1931 Speedway Southern League
The 1931 Southern League was the third season of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams, and its final season before amalgamation of the two regional leagues.[1]
League | Southern League |
---|---|
Season | 1931 |
Champions | Wembley Lions |
No. of competitors | 11 |
Division/s other | 1931 Northern League |
Summary
Both Birmingham teams based at Perry Barr and Hall Green had left as had Coventry who returned mid-season to replace Leicester who were liquidated in April. Harringay Canaries resigned in June to be replaced by Belle Vue who then rode both in the Northern and Southern Leagues. Nottingham closed in July but they were not replaced and their results stood. The league season was the longest in the short history of the competition as teams met each other four times instead of twice.
The Wembley Lions won their second consecutive title.[2]
Final table
Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
Wembley Lions | 37 | 28 | 1 | 8 | 57 |
Stamford Bridge Pensioners | 38 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 54 |
West Ham Hammers | 38 | 23 | 0 | 15 | 46 |
Crystal Palace Glaziers | 38 | 22 | 0 | 16 | 44 |
Wimbledon Dons | 38 | 19 | 1 | 18 | 39 |
High Beach | 38 | 19 | 1 | 18 | 39 |
Southampton Saints | 38 | 18 | 0 | 20 | 36 |
Harringay Canaries + Belle Vue | 38 | 14 | 0 | 24 | 28* |
Lea Bridge | 38 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 22 |
Leicester Stadium + Coventry | 37 | 8 | 1 | 28 | 17** |
Nottingham | 20 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 16 |
* Harringay scored 12 points from 14 matches, Belle Vue scored 16 from 24 ** Leicester scored 1 point from 8 matches, Coventry scored 16 from 30
Top Five Riders
Team | C.M.A. | ||
1 | Tommy Croombs | West Ham Hammers | 10.41 |
2 | Dicky Case | Wimbledon Dons | 10.14 |
3 | Jack Parker | Southampton Saints | 10.02 |
4 | Frank Arthur | Stamford Bridge Pensioners | 9.97 |
5 | Vic Huxley | Harringay Canaries/Wimbledon Dons | 9.87 |
National Trophy
The 1931 National Trophy was the first edition of the Knockout Cup. It was contested between teams from the Southern and Northern Leagues.[3]
First Round
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
11/05 | Wimbledon | 67-26 | Hall Green |
12/05 | West Ham | 51-45 | Southampton |
13/05 | Lea Bridge | 59-33 | Nottingham |
14/05 | Exeter | 34-59 | High Beech |
14/05 | Leicester Stadium | 39.5-54.5 | Stamford Bridge |
15/05 | Hall Green | 42.5-49.5 | Wimbledon |
16/05 | High Beech | 61-33 | Exeter |
16/05 | Southampton | 42-49 | West Ham |
16/05 | Stamford Bridge | 59-35 | Leicester Stadium |
21/05 | Nottingham | 46-47 | Lea Bridge |
Second Round
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
25/05 | Belle Vue | 73-22 | Wombwell |
25/05 | York | 42-53 | Leicester Super |
26/05 | Glasgow White City | 43-52 | Preston |
28/05 | Sheffield | 54-40 | Leeds |
30/05 | Leeds | 39-52 | Sheffield |
30/05 | Leicester Super | 69-26 | York |
30/05 | Wombwell | 27-64 | Belle Vue |
04/06 | Preston | 70-26 | Glasgow White City |
08/06 | Wimbledon | 60-36 | Crystal Palace |
09/06 | Harringay | ? | Stamford Bridge |
09/06 | West Ham | 44-52 | Wembley |
10/06 | Lea Bridge | 52-38 | High Beech |
11/06 | Wembley | 56-37 | West Ham |
13/06 | Crystal Palace | 48-48 | Wimbledon |
13/06 | High Beech | 55-39 | Lea Bridge |
Quarter Finals
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
02/07 | Preston | 65-31 | High Beech |
11/07 | Belle Vue | 50-46 | Wimbledon |
11/07 | Sheffield | 41-55 | Wembley |
16/07 | Leicester Super | 44-50 | Stamford Bridge |
18/07 | High Beech | 48-42 | Preston |
23/07 | Wembley | 70-25 | Sheffield |
27/07 | Wimbledon | 55-41 | Belle Vue |
19/08 | Stamford Bridge | 61-31 | Leicester Super |
Semi Finals
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
10/09 | Preston | 43-51 | Stamford Bridge |
17/09 | Wembley | 48-47 | Wimbledon |
21/09 | Wimbledon | 46-49 | Wembley |
26/09 | Stamford Bridge | 66-30 | Preston |
Final
Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
---|---|---|---|
08/10 | Wembley | 71-24 | Stamford Bridge |
10/10 | Stamford Bridge | 68-40 | Wembley |
References
- "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
- "1931 National Trophy". Speedway archive.