| League | National League Division Three |
|---|---|
| Season | 1950 |
| No. of competitors | 10 |
| Champions | Oxford Cheetahs |
| National Trophy (Div 3 final) | Oxford Cheetahs |
| Riders' Championship | Pat Clark |
| Highest average | Ken Middleditch |
| Division/s above | Division One Division Two |
The1950 National League Division Three was the fourth season of British speedway'sNational League Division Three[1]
The league was reduced from 13 teams to 10.Halifax Dukes,Plymouth,Yarmouth andHanley had all moved up toDivision Two whilstHastings Saxons dropped out. The two new sides wereAldershot Shots[2] andSt Austell Gulls whilstTamworth changed their nickname from 'Hounds' to 'Tammies'.[3]
Oxford Cheetahs, who had finished bottom of the table during their inaugural league season in 1949, rose spectacularly up the league to win the title. The Oxford team was made up from an entirely new set of riders including Harry Saunders, signed as captain from Tamworth for £750,Pat Clark from Rayleigh for £250, Bill Osborne from Walthamstow, Raymond Buster Brown from Wembley and Eric Irons from Cradley.[4]
Ken Middleditch of Poole topped the averages.[5]
| Pos | Team | PL | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford Cheetahs | 36 | 26 | 2 | 8 | 54 |
| 2 | Poole Pirates | 36 | 23 | 3 | 10 | 49 |
| 3 | Leicester Hunters | 36 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 42 |
| 4 | Swindon Robins | 36 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 39 |
| 5 | Aldershot Shots | 36 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 37 |
| 6 | Tamworth Tammies | 36 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 34 |
| 7 | Exeter Falcons | 36 | 16 | 1 | 19 | 33 |
| 8 | Liverpool Chads | 36 | 14 | 1 | 21 | 29 |
| 9 | Rayleigh Rockets | 36 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 24 |
| 10 | St Austell Gulls | 36 | 9 | 1 | 26 | 19 |
| Home \ Away | ALD | EX | LEI | LIV | OX | PP | RAY | SA | SWI | TAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldershot | 55–29 | 38–42 | 55–28 | 53–30 | 52–32 | 57–27 | 47–37 | 42–42 | 54–30 | |
| Exeter | 51–33 | 41–42 | 58–25 | 35–49 | 45–39 | 63–21 | 60–24 | 46–38 | 55–29 | |
| Leicester | 63–21 | 48–35 | 65–19 | 35–48 | 45–39 | 60–24 | 56–28 | 39–45 | 45–39 | |
| Liverpool | 39–42 | 47–35 | 39–45 | 35–49 | 42–42 | 56–28 | 42–41 | 51–32 | 40–44 | |
| Oxford | 56–27 | 49–35 | 61–23 | 66–18 | 42–42 | 60–24 | 64–20 | 43–41 | 51–33 | |
| Poole | 47–37 | 43–41 | 45–39 | 37–47 | 43–41 | 61–23 | 50–33 | 51–33 | 53–31 | |
| Rayleigh | 37–47 | 50–34 | 49–34 | 49–35 | 33–51 | 32–51 | 46–38 | 41–42 | 38–46 | |
| St Austell | 35–48 | 52–31 | 34–50 | 52–32 | 37–47 | 30–53 | 60–24 | 39–44 | 40–44 | |
| Swindon | 49–35 | 54–30 | 50–34 | 61–23 | 30–54 | 62–21 | 53–31 | 48–34 | 42–41 | |
| Tamworth | 49–35 | 51–32 | 29–55 | 54–30 | 36–36 | 38–45 | 43–40 | 53–31 | 47–37 |
| Home \ Away | ALD | EX | LEI | LIV | OX | PP | RAY | SA | SWI | TAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldershot | 53–31 | 46.5–37.5 | 56–27 | 50–33 | 31–52 | 41–43 | 52–32 | 50–34 | 59–25 | |
