway National League1stChampions
1963 Speedway National League6th

+ 6th when league was suspended

References

  1. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Southampton Saints". Greyhound Derby. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Hopes that speedway will one day return to city". Southern Daily Echo. 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
    - "Happy memories of Southampton speedway in print". Southern Daily Echo. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  6. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
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