# 2021 National Development League speedway season

The National Development League 2021 is the third tier/division of British speedway for the 2021 season.
Due to pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic it was decided that the league would be decided by the final table standings only, with no playoffs being held. For the same reason no Knockout Cup would be held.

## Team changes

There were significant changes from the previous 2019 National Development League speedway season. Plymouth Gladiators and Kent Kings moved up a division to the SGB Championship but the latter formed a junior side called the Kent Royals to compete in the development league. The Cradley Heathens had withdrawn after the 2019 season and the Isle of Wight Warriors withdrew from the league in early 2021. Stoke Potters lost their stadium and were unable to compete but there were three teams formed junior sides which joined the league, called the Armadale Devils (parent club Edinburgh Monarchs) the Berwick Bullets (parent club Berwick Bandits) and Eastbourne Seagulls (parent club Eastbourne Eagles).

## Summary

Newcastle Gems had started the season but dropped out after in June after a couple of fixtures due to financial difficulties. This was followed on 26 August by the Eastbourne Seagulls after parent club, the Eastbourne Eagles withdrew from the league because of financial problems. Their results were expunged. Mildenhall Fen Tigers won their fourth Division 3 title since 2003.

## Final table

| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | 4W | 3W | D | 1L | L | F | A | Pts |
| 1 | Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 488 | 408 | 26 |
| 2 | Berwick Bullets | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 455 | 440 | 22 |
| 3 | Belle Vue Colts | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 433 | 464 | 14 |
| 4 | Kent Royals | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 409 | 396 | 13 |
| 5 | Armadale Devils | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 385 | 424 | 12 |
| 6 | Leicester Lion Cubs | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 429 | 467 | 11 |
| | Eastbourne Seagulls | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged | withdrew 26 August, results expunged |
| | Newcastle Gems | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged | withdrew, results expunged |

## Fixtures & results

| Home \ Away | ARM | BV | BER | EAS | KR | LEI | MIL | NEW |
| Armadale Devils | | 48–42 | 48–42 | n/a | 47–43 | 50–40 | 34–56 | 43–46 |
| Belle Vue Colts | 51–39 | | 51–38 | 46–43 | 39–50 | 47–42 | 39–51 | n/a |
| Berwick Bandits | 50–40 | 52–38 | | n/a | 52–38 | 53–36 | 46–44 | n/a |
| Eastbourne Eagles | n/a | n/a | n/a | | 43–46 | 32–54 | n/a | n/a |
| Kent Royals | n/a | 44–46 | 39–48 | 45–45 | | 59–31 | 44–45 | n/a |
| Leicester Lion Cubs | 50–40 | 54–36 | 45–45 | 47–43 | 45–45 | | 45–45 | n/a |
| Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 50–39 | 46–44 | 61–29 | n/a | 43–47 | 47–41 | | n/a |
| Newcastle Gems | 55–33 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | –n/a | |
The fixture between Kent and Armadale was not held following several postponements.

## National Development League Knockout Cup

The 2021 National Development League Knockout Cup would have been the 23rd edition of the Knockout Cup for tier three teams. However it was cancelled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Teams and final averages
### Armadale Devils

* Nathan Greaves 9.03
* Danny Phillips 8.39
* Tom Woolley 7.92
* Archie Freeman 6.86
* George Rothery 5.20
* Gregor Millar 4.30
* Lewis Millar 3.02
* Sheldon Davies 2.29

### Belle Vue Colts

* Jack Smith 8.87
* Benji Compton 8.86
* Harry McGurk 7.35
* Jake Parkinson-Blackburn 7.08
* Connor Coles 6.75
* Paul Bowen 6.00
* Sam McGurk 5.94
* Ben Woodhull 3.45

### Berwick Bullets

* Leon Flint 10.62
* Luke Crang 10.29
* Kyle Bickley 9.25
* Greg Blair 7.91
* Kieran Douglas 5.60
* Ben Rathbone 5.41
* Mason Watson 4.45
* Ryan MacDonald 2.76

### Kent Royals

* Daniel Gilkes 10.96
* Ryan Kinsley 9.26
* Jake Mulford 8.57
* Alex Spooner 7.53
* Jacob Clouting 4.33
* Vinnie Foord 3.33
* Rob Ledwith 4.00
* Josh Warren 3.00
* Jamie Couzins 0.00

### Leicester Cubs

* Dan Thompson 10.04
* Joe Thompson 9.33
* Tom Spencer 7.16
* Joe Lawlor 6.80
* James Chattin 4.00
* Ben Trigger 4.54
* Mickie Simpson 3.83
* Kai Ward 2.35

### Mildenhall Fen Tigers

* Jordan Jenkins 10.24
* Jason Edwards 9.37
* Luke Ruddick 8.44
* Nathan Ablitt 7.05
* Sam Hagon 6.75
* Sam Bebee 6.22
* Elliot Kelly 5.30
* Luke Muff 3.20

## Withdrew and results expunged
### Eastbourne Seagulls

* Nathan Ablitt
* Richard Andrews
* Henry Atkins
* Connor King
* Jake Knight
* Nick Laurence
* Danno Verge
* Chad Wirtzfled

### Newcastle Gems

* Joe Alcock
* Max Clegg
* Kelsey Dugard
* Josh Embleton
* Arche Freeman
* Danny Smith
* Ryan Terry-Daley