# 1948 Speedway National League Division Three

The 1948 National League Division Three was the second season of British speedway's National League Division Three
The league had expanded from 8 teams to 12. Reigning champions Eastbourne Eagles were forced to close due to a petrol ban at their stadium, so their team moved a few miles along the Sussex coast to Hastings. The new entrants Coventry Bees, Hull Angels, Poole Pirates and Yarmouth Bloaters all struggled to make an impact and finished in the bottom five positions.
The Hull Angels were a corporation backed team, managed by Fred Archer and the team wore the crest of the city's coat-of-arms (3 golden crowns on a blue shield and yellow background).
Exeter Falcons won their first title and Alf Bottoms of Southampton topped the averages.
Eric Dunn of Hastings Saxons was a third speedway rider (with Reg Craven and Bill Wilson) to be killed during the season. 34-year-old Dunn was riding in a meeting (on 13 June) at the Arlington track when he fell and was hit by a rider behind. He died two days later in hospital (15 June).

## Final League table

| Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
| 1 | Exeter Falcons | 44 | 32 | 1 | 11 | 65 |
| 2 | Cradley Heath Cubs | 44 | 29 | 2 | 13 | 60 |
| 3 | Southampton Saints | 44 | 29 | 0 | 15 | 58 |
| 4 | Tamworth Hounds | 44 | 23 | 4 | 17 | 50 |
| 5 | Hanley Potters | 44 | 24 | 1 | 19 | 49 |
| 6 | Hastings Saxons | 44 | 22 | 0 | 22 | 44 |
| 7 | Plymouth Devils | 44 | 21 | 2 | 22 | 43 |
| 8 | Coventry Bees | 44 | 19 | 1 | 24 | 39 |
| 9 | Hull Angels | 44 | 19 | 0 | 25 | 38 |
| 10 | Poole Pirates | 44 | 17 | 0 | 27 | 34 |
| 11 | Yarmouth Bloaters | 44 | 13 | 1 | 30 | 27 |
| 12 | Wombwell Colliers | 44 | 10 | 1 | 33 | 21 |

## Fixtures & results
### A fixtures

| Home \ Away | COV | CH | EX | HAN | HAS | HUL | PLY | PP | SOT | TAM | WOM | YAR |
| Coventry | | 33–49 | 26–56 | 42–42 | 43–41 | 55–29 | 37–45 | 43–40 | 29–55 | 37–47 | 49–35 | 45–38 |
| Cradley Heath | 58–26 | | 50–33 | 54–29 | 57–27 | 54–30 | 54–30 | 39–45 | 45–39 | 48–36 | 60–24 | 63–21 |
| Exeter | 57–27 | 65–18 | | 66–18 | 57–27 | 60–23 | 58–25 | 65–19 | 48–36 | 65–19 | 69–15 | 57–27 |
| Hanley | 55–28 | 52–32 | 51–33 | | 36–48 | 59–25 | 44–40 | 53–31 | 45–39 | 45–39 | 53–50 | 53–30 |
| Hastings | 60–24 | 57–27 | 40–44 | 44–39 | | 43–40 | 55–29 | 51–33 | 31–53 | 56–28 | 59–25 | 58–26 |
| Hull | 44–39 | 36–48 | 63–21 | 37–47 | 45–39 | | 58–26 | 58–24 | 45–39 | 43–38 | 47–31 | 52–28 |
| Plymouth | 58–24 | 43–40 | 32–51 | 46–38 | 49–34 | 59–24 | | 48–36 | 38–45 | 42–42 | 57–27 | 48–33 |
| Poole | 60–24 | 39–45 | 46–38 | 45–36 | 40–44 | 65–19 | 37–46 | | 51–33 | 36–48 | 57–27 | 60–23 |
| Southampton | 55–28 | 58–25 | 57–27 | 57–27 | 57–27 | 59–25 | 50–34 | 56–27 | | 55–29 | 64–19 | 63–21 |
| Tamworth | 58–24 | 42–42 | 46–38 | 59–25 | 48–36 | 47–37 | 60–24 | 63–21 | 38–46 | | 60–24 | 59–25 |
| Wombwell | 59–24 | 32–52 | 37–47 | 28–56 | 41–43 | 53–31 | 46–36 | 56–28 | 38–46 | 42–42 | | 51–33 |
| Yarmouth | 60–23 | 40–43 | 35–45 | 45–38 | 46–38 | 48–35 | 51–33 | 56–27 | 32–52 | 34–50 | 55–29 | |

