# 1958 Speedway National League

The 1958 National League was the 24th season and the thirteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

## Summary

Bradford Tudors who had dropped out at the start of the previous season only to return in mid-season, had dropped out again. Promoter Vic Gooden moved the entire promotion and team of Rayleigh Rockets to Poole Pirates.
Wimbledon Dons won their fourth title in five years.

## Final table

| Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
| 1 | Wimbledon Dons | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 26 |
| 2 | Norwich Stars | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 24 |
| 3 | Southampton Saints | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 22 |
| 4 | Leicester Hunters | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 22 |
| 5 | Belle Vue Aces | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 20 |
| 6 | Swindon Robins | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 20 |
| 7 | Coventry Bees | 18 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 19 |
| 8 | Oxford Cheetahs | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 12 |
| 9 | Poole Pirates | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 10 | Ipswich Witches | 18 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 |

## Fixtures and results

| Home \ Away | BV | COV | IPS | LEI | NOR | OX | PP | SOT | SWI | WIM |
| Belle Vue | | 52–44 | 63–33 | 63–33 | 57–39 | 66–30 | 73–23 | 65–31 | 47–48 | 51–45 |
| Coventry | 57–39 | | 69–26 | 47–49 | 51–45 | 64–32 | 45–51 | 53–43 | 61–35 | 44–52 |
| Ipswich | 45–51 | 38–58 | | 45–51 | 39–57 | 45–51 | 59–37 | 42–54 | 46–50 | 48–48 |
| Leicester | 46–50 | 58–38 | 61–35 | | 58–38 | 56–40 | 52–44 | 52–44 | 49–47 | 54–42 |
| Norwich | 54–42 | 62–34 | 59–37 | 54–42 | | 61–35 | 65–31 | 58–38 | 59–37 | 50–46 |
| Oxford | 50–46 | 48–48 | 54–42 | 46–50 | 46–49 | | 53–43 | 55–40 | 47–49 | 48–48 |
| Poole | 54–42 | 39–57 | 56–40 | 48–47 | 30–66 | 58–38 | | 45–51 | 49–47 | 33–63 |
| Southampton | 67–29 | 60–36 | 71–25 | 54–42 | 51–45 | 63–33 | 56–40 | | 55–41 | 49–47 |
| Swindon | 56–40 | 41–54 | 66–30 | 57–39 | 50–46 | 56–40 | 66–30 | 56–40 | | 42–54 |
| Wimbledon | 64–32 | 63–33 | 64–32 | 66–30 | 58–38 | 59–37 | 53–43 | 54–42 | 65–31 | |

## Top Ten Riders (League only)

| | Rider | Team | C.M.A. |
| 1 | Ove Fundin | Norwich | 11.60 |
| 2 | Peter Craven | Belle Vue | 11.00 |
| 3 | Ken McKinlay | Leicester | 10.82 |
| 4 | Barry Briggs | Wimbledon | 10.43 |
| 5 | Brian Crutcher | Southampton | 10.03 |
| 6 | Jack Young | Coventry | 10.02 |
| 7 | Peter Moore | Ipswich | 9.73 |
| 8 | Jack Biggs | Poole | 9.69 |
| 9 | Ron How | Wimbledon | 9.47 |
| 10 | Ronnie Moore | Wimbledon | 9.09 |

## National Trophy

The 1958 National Trophy was the 20th edition of the Knockout Cup. Belle Vue were the winners.
First round
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
| 30/05 | Leicester | 65-54 | Southampton |
| 29/05 | Oxford | 58-61 | Poole |
| 27/05 | Southampton | 84-36 | Leicester |
| 26/05 | Poole | 60-60 | Oxford |
Second round
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
| 03/07 | Ipswich | 42-77 | Swindon |
| 30/06 | Poole | 49-71 | Belle Vue |
| 30/06 | Wimbledon | 67-53 | Norwich |
| 28/06 | Belle Vue | 80-40 | Poole |
| 28/06 | Coventry | 57-63 | Southampton |
| 28/06 | Norwich | 72-48 | Wimbledon |
| 28/06 | Swindon | 78-42 | Ipswich |
| 24/06 | Southampton | 78-42 | Coventry |
Semifinals
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
| 16/08 | Norwich | 69-51 | Swindon |
| 12/08 | Southampton | 60-59 | Belle Vue |
| 09/08 | Belle Vue | 77-43 | Southampton |
| 09/08 | Swindon | 60-60 | Norwich |

### Final

First leg
Second leg
Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 136–103.

