# 1953 Speedway Southern League

The 1953 Southern League was the second season of the regional third tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams. It was the final season before being replaced by the Southern Area League.
From the previous season, Aldershot Shots dropped out, Wolverhampton Wasps moved up and Oxford Cheetahs came down to replace them.

## Summary

Rayleigh Rockets were champions for a second consecutive season whilst Cardiff Dragons withdrew mid-season. Goog Hoskin of Exeter topped the averages.

## Final table

| Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
| 1 | Rayleigh Rockets | 26 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 43 |
| 2 | Exeter Falcons | 26 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 41 |
| 3 | Ipswich Witches | 28 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 28 |
| 4 | Swindon Robins | 28 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 28 |
| 5 | Southampton Saints | 28 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 26 |
| 6 | Oxford Cheetahs | 28 | 9 | 1 | 18 | 19 |
| 7 | St Austell Gulls | 28 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 18 |
| 8 | Plymouth Devils | 28 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 17 |
Withdrawal (Record expunged) : Cardiff Dragons

## Fixtures & results
### A fixtures

| Home \ Away | CAR | EX | IPS | OX | PLY | RAY | SA | SOT | SWI |
| Cardiff | | 45–39 | 58–26 | n/a | 53–31 | n/a | 57–27 | 56–28 | n/a |
| Exeter | 55–29 | | 69–15 | 54–30 | 59–25 | 49–35 | 56–28 | 50–34 | 58–26 |
| Ipswich | 49–35 | 41–43 | | 58–26 | 48–35 | 42–42 | 43–41 | 47–36 | 55–29 |
| Oxford | n/a | 51–33 | 49–35 | | 50–33 | 39–44 | 54–30 | 56–28 | 42–42 |
| Plymouth | 49–35 | 41–43 | 48–36 | 44–40 | | 38–46 | 37–47 | 47–37 | 42–42 |
| Rayleigh | 56–28 | 39–45 | 62–22 | 46–38 | 52–32 | | 59–25 | 54–30 | 59–24 |
| St Austell | 46–38 | 40–44 | 40–44 | 50–34 | 32–52 | 42–40 | | 40–43 | 47–37 |
| Southampton | n/a | 39–45 | 47–37 | 60–24 | 47–36 | 34–50 | 61–22 | | 35–49 |
| Swindon | 37–47 | 41–43 | 43–40 | 46–36 | 49–35 | 44–40 | 60–23 | 51–32 | |

### B fixtures

| Home \ Away | EX | IPS | OX | PLY | RAY | SA | SOT | SWI |
| Exeter | | 53–31 | 57–27 | 51–33 | 60–24 | 61–23 | 60–24 | 49–35 |
| Ipswich | 59–25 | | 64–20 | 49–35 | 38–46 | 60–24 | 42–42 | 52–32 |
| Oxford | 46–38 | 39–45 | | 39–45 | 41–43 | 60–23 | 44–40 | 49–35 |
| Plymouth | 36–48 | 51–33 | 49–35 | | 38–46 | 46–38 | 38–45 | 41–43 |
| Rayleigh | 53–31 | 53–31 | 43–40 | 51–33 | | 60–24 | 56–27 | 58–26 |
| St Austell | 43–40 | 34–49 | 47–37 | 47–37 | 35–49 | | 47–37 | 61–23 |
| Southampton | 42–42 | 54–30 | 45–39 | 51–31 | 57–27 | 63–21 | | 53–31 |
| Swindon | 41–43 | 47–37 | 51–33 | 46–38 | 39–45 | 62–22 | 43–41 | |

## Leading averages

| | Rider | Team | C.M.A. |
| 1 | Goog Hoskin | Exeter | 10.87 |
| 2 | Gerald Jackson | Rayleigh | 9.68 |
| 3 | Alan Smith | Plymouth | 9.37 |
| 4 | Peter Clark | Rayleigh | 9.27 |
| 5 | Jack Geran | Exeter | 9.06 |

## National Trophy

For the National Trophy see the 1953 Speedway National League.

## Riders and final averages

Cardiff (withdrew)
* Charlie May 9.80
* Hugh Geddes 9.08
* Bert Edwards 8.94
* Frank Johnson 7.76
* Mick Holland 7.50
* Gerald Pugh 5.33
* Mick Callaghan 4.52
* Jimmy Wright 4.40
* Kevin Hayden 4.26
Exeter
* Goog Hoskin 10.86
* Jack Geran 9.33
* Don Hardy 7.96
* Maurice Barnett 7.33
* John Hart 7.04
* Vic Gent 6.72
* Neil Street 6.46
* Johnny Sargeant 6.40
* Charlie May 5.95
* Bob Meyer 4.00
Ipswich
* Bert Edwards 9.12
* Sid Clarke 8.08
* Jimmy Grant 7.53
* Harold McNaughton 7.28
* Dick Shepherd 7.08
* Tich Read (George Snailum) 6.60
* Nobby Stock 6.57
* Dennis Day 6.32
* Jim Blythe 5.71
* Charlie Mugford 5.58
* Doug Papworth 5.54
* Len Silver 4.67
Oxford
* Jim Boyd 8.70
* Jim Gregory 8.54
* Peter Robinson 7.38
* Bill Kemp 6.47
* Frank Johnson 6.29
* Bob McFarlane 6.10
* Bill Osborne 5.25
* Benny King 4.66
* Herby King 4.64
* Frank Boyle 3.70
* Bill Codling 3.67
Plymouth
* Alan Smith 9.50
* Pete Lansdale 8.56
* Bill Thatcher 8.05
* Len Read 6.73
* George Wall 6.51
* Stan Clark 4.82
* Kevin Hayden 4.38
* Brian Hitchcock 3.33
* Derek Timms 3.02
* Doug Fursey 2.80
* Dick Harris 2.00
* Jack Hillard 1.60
Rayleigh
* Gerry Jackson 9.96
* Peter Clark 9.74
* Maury McDermott 7.92
* Tom O'Connor 7.81
* Les McGillivray 8.16
* Alby Smith 6.30
* Ron Howes 6.06
* Frank Bettis 5.60
St Austell
* Harold Bull 7.18
* Jack Gates 7.18
* Cyril Maidment 6.71
* John Yates 6.19
* Alf Webster 6.18
* Ken Monk 6.14
* Johnny Sargeant 6.05
* Bob Duckworth 4.99
* Graham Williams 4.47
* Norman Street 4.30
* Kevin Bock 3.55
* Maury McHugh 3.26
Southampton
* Brian McKeown 8.74
* Ernie Rawlins 8.55
* Hugh Geddes 7.85
* Ernie Brecknell 7.55
* Maury Mattingley 7.31
* Dudley Smith 5.45
* Mike Tamms 5.20
* Jack Vallis 4.75
* Brian Hanham 4.15
* Lionel Levy 3.27
Swindon
* Ian Williams 8.39
* Danny Malone 8.15
* Bob Wells 6.72
* Ron Swaine 6.44
* Reg Lambourne 6.17
* Bob Jones 6.06
* Mick Hard 5.38
* Frank Evans 5.18
* Gordon Leigh 4.73
* Bill Grimes 4.57
* Ken Wiggins 4.16