### B fixtures

| Home \ Away | COV | CH | EX | HAN | HAS | HUL | PLY | PP | SOT | TAM | WOM | YAR |
| Coventry | | 46–38 | 47–35 | 53–31 | 65–18 | 48–36 | 48–36 | 51–32 | 52–32 | 48–36 | 53–30 | 54–29 |
| Cradley Heath | 64–20 | | 55–29 | 54–30 | 62–22 | 53–31 | 44–40 | 47–37 | 53–31 | 41.5–41.5 | 66–18 | 60–26 |
| Exeter | 48–36 | 67–16 | | 53–30 | 58–26 | 62–22 | 41–43 | 53–30 | 46–38 | 57–27 | 61–23 | 60–24 |
| Hanley | 53–31 | 41–42 | 39–45 | | 68–16 | 62–21 | 50–34 | 49–35 | 53–30 | 61–22 | 63–21 | 53–31 |
| Hastings | 48–3 | 56–28 | 41–43 | 39–44 | | 45–37 | 44–40 | 51–33 | 31–53 | 45–38 | 52–31 | 55–29 |
| Hull | 56–28 | 54–30 | 50–34 | 38–44 | 64–20 | | 58–36 | 47–36 | 47–37 | 53–30 | 58–26 | 51–33 |
| Plymouth | 54–30 | 58–26 | 38–46 | 48–35 | 57–26 | 51–33 | | 57–27 | 45–39 | 63–21 | 65–19 | 57–27 |
| Poole | 37–47 | 59–25 | 31–52 | 51–31 | 49–35 | 59–24 | 55.5–28.5 | | 49–35 | 50–34 | 58–26 | 46–38 |
| Southampton | 61–23 | 57–26 | 38–43 | 49–35 | 61–23 | 56–28 | 48–36 | 58–26 | | 46.5–36.5 | 60–24 | 62–21 |
| Tamworth | 49.5–34.5 | 30–52 | 50–33 | 60–24 | 60–23 | 53–30 | 48–36 | 62–22 | 49–35 | | 54–30 | 57–27 |
| Wombwell | 37–47 | 37–47 | 41–43 | 46–38 | 41–42 | 44–40 | 52–31 | 43–40 | 36–47 | 23–60 | | 50–34 |
| Yarmouth | 37–46 | 37–47 | 41–41 | 34–50 | 57–27 | 50–33 | 51–30 | 45–39 | 41–43 | 46–38 | 43.5–37.5 | |

## Leading Averages

| | Rider | Team | C.M.A. |
| 1 | Alf Bottoms | Southampton | 11.29 |
| 2 | Wally Green | Hastings | 11.23 |
| 3 | Cyril Roger | Exeter | 9.93 |
| 4 | Jock Grierson | Hastings | 9.77 |
| 5 | Bert Roger | Exeter | 9.72 |

## National Trophy

The 1948 Trophy was the 11th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Qualifying event for Division 3 teams saw Southampton Saints win the final and qualify for the Elimination event. The Elimination event for Division 2 teams saw Birmingham Brummies win the final and qualify for the Quarter Finals proper.
Qualifying Event First Round
| Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
| 08/04 | Plymouth | 56-50 | Cradley Heath |
| 17/04 | Cradley Heath | 66-42 | Plymouth |
| 13/04 | Southampton | 89-19 | Wombwell |
| 23/04 | Wombwell | 31-77 | Southampton |
| 07/04 | Tamworth | 82-26 | Exeter |
| 12/04 | Exeter | 81-27 | Tamworth |
Qualifying Second Round
| Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
| 29/04 | Stoke Hanley | 64-43 | Coventry |
| 01/05 | Coventry | 48-59 | Stoke Hanley |
| 04/05 | Southampton | 77-31 | Tamworth |
| 05/05 | Tamworth | 46-62 | Southampton |
| 26/04 | Poole | 74-32 | Yarmouth |
| 27/04 | Yarmouth | 47-67 | Poole |
| 01/05 | Hull | 42-66 | Cradley Heath |
| 07/05 | Cradley Heath | 78-29 | Hull |
Qualifying Third Round
| Date | Team One | Score | Team Two |
| 10/05 | Poole | 49-57 | Stoke Hanley |
| 13/05 | Stoke Hanley | 64-44 | Poole |
| 11/05 | Southampton | 85-23 | Cradley Heath |
| 21/05 | Cradley Heath | 54-50 | Southampton |