| Exeter | 61–23 | 52–31 | 66–18 | 48–36 | 42–42 | 55–29 | 52–32 | 36–48 | 65–19 | |
| Leicester | 51–33 | 59–25 | 41–42 | 64–17 | 39–45 | 56–28 | 53–31 | 58–26 | 36–48 | |
| Liverpool | 52–32 | 43–40 | 44–39 | 40–44 | 36–48 | 55–29 | 60–24 | 43–41 | 39–45 | |
| Oxford | 52–31 | 61–23 | 39–45 | 59–25 | 42.5–41.5 | 52–32 | 52–32 | 45–39 | 57–26 | |
| Poole | 46–38 | 56–28 | 44–40 | 52–32 | 45–39 | 58–26 | 56–28 | 54–30 | 43–41 | |
| Rayleigh | 40–44 | 41–43 | 51–33 | 43–39 | 41–43 | 54–30 | 46–38 | 50–34 | 45–39 | |
| St Austell | 47–37 | 50–34 | 30–54 | 32–52 | 42–42 | 45–39 | 64–20 | 68–16 | 55–28 | |
| Swindon | 50–34 | 53–30 | 50–34 | 37–47 | 44–37 | 45–39 | 33–51 | 52–31 | 46–38 | |
| Tamworth | 45–38 | 38–46 | 37–47 | 43–41 | 29–54 | 43–41 | 51–32 | 50–34 | 50–33 |
| Rider | Team | C.M.A. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ken Middleditch | Poole | 10.53 |
| 2 | Basil Harris | Aldershot | 9.90 |
| 3 | Pat Clark | Oxford | 9.78 |
| 4 | Trevor Redmond | Aldershot | 9.64 |
| 5 | Don Hardy | Exeter | 9.57 |
The 1950 National Trophy was the 13th edition of theKnockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of three stages; stage one was for the third division clubs, stage two was for the second division clubs and stage three was for the top-tier clubs. The winner of stage one would qualify for stage two and the winner of stage two would qualify for the third and final stage. Oxford won stage one and therefore qualified for stage two.[8]
Third Division Qualifying First round
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/04 | Liverpool | 50-57 | Oxford |
| 06/04 | Oxford | 76-32 | Liverpool |
Third Division Qualifying Second round
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22/04 | Swindon | 60-47 | Oxford |
| 20/04 | Oxford | 62-46 | Swindon |
| 10/04 | Exeter | 65-41 | Leicester |
| 07/04 | Leicester | 66-42 | Exeter |
| 19/04 | Tamworth | 71-37 | St Austell |
| 18/04 | St Austell | 48-58 | Tamworth |
| 20/04 | Poole | 51-57 | Aldershot |
| 19/04 | Aldershot | 61-45 | Poole |
| 21/04 replay | Leicester | 53-55 | Exeter |
| 17/04 replay | Exeter | 62-45 | Leicester |
Third Division Qualifying semifinals
| Date | Team one | Score | Team two |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/05 | Exeter | 54-53 | Oxford |
| 27/04 | Oxford | 83-24 | Exeter |
| 03/05 | Tamworth | 67-41 | Aldershot |
| 01/05 | Aldershot | 63-44 | Tamworth |
First leg
| Tamworth Tammies Brian Wilson 11 Eric Boothroyd 10 Dick Tolley 6 Lionel Watling 4 Brian Shepherd 3 Laurie Schofield 2 Ivor Davies 2 John Hitchings 0 | 38 – 70 | Oxford Cheetahs Pat Clark 14 Ernie Rawlins 13 Frank Boyle 13 Eric Irons 11 Bob McFarlane 11 Bill Kemp 5 Buster Brown 3 Jim Wright R/R |
|---|---|---|
| [9][10] |
Second leg
| Oxford Cheetahs Pat Clark 14 Frank Boyle 13 Bob McFarlane 10 Ernie Rawlins 9 Eric Irons 8 Bill Kemp 7 Buster Brown 6 Jim Wright R/R | 67 – 41 | Tamworth Tammies Eric Boothroyd 8 Brian Shepherd 7 Brian Wilson 7 Lionel Watling 7 Dