Crayford Kestrels
| Crayford Kestrels | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Crayford Kestrels Badge | |||
| Club information | |||
| Track address | Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium Stadium Road Crayford Kent | ||
| Country | England | ||
| Founded | 1968 | ||
| Closed | 1983 | ||
| Club facts | |||
| Colours | Red, Black and Gold | ||
| Track size | 242 metres (265 yd) | ||
| Major team honours | |||
| |||
The Crayford Kestrels were a Speedway team which operated from 1968 until their closure in 1983. They were based at Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium in Crayford.[1]
History
[edit]
Speedway meetings in Crayford were first held during 1935 and 1936 but soon ended and the sport would not return for over 30 years.[2]
In 1967 a speedway circuit was constructed inside the greyhound track at the Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium and promoter Johnnie Hoskins planned to bring the speedway team from Edinburgh to Crayford because Old Meadowbank had closed.[3] However, the Edinburgh team moved to Coatbridge and Hoskins turned his attention to Canterbury. Bill Bridgett and Mike Parker of the Wolverhampton Wolves stepped in to promote the Crayford speedway[4] Crayford were founder members of British League Division Two in 1968. The first signings were Mick Handley and Dave Parry (Wolves riders on loan)[5] and the team finished in sixth place during its inaugural season.[6]
The team known as the Crayford Highwaymen continued to race throughout the 1969 and 1970 seasons. Geoff Ambrose starred in 1969 when the team finished fourth in the league.[7] However, after the 1970 season the team were disbanded with the promoters citing not being able to afford the new rider pay rates.[8]
Speedway returned to the stadium in 1975 with a team nicknamed the Kestrels under the co-promotion of Peter Thorogood and Len Silver.[9] The Kestrels would compete for nine years from 1975 to 1983.
The Kestrels won the Four-Team Championship, held at the East of England Arena on 27 July 1980; the team was Paul Woods, Les Rumsey, Steve Naylor, Alan Sage and Laurie Etheridge.[10][11] However, arguably their most successful season was the third place finish during the 1983 National League season.[12][13]
The team were forced to relocate for the 1984 season as the stadium was sold for redevelopment[14] and for the 1984 season the team transferred the promotion to Hackney and ran a team called the Hackney Kestrels.[15][16]
Notable riders
[edit]Season summary
[edit]| Year and league | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 British League Division Two season | 6th | rode as the Highwaymen |
| 1969 British League Division Two season | 4th | rode as the Highwaymen |
| 1970 British League Division Two season | 14th | rode as the Highwaymen |
| 1975 New National League season | 8th | |
| 1976 National League season | 6th | |
| 1977 National League season | 10th | |
| 1978 National League season | 10th | |
| 1979 National League season | 12th | |
| 1980 National League season | 9th | Four-Team Championship winners |
| 1981 National League season | 10th | |
| 1982 National League season | 15th | |
| 1983 National League season | 3rd |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Crayford Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Crayford". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Only track". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 14 October 1967. Retrieved 2 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Speedway comes to Kent". Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph. 3 May 1968. Retrieved 2 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Speedway club makes signings". Kent Messenger & Gravesend Telegraph. 24 May 1968. Retrieved 2 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
- ^ "Speedway Teams UK 1964-1969". Cyber Motorcycle. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Crayford killed by cash crisis". Daily Mirror. 3 March 1971. Retrieved 2 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Riders set for Kestrels take-off". Kentish Express. 10 January 1975. Retrieved 2 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 28 July 1980. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 69. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
- ^ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Jacobs, N. Speedway in the South East. ISBN 0-7524-2725-3
- ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
- ^ "West Row Opener". Newmarket Journal. 9 February 1984. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.