1976 National League season

The 1976 National League was contested as the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom having been renamed from the previous season's moniker of New National League.[2]

1976 National League season
LeagueNational League[1]
Season1976
ChampionsNewcastle Diamonds
No. of competitors18
Knockout CupNewcastle Diamonds
Division/s above1976 British League

Summary

The league was reduced from 20 teams down to 18. Birmingham Brummies had moved up to the British League. Oxford Rebels of the British League lost their riders and nickname to White City but moved down to the National League as the Oxford Cheetahs. Bradford Barons and Crewe Kings had both closed down.

Newcastle Diamonds comfortably won their first National League title, completing a cup double, and dropping only seven points.

Final table
Team PL W D L Pts
Newcastle Diamonds 34 30 1 3 61
Ellesmere Port Gunners 34 24 1 9 49
Workington Comets 34 20 1 13 41
Canterbury Crusaders 34 20 0 14 40
Rye House Rockets 34 17 2 15 36
Crayford Kestrels 34 17 1 16 35
Coatbridge Tigers 34 17 1 16 35
Eastbourne Eagles 34 17 0 17 34
Peterborough Panthers 34 16 2 16 34
Berwick Bandits 34 17 0 17 34
Stoke Potters 34 15 1 18 31
Boston Barracudas 34 15 1 18 31
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 34 15 1 18 31
Oxford Cheetahs 34 14 1 19 29
Weymouth Wizards 34 11 2 21 24
Paisley Lions 34 12 0 22 24
Scunthorpe Saints 34 11 1 22 23
Teesside Tigers 34 10 0 24 20

Top Five Riders
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Joe Owen Newcastle Diamonds 11.55
2 Tom Owen Newcastle Diamonds 10.28
3 Steve Weatherley Eastbourne Eagles 10.27
4 John Jackson Ellesmere Port Gunners 10.20
5 Laurie Etheridge Crayford Kestrels 9.96

National League Knockout Cup

The 1976 National League Knockout Cup was the ninth edition of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams. Newcastle Diamonds were the winners of the competition.[3]

First Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
22/04Oxford48-30Weymouth
20/04Weymouth40-38Oxford

Second Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
01/06Ellesmere Port46-32Paisley
27/05Stoke37-41Newcastle
24/05Newcastle59-19Stoke
23/05Mildenhall38-40Peterborough
22/05Paisley36-42Ellesmere Port
21/05Peterborough42-36Mildenhall
17/05Scunthorpe43-35Berwick
16/05Eastbourne41-37Oxford
16/05Workington46-32Coatbridge
14/05Coatbridge33-45Workington
13/05Oxford47-31Eastbourne
11/05Crayford46-32Boston
09/05Boston48-30Crayford
02/05Rye House45-32Canterbury
01/05Berwick45-32Scunthorpe
01/05Canterbury44-34Rye House
23/04Coatbridge52-25Teesside
22/04Teesside46-32Coatbridge

Quarter Finals
Date Team One Score Team Two
23/07Workington46-31Boston
20/07Ellesmere Port50-28Rye House
18/07Rye House38-39Ellesmere Port
17/07Berwick48-30Oxford
11/07Boston48-29Workington
08/07Oxford40-38Berwick
05/07Newcastle47-31Peterborough
25/06Peterborough39-39Newcastle

Semi Finals
Date Team One Score Team Two
05/09Boston42-35Berwick
28/08Berwick49-29Boston
17/08Ellesmere Port41-37Newcastle
16/08Newcastle46-31Ellesmere Port

Final
Date Team One Score Team Two
27/09Newcastle48-29Berwick
18/09Berwick43-35Newcastle

See also

List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions

References
  1. Oakes, P.(2006). Speedway Star Almanac. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0
  2. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  3. "1976 National League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
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