# 1996 Speedway Conference League

The 1996 Speedway Conference League was the inaugural season of the Conference League, which was the second tier of British motorcycle speedway. It was listed as the second tier of British speedway because during 1995 and 1996 the two divisions of the British League had merged into one division only. The following season it would be a third tier/division competition.

## Summary

The Conference League was the first to promoted under the name and was an entirely amateur competition contested by thirteen teams (many were junior sides belonging to their parent clubs). The league expanded from the eight that had begun the previous season's 1995 Academy League - Berwick, Buxton, Devon, Linlithgow, Mildenhall, and Sittingbourne all returned from 1995, and were joined by Arena Essex, Eastbourne, Owlerton, Peterborough, Reading, Ryde, and Swindon. Stoke and Cleveland did not return from 1995.
As not all fixtures were able to be run, the champions were decided by a percentage of total points available. Linlithgow Lightning topped the table to become champions.

## Final table

| Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts | % |
| 1 | Linlithgow Lightning | 23 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 78 |
| 2 | Devon Demons | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 68 |
| 3 | Berwick Bandits | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 66 |
| 4 | Ryde Wight Wizards | 19 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 25 | 65 |
| 5 | Swindon Sprockets | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 58 |
| 6 | Arena Essex Hammers | 27 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 29 | 53 |
| 7 | Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 19 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 20 | 52 |
| 8 | Buxton Hitmen | 21 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 52 |
| 9 | Peterborough Thundercats | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 42 |
| 10 | Owlerton Prowlers | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
| 11 | Reading Ravens | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 38 |
| 12 | Eastbourne Starlets | 16 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 12 |
| 13 | Sittingbourne Crusaders | 18 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 11 |
PL = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Match Points; % = Win Rate

## Fixtures & results

A fixtures
| Home \ Away | AE | BER | BUX | DEV | EAS | LL | MIL | OW | PET | REA | RWW | SIT | SWI |
| Arena Essex Hammers | | 37–41 | 41–37 | 48–30 | 39–39 | 33–43 | 45–33 | n/a | 42–36 | 43–35 | 51–27 | 39–38 | 48–29 |
| Berwick Bandits | 52–26 | | 42–36 | n/a | 56–22 | 50–27 | 51–27 | 49–29 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Buxton Hitmen | 53–25 | 44–34 | | 39–39 | 44–32 | 40–38 | 47–31 | 45–31 | 46–31 | n/a | 58–20 | 53–25 | n/a |
| Devon Demons | 49–29 | n/a | 41–35 | | n/a | 39–38 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 44–34 | n/a | 43–34 |
| Eastbourne Starlets | 37–40 | n/a | n/a | n/a | | 29–48 | 31–45 | n/a | n/a | 24–29 | 31–45 | 47–31 | n/a |
| Linlithgow Lightning | 58–19 | 46–32 | 42–35 | n/a | 47–31 | | 42–34 | 58–19 | 44–34 | n/a | 53–24 | 54–22 | n/a |
| Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 59–19 | 41–37 | 46–32 | 38–40 | n/a | 34–44 | | 52–26 | n/a | 45–32 | 44–34 | 52–25 | n/a |
| Owlerton Prowlers | 42–35 | 40–38 | 41–37 | n/a | n/a | 38–40 | 44–34 | | 43–34 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Peterborough Thundercats | 41–31 | n/a | 39–38 | n/a | n/a | 35–43 | n/a | n/a | | 48–29 | 39–39 | n/a | n/a |
| Reading Ravens | 44–34 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 47–31 | 37–40 | n/a | n/a | n/a | | 38–40 | 59–19 | 43–34 |
| Ryde Wight Wizards | 47–30 | n/a | 44–34 | 41–36 | 45–33 | 40–38 | 44–34 | n/a | 49–29 | 54–24 | | 42–36 | 40–38 |
| Sittingbourne Crusaders | 36–41 | n/a | 39–39 | 38–40 | 39–39 | 28–50 | 32–46 | n/a | 32–44 | n/a | 52–26 | | 36–42 |
| Swindon Sprockets | 48–30 | n/a | n/a | 43–35 | 46.5–31.5 | 42–36 | n/a | n/a | 40–38 | 49–29 | n/a | n/a | |
B fixtures
| Home \ Away | AE | BER | BUX | DEV | EAS | LL | MIL | OW | PET | REA | RWW | SIT | SWI |
| Arena Essex Hammers | | n/a | n/a | n/a | 49–27 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 47–31 | n/a | 53–25 | 53–24 |
| Berwick Bandits | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Buxton Hitmen | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 41–36 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Devon Demons | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Eastbourne Starlets | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Linlithgow Lightning | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 50–28 | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 54–24 | n/a |
| Mildenhall Fen Tigers | n/a | 37–41 | 44–34 | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Owlerton Prowlers | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Peterborough Thundercats | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Reading Ravens | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Ryde Wight Wizards | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a | n/a |
| Sittingbourne Crusaders | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | | n/a |
| Swindon Sprockets | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | |

## Conference League Knockout Cup

The 1996 Conference League Knockout Cup was the 29th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams.
It was only the tier two competition because the Division 1 & 2 had merged during 1995 & 1996, this meant that the newly formed Conference League was tier two of British speedway at the time. Linlithgow Lightning were the winners of the Cup.
First round
| Dates | Team one | Team two | Scores |
| 30/06, 02/08 | Mildenhall | Arena Essex | 56-22, 40-38 |
| 14/07, 01/09 | Linlithgow | Buxton | 46-31, 39-39 |

### Final

First leg
Second leg
Linlithgow were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 88–68.

## Riders' Championship

Mike Hampson won the Riders' Championship. The final was held on 7 September at Long Eaton Stadium.
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Total |
| 1 | Mike Hampson | Buxton | 12 |
| 2 | Justin Elkins | Isle of Wight | 12 |
| 3 | Graeme Gordon | Exeter | 12 |
| 4 | David Mason | Sittingbourne | 12 |
| 5 | Paul Lee | Peterborough | 10 |
| 6 | Lee Dicken | Sheffield | 9 |
| 7 | Martin Willis | Isle of Wight | 8 |
| 8 | Barry Campbell | Linlithgow | 8 |
| 9 | Krister Marsh | Swindon | 7 |
| 10 | Dean Garrod | Mildenhall | 6 |
| 11 | Carl Checketts | Reading | 6 |
| 12 | Russell Etherington | Arena Essex | 4 |
| 13 | Roland Pollard | Arena Essex | 4 |
| 14 | Blair Scott | Linlithgow | 3 |
| 15 | Bobby Eldridge | Eastbourne | 2 |
| 16 | Anthony Barlow | Berwick | 2 |
| 17 | Paul Clews (res) | Peterborough | 0 |

## Teams and riders

| Arena Essex Hammers | CMA |
| Russell Etherington | 8.11 |
| Paul Lydes-Udings | 7.91 |
| Nathan Morton | 6.82 |
| Roland Pollard | 6.68 |
| Simon Wolstenholme | 6.59 |
| Darren Bolger | 6.35 |
| Andy Carfield | 5.28 |
| Gavin Pell | 5.25 |
| Phil Ranson | 4.97 |
| Ben Osborn | 4.00 |
| Jamie Barton | 0.89 |
| Berwick Bandits | CMA |
| David Blackburn | 10.19 |
| Glyn Taylor | 9.19 |
| Anthony Barlow | 8.88 |
| Richard Emson | 8.00 |
| William Beveridge | 7.76 |
| Peter Johnson | 5.96 |
| David McAllan | 2.70 |
| Michael Lowrie | 8.67 |
| Darren Pearson | 2.67 |
| Peter Grimwood | 0.00 |
| Buxton Hitmen | CMA |
| Mike Hampson | 10.00 |
| Jon Armstrong | 8.77 |
| Barry Ayres | 8.00 |
| Stephen Read | 7.16 |
| Dean Felton | 7.13 |
| Tony Howe | 6.26 |
| David Meldrum | 6.10 |
| Mark Harrison | 4.38 |
| Paul Macklin | 2.18 |
| Tony Atkin | 12.00 |
| Andre Compton | 12.00 |
| Graeme Gordon | 10.67 |
| Craig Taylor | 9.75 |
| Michael Lowrie | 8.00 |
| Drew Wheeldon | 7.00 |
| Elvis Jones | 6.00 |
| Jamie Young | 6.00 |
| Mark Burrows | 4.00 |
| Paul Fudge | 4.00 |
| Darren Matthews | 2.67 |
| Richard Moss | 1.85 |
| Jamie Isherwood | 1.71 |
| Geoff Batt | 1.33 |
| Neil Painter | 1.00 |
| David Nix | 0.00 |
| Paul Taylor | 0.00 |
| Devon Demons | CMA |
| Graeme Gordon | 9.90 |
| Paul Fudge | 9.05 |
| Roger Lobb | 8.08 |
| Greg Daniels | 7.72 |
| Kevin Phillips | 4.84 |
| Gary Lobb | 4.00 |
| Richard Ford | 2.55 |
| Mike Bowden | 5.00 |
| Andy Wilkinson | 3.00 |
| Wayne Holloway | 0.00 |
| Dave Ward | 0.00 |
| Nick Couch | 0.00 |
| Eastbourne Starlets | CMA |
| Paul Lydes-Udings | 8.59 |
| Brent Collyer | 8.13 |
| Bobby Eldridge | 7.16 |
| Steven Colvin | 3.38 |
| Richard Watts | 2.91 |
| Clive Seaby | 2.87 |
| Simon Moon | 1.50 |
| Dean Standing | 12.00 |
| Jason Bunyan | 8.00 |
| Tara O'Callaghan | 7.82 |
| Paul Taylor | 7.56 |
| Dean Chapman | 7.44 |
| David Meldrum | 6.67 |
| Justin Elkins | 6.00 |
| Scott Donovan | 5.18 |
| Mark Thompson | 3.60 |
| Nigel Roberts | 3.50 |
| Ian Clarke | 2.80 |
| Darren Grayling | 0.00 |
| Paul Bradford | 0.00 |
| Linlithgow Lightning | CMA |
| Peter Scully | 9.81 |
| Barry Campbell | 9.43 |