## Riders & final averages

Belle Vue
* Peter Craven 11.00
* Ron Johnston 7.90
* Dick Fisher 7.76
* Slant Payling 6.45
* Eddie Rigg 6.41
* Bob Duckworth 6.40
* Tink Maynard 5.33
* Peter Williams 5.28
* Jack Kitchen 1.25
* Graham Beattie 0.80
Coventry
* Jack Young 10.02
* Arthur Forrest 8.00
* Per Olof Söderman 7.78
* Jim Lightfoot 6.88
* Ron Mountford 6.64
* Maury Mattingley 5.47
* Reg Duval 4.89
* Nick Nicholls 4.46
* Les Owen 2.62
Ipswich
* Peter Moore 9.73
* Ray Cresp 6.39
* Nigel Boocock 4.93
* Tich Read (George Snailum) 3.89
* Jim Tebby 3.89
* Danny Dunton 3.81
* Bob Sharp 3.58
* Bert Edwards 3.50
* Jimmy Gooch 3.00
Leicester
* Ken McKinlay 10.82
* Jack Geran 9.08
* Gerry Hussey 7.65
* Bryan Elliott 5.46
* Alf Hagon 4.62
* Charlie Barsby 4.38
* Harry Bastable 3.89
* Guy Allott 2.86
Norwich
* Ove Fundin 11.60
* Aub Lawson 9.08
* Billy Bales 8.20
* Phil Clarke 7.19
* Dennis Newton 7.03
* Harry Edwards 5.44
* Johnny Chamberlain 4.76
* Reg Trott 4.30
* Arne Hendriksen 3.48
* Tich Read (George Snailum) 3.20
* Derek Strutt 2.35
* Clive Featherby 0.00
Oxford
* Charlie New 7.40
* Gordon McGregor 7.26
* Howdy Byford 6.75
* Ronnie Genz 6.48
* Arthur Wright 6.43
* Reg Duval 5.37
* Eric Boothroyd 5.35
* Dennis Newton 5.14
* Roy Bowers 4.24
* Colin Gooddy 2.00
* Brian Miller 1.60
Poole
* Jack Biggs 9.69
* Birger Forsberg 7.11
* Les McGillivray 6.23
* Ken Middleditch 6.12
* Jack Unstead 5.75
* Trevor Blokdyk 4.76
* Ken Adams 4.48
* Bill Holden 4.31
* Terry Small 3.91
* Maury McDermott 3.16
Southampton
* Brian Crutcher 10.03
* Dick Bradley 8.39
* Chum Taylor 7.73
* Split Waterman 7.47
* Brian Hanham 6.57
* Jimmy Squibb 6.33
* Alby Golden 5.74
* Leo McAuliffe 5.60
* Johnny Hole 5.25
* Ron Walton 3.67
* Brian Brett 3.40
Swindon
* George White 8.36
* Ian Williams 8.34
* Mike Broadbank 8.32
* Neil Street 8.00
* Roy Taylor 6.15
* Al Sparrey 4.47
* Ernie Lessiter 3.89
* Maury Conway 2.62
* Roy Moreton 2.48
Wimbledon
* Barry Briggs 10.43
* Ron How 9.47
* Ronnie Moore 9.09
* Gerald Jackson 6.76
* Cyril Maidment 6.73
* Cyril Brine 6.41
* Bob Andrews 5.82
* Gerry King 1.09