Cradley Heath Heathens
| Cradley Heath Heathens | ||
 |
||
| Club information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Track address | Dudley Wood Stadium Dudley West Midlands |
|
| Country | England | |
| Founded | 1947 | |
| Closed | 1995 | |
| Website | Supporters website | |
| Club facts | ||
| Colours | Green, white and red | |
| Major team honours | ||
| British League Champions British League KO Cup Winners British League Pairs Champions Four-Team Champions |
1981, 1983 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 1978 1980, 1995 |
|
Cradley Heath Heathens are a defunct motorcycle speedway team from Dudley, England.
Contents |
[edit] History
Cradley Heath speedway team was formed in 1947 and first raced at Dudley Wood Stadium on 21 June 1947 after a number of away appearances prior to the opening of the newly built stadium. After closure at the end of the 1952 season the track reopened in 1959 for one unlicensed meeting and in 1960 the Heathens entered the newly formed Provincial League. The club then operated continuously, - at top flight level from 1965 - , until 1995 when they were evicted by the new landlords who had bought the stadium to redevelop into housing. The team survived for one additional year, competing at the Loomer Road Stadium in Stoke in 1996 under the name 'Cradley and Stoke' Heathens. The club was one of the most successful in the sport throughout the 1980s, winning the British League in 1981 and 1983 and eight Knockout Cup competitions. Seven Speedway World Championships were won by Cradley riders between 1981 and 1996.
[edit] Name
The team name is taken from the stadium’s proximity to Cradley Heath town centre, though it lies in the borough of Dudley, centred about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. At the time of formation the two towns were in different counties - Staffordshire and Worcestershire, but both towns are now part of the county of West Midlands. The Cradley team initially took the nickname “Cubs” but during the 1949 season, having gained promotion from the National League Division Three to the National League Division Two, they adopted the name of Cradley Heath Heathens, which was retained through to their final days in 1996 but for the brief period of 1973-76 when they raced as Cradley United and 1996 when they became 'Cradley and Stoke' and raced in Stoke
[edit] Team Status
| YEAR | LEAGUE | POS'N / Nos. | ADD'L TROPHIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Nat.Lge Div'n 3 | Runner-Up / 8 | |
| 1948 | Nat.Lge Div'n 3 | Runner-Up / 13 | |
| 1949 | Nat.Lge Div'n 2 | 4th / 12 | |
| 1950 | Nat.Lge Div'n 2 | 3rd / 15 | Midland Cup |
| 1951 | Nat.Lge Div'n 2 | 15th / 16 | Central Shield |
| 1952 | Nat.Lge Div'n 2 | 4th / 12 | |
| - | - closure - | - | - |
| 1959 | Open (1 mtg, unlicensed) | ||
| 1960 | Provincial Lge. | 6th / 10 | |
| 1961 | Provincial Lge. | 4th / 11 | KO Cup |
| 1962 | Provincial Lge. | 8th / 13 | |
| 1963 | Provincial Lge. | 9th / 13 | KO Cup; Midland Lge |
| 1964 | Provincial Lge. | 10th / 12 | (all 12 tracks unlicensed by ACU) |
| 1965 | British Lge. | 16th / 18 | (senior league racing hereonafter) |
| 1966 | British Lge. | 19th / 19 | Wooden Spoon |
| 1967 | British Lge. | 18th / 19 | |
| 1968 | British Lge. | 14th / 19 | |
| 1969 | British Lge. | 7th / 19 | |
| 1970 | British Lge. | 15th / 19 | |
| 1971 | British Lge. | 18th / 19 | |
| 1972 | British Lge. | 16th / 18 | |
| 1973 | British Lge. | 18th / 18 | Wooden Spoon |
| 1974 | British Lge. | 13th / 17 | |
| 1975 | British Lge. | 11th / 18 | |
| 1976 | British Lge. | 9th / 19 | |
| 1977 | British Lge. | 7th / 19 | |
| 1978 | British Lge. | 5th / 19 | |
| 1979 | British Lge. | 3rd / 18 | KO Cup; Inter-Lge Cup |
| 1980 | British Lge. | 5th / 17 | Midland Cup |
| 1981 | British Lge. | Winner / 16 | |
| 1982 | British Lge. | Runner-Up /15 | KO Cup; Lge Cup; Premiership |
| 1983 | British Lge. | Winner / 15 | KO Cup; Midland Cup |
| 1984 | British Lge. | 3rd / 16 | Lge.Cup; Midland Cup; Prem'ship |
| 1985 | British Lge. | 7th / 11 | Premiership |
| 1986 | British Lge. | Runner-Up / 11 | Lge.Cup |
| 1987 | British Lge. | Runner-Up / 12 | KO Cup;Midland Cup;Brit.Trophy |
| 1988 | British Lge. | 3rd / 11 | KO Cup; Premiership |
| 1989 | British Lge. | 3rd / 9 | KO Cup; Premiership |
| 1990 | British Lge. | 7th / 9 | Premiership |
| 1991 | British Lge. | 3rd / 13 | |
| 1992 | British Lge. | 4th / 13 | |
| 1993 | British Lge. | 11th / 11 | Wooden Spoon |
| 1994 | British Lge. | 9th / 11 | |
| 1995 | British Premier Lge. | 3rd / 21 | Prem.Lge Fours |
| 1996 | British Premier Lge. | 5th / 19 | (operating from Chesterton, Stoke) |
The club also operated a junior team in the British Junior League in the years 1986 to 1992 inclusive,
being Runners-Up in 1986 and Winners in 1991.
[edit] Future plans
Supporters of the club have continued a campaign to resurrect speedway in the local area. Plans have been submitted to Dudley Council for a new site. The Birmingham Brummies promoter, Tony Mole and Bob Edwards (on behalf of supporters group, CRASH – Cradley Raising Aid Saving Heathens) are leading the planning application and it is hoped that the team will return to racing in 2009.[1] There is an online petition to show support for the application which is linked from the Cradley Heath Speedway website.[2]
In 2010 the Heathens will be back riding but with a changed name. The Cradley name will be changed to Dudley Heathens temporarily until a new stadium can be found to call their own. They will take part in the National League and their home meetings will be shared between two stadiums – Monmore Green (home track of the Wolverhampton Wolves) and the Perry Bar Stadium (home track of the Birmingham Brummies). The team manager is Will Pottinger, and the club will be promoted by Sky Sports speedway presenter Nigel Pearson.
[edit] Club honours list
[edit] British League
Champions: 1981, 1983
[edit] Knockout Cup
Winners: 1961, 1963, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
[edit] League Cup
Winners: 1982, 1984, 1986 (shared with Oxford)
[edit] Inter-League Cup
Winners: 1979
[edit] Premiership
Winners: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990
[edit] British League Four Team Tournament
Winners: 1980, 1995
[edit] Midland Cup/Lge/Shield
Winners: 1950, 1951, 1963, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987
[edit] National League
League Trophy Winners (Dudley Heathens) 2010 - (Lost Play Off for Overall Champions)
[edit] Individual Champions
[edit] World Champion
- Bruce Penhall 1981, 1982
- Erik Gundersen 1984, 1985, 1988
- Jan O. Pedersen 1991
- Billy Hamill 1996
- Greg Hancock 1997
[edit] World Under-21 Champion
- Gert Handberg 1989
[edit] British Under-21 Champion
- Scott Smith 1992
[edit] Inter-Continental Champion
- Bruce Penhall 1981
- Erik Gundersen 1986, 1987
- Jan O. Pedersen 1988
[edit] Overseas Champion
- Phil Collins 1983
- Lance King 1984
- Simon Cross 1988
[edit] British League Riders Champion
- Erik Gundersen 1983, 1985
- Jan O. Pedersen 1988
[edit] National League Riders Champion
- Lee Smart 2010
[edit] Notable riders
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "Cradley bid lodged". British Speedway Promoters' Association. 1 November 2007. http://www.british-speedway.co.uk/news.php?extend.1030. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ "Heathens plans given boost". BBC Sport. 10 August 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/speedway/6940220.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