| Blair Scott | 8.70 |
| Brian Turner | 8.43 |
| Grant McDonald | 7.74 |
| Stuart Coleman | 6.29 |
| Brian Mercer | 6.14 |
| Neil Hewitt | 5.76 |
| Ian Milne | 0.70 |
| David Stokes | 1.43 |
| Mark Thompson | 1.33 |
| Andrew Swales | 0.00 |
| Mildenhall Fen Tigers | CMA |
| Geoff Powell | 9.29 |
| Jason Gage | 9.00 |
| Peter Boast | 7.78 |
| Dean Garrod | 7.13 |
| Jonathan Swales | 6.71 |
| Tony Kingsbury | 5.48 |
| Charlie Whitwam | 1.64 |
| Steve Knott | 8.22 |
| Mark Thompson | 4.00 |
| Dave Smith | 4.00 |
| Simon Brown | 3.27 |
| Richard Watts | 1.33 |
| Malcolm Hogg | 0.00 |
| Chris Simpson | 0.00 |
| Peter Grimwood | 0.00 |
| Colin Thorpe | 0.00 |
| Owlerton Prowlers | CMA |
| Derrol Keats | 9.16 |
| Lee Dicken | 7.92 |
| James Birkinshaw | 7.37 |
| Mark Blackwell | 4.12 |
| Glen Furniss | 4.00 |
| Andy Wilkinson | 12.00 |
| Charlie Whitwam | 8.00 |
| Philip Knowles | 6.00 |
| Neil Painter | 5.25 |
| Andy Buck | 4.89 |
| Paul Wyer | 4.57 |
| Phil Pickering | 3.50 |
| Aaron Baker | 2.29 |
| Simon Cartwright | 1.82 |
| Peterborough Thundercats | CMA |
| Paul Lee | 9.00 |
| Paul Clews | 8.56 |
| Jon Underwood | 6.53 |
| Gavin Hedge | 5.60 |
| Lee Dixon | 5.48 |
| Freddie Stephenson | 4.42 |
| Jason Newitt | 2.10 |
| Tommy Palmer | 12.00 |
| David Housley | 0.00 |
| Phil Pickering | 0.00 |
| Reading Ravens | CMA |
| Roger Lobb | 9.93 |
| Darren Andrews | 8.89 |
| Carl Checketts | 7.85 |
| Rob Cooling | 4.53 |
| Steve Targett | 3.79 |
| Mick Hester | 3.25 |
| Bill Haynes | 0.60 |
| Lee Richardson | 11.64 |
| Jason Gage | 11.33 |
| Lance Sealey | 7.08 |
| Karl Bainbridge | 4.80 |
| Patrice Deloubes | 3.33 |
| Steve Woolley | 3.00 |
| Mike Bowden | 2.67 |
| Damian Aplin | 0.67 |
| Steve Aston | 0.00 |
| Ryde Wizards | CMA |
| Václav Verner | 11.38 |
| Justin Elkins | 11.17 |
| Martin Willis | 10.35 |
| Mark Chessell | 7.87 |
| Colin Crook | 5.25 |
| Mike Bowden | 4.88 |
| Chris Simpson | 2.86 |
| Paul Oughton | 2.85 |
| Geoff Batt | 2.71 |
| Barry Bishop | 1.26 |
| Buck Blair | 10.00 |
| Simon Wolstenholme | 6.50 |
| Paul Taylor | 6.00 |
| Dean Garton | 4.67 |
| Ian Milne | 4.00 |
| Malcolm Hogg | 3.00 |
| Mark Czyz | 2.80 |
| Andrew Swales | 2.00 |
| Sittingbourne Crusaders | CMA |
| David Mason | 11.38 |
| Dean Chapman | 5.68 |
| Mark Czyz | 5.37 |
| John Curtis | 4.17 |
| Karl Armstrong | 3.44 |
| Andy Kerrison | 3.33 |
| Martyn Smith | 2.67 |
| Simon Wolstenholme | 8.80 |
| Gary Laker | 8.00 |
| Keith Yorke | 7.20 |
| Bobby Eldridge | 6.25 |
| Ben Osborn | 4.67 |
| Malcolm Smith | 3.56 |
| Ramon Majsa | 3.27 |
| Chris Simpson | 2.67 |
| Dean Norton | 2.67 |
| Mike Bowden | 2.50 |
| David Stokes | 2.40 |
| Karl Bainbridge | 2.00 |
| Mark Thompson | 2.00 |
| Andy Cooper | 0.00 |
| Swindon Sprockets | CMA |
| Scott Pegler | 10.32 |
| Krister Marsh | 9.26 |
| Keith Lansley | 6.75 |
| Gary Phelps | 6.57 |
| Scott Donovan | 4.44 |
| Martin Williams | 4.11 |
| Simon Paget | 3.19 |
| John Jeffries | 9.78 |
| Malcolm Holloway | 9.33 |
| Alan Spencer | 6.00 |
| Wayne Holloway | 1.33 |
| Richard Holloway | 0.00 |