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1974 British League season

The 1974 British League season was the 40th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the tenth season known as the British League.

Summary

The 1973 Champions Reading didn't compete as they no longer had a stadium, following the closure of Reading Stadium and Hull Vikings replaced them. The league was reduced to seventeen teams when the Coatbridge Tigers dropped down to Division Two. Overseas riders that rode in other leagues abroad were banned which meant that top Swedish riders such as Anders Michanek, Bernt Persson, Tommy Jansson and Christer Löfqvist didn't compete.

The Exeter Falcons won their first title. They were headed by the legendary four time world champion Ivan Mauger and backed up well by Scott Autrey (8.32), Tony Lomas (7.29) and Kevin Holden (7.26).

At the end of the season Oxford Rebels finished four points above the Hull Vikings courtesy of a protest over Hull's victory against the Rebels. Hull were later re-awarded the points after a close season hearing and moved above the Rebels.

Final table

<small>M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points</small>

Fixtures and results

Top ten riders (league averages)

British League Knockout Cup

The 1974 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 36th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Sheffield were the winners.

First round

Second round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

First leg

Second leg

Sheffield Tigers were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 90-65.

Riders' Championship

Peter Collins won the British League Riders' Championship held at Hyde Road on 19 October.

  • ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded

Final leading averages

Spring Gold Cup

East Group

West Group

East Group

West Group

Final

Midland Cup

Leicester won the Midland Cup. The competition consisted of six teams.

First round

Semi final round

Final first leg

Final second leg

Leicester won on aggregate 85–71

London Cup

Wimbledon won the London Cup but there were now only two teams remaining in London.

Results

Northern Trophy

Riders and final averages

Belle Vue

  • 10.98
  • 9.72
  • 8.68
  • 7.47
  • 7.24
  • 6.49
  • 4.15
  • 3.24
  • 2.73

Coventry

  • 8.50
  • 6.70
  • 5.96
  • 5.78
  • 4.97
  • 4.50
  • 4.34
  • 2.13
  • 1.75

Cradley Heath

  • 10.06
  • (Kid Brodie) 7.70
  • 6.19
  • 5.79
  • 5.56
  • 4.70
  • 4.14
  • 4.00
  • 3.33
  • 2.09

Exeter

  • 10.88
  • 8.32
  • 7.79
  • 7.29
  • 7.26
  • 5.57
  • 5.52
  • 4.76
  • 4.23

Hackney

  • 10.17
  • 7.78
  • 6.34
  • 5.76
  • 5.37
  • 5.33
  • 5.29
  • 4.48

Halifax

  • 9.61
  • 7.50
  • 7.20
  • 7.01
  • 5.43
  • 4.81
  • 4.75
  • 2.77
  • 2.61

Hull

  • 9.71
  • 7.77
  • 5.73
  • 5.52
  • 5.14
  • 5.11
  • 5.09
  • 4.14

Ipswich

  • 10.79
  • 9.34
  • 8.29
  • 6.19
  • 5.53
  • 5.18
  • 4.80
  • 4.50
  • 4.29

King's Lynn

  • 10.32
  • 9.78
  • 6.36
  • 5.81
  • 5.25
  • 4.87
  • 4.77

Leicester

  • 9.66
  • 9.34
  • 6.46
  • 5.77
  • 5.41
  • 3.45
  • 3.29
  • 2.62

Newport

  • 10.79
  • 9.42
  • 7.70
  • 5.26
  • 5.08
  • 4.76
  • 4.36
  • 4.15

Oxford

  • 8.32
  • 7.32
  • 6.89
  • 6.86
  • 6.76
  • 5.18
  • 4.15
  • 4.00
  • 3.72
  • 1.60

Poole

  • 8.58
  • 7.28
  • 6.31
  • 6.29
  • 5.27
  • 2.54
  • 2.29

Sheffield

  • 9.92
  • 9.23
  • 9.13
  • 7.24
  • 6.98
  • 6.40
  • 5.91
  • 4.70

Swindon

  • 10.09
  • 7.97
  • 6.37
  • 5.10
  • 4.55
  • 4.51
  • 4.06
  • 3.58
  • 2.50

Wimbledon

  • 9.30
  • 7.09
  • 6.64
  • 5.84
  • 5.45
  • 5.17
  • 5.02
  • 3.03

Wolverhampton

  • 11.39
  • 8.04
  • 6.53
  • 5.38
  • 4.28
  • 4.04
  • 3.20
  • 2.59
  • 2.33

See also

References