### Qualifying Final Round

First leg
Second leg

## Riders & final averages

Coventry
* Vic Emms 7.92
* Lionel Levy 7.43
* Bob Fletcher 7.28
* Bert Lacey 6.19
* Ed Pye 6.18
* George Smith 6.13
* Ralph Horne 5.65
* Bernard Tennant 5.36
* John Yates 4.65
* Fred Yates 4.62
* Derrick Tailby 2.71
Cradley Heath
* Gil Craven 9.52
* Les Beaumont 8.82
* Eric Irons 8.81
* Alan Hunt 8.16
* Jimmy Wright 7.78
* Bill Kemp 7.52
* Ken Sharples 6.98
* Bill Clifton 5.64
* Phil Malpass 5.49
* Ray Beaumont 4.41
* Ray Moreton 4.32
* Jimmy Coy 4.22
Exeter
* Cyril Roger 10.00
* Bert Roger 9.98
* Norman Clay 8.73
* Arthur Pilgrim 8.26
* Don Hardy 8.19
* Stan Hodson 7.35
* Bronco Slade 7.19
* Hugh Geddes 6.49
* Johnny Myson 5.24
* Stan Lanfear 3.89
Hanley
* Gil Blake 8.92
* Les Jenkins 8.32
* Dave Anderson 7.95
* Ray Harris 7.17
* Ken Adams 7.05
* Dick Howard 5.61
* Stan Bradbury 5.71
* Vic Pitcher 5.62
* Lindsay Mitchell 5.52
* Frank Evans 5.14
* Jack Dawson 5.00
* Jock Gordon 4.00
Hastings
* Wally Green 11.23
* Jock Grierson 9.75
* Bill Osborne 8.97
* Frank Bettis 6.51
* Ken Middleditch 6.00
* Ken Tidbury 5.12
* Ron Clark 5.01
* Dan English 4.52
* John Hayles 4.29
* Peter Mold 4.13
* Ken Smith 4.05
* Eric Dunn 4.00
* Bill Weston 2.29
Hull
* Mick Mitchell 8.94
* Dick Shepherd 7.35
* George Craig 7.19
* Al Allison 6.67
* Johnny White 6.34
* Bob Baker 6.08
* Derek Glover 5.33
* Norman Johnson 4.89
* Alf Webster 3.25
* Brian Gorman 3.17
Plymouth
* Pete Lansdale 9.06
* Len Read 8.77
* Peter Robinson 8.59
* Alex Gray 6.86
* Ted Gibson 5.78
* Bonny Waddell 5.27
* Charlie Challis 5.14
* Ivan Kessell 5.10
* Billy Newell 4.63
* Vic Gent 4.38
* Wally Matthews 4.37
Poole
* Joe Bowkiss 8.53
* Allan Chambers 7.66
* Alf Elliott 7.31
* Sid Clarke 6.78
* Fred Pawson 6.13
* Charlie Hayden 5.90
* Ginger Nicholls 5.20
* George Butler 4.69
* Frank Holcombe 4.18
* Sid Hazzard 3.76
Southampton
* Alf Bottoms 11.25
* Jimmy Squibb 9.52
* Cecil Bailey 8.58
* Bob Oakley 8.05
* Bert Croucher 7.01
* Tom Oakley 6.41
* Alf Kaines 5.87
* George Bason 4.56
* Bill Griffiths 4.00
Tamworth
* Arthur Payne 8.67
* Cyril Page 8.45
* Harry Saunders 8.44
* Basil Harris 8.08
* Bill Dalton 7.53
* Bill Harris 7.05
* Steve Langton 6.79
* Jack Baxter 6.67
* Peter Orpwood 6.07
* Charlie Oates 5.57
* Cecil Hookham 5.00
* Lionel Watling 3.87
* Howard Chipman 2.67
Wombwell
* Stan Hodson 8.15
* Harry Welch 7.38
* Jack Baxter 6.98
* Harry Saunders 6.76
* Harwood Pike 6.60
* Stan Beardsall 6.46
* Son Mitchell 5.26
* Len Tupling 4.80
* Red Hamley 4.69
* Charlie Oates 4.45
* Ken Allick 4.38
* Jeff Bishop 4.07
* Ernest Palmer 3.09
* Gerry Williams 2.46
* Bert Thomas 2.08
* Harry Modral 1.52
Yarmouth
* Reg Morgan 7.40
* Billy Bales 6.99
* Sid Hipperson 6.93
* Paddy Hammond 6.60
* Fred Rogers 5.64
* Bert Rawlinson 5.14
* Arthur Bush 5.10
* Roy Duke 5.05
* Bill Carruthers 4.81
* Ted Rawlinson 4.50
* Phil Day 2.67
* Bill Codling 2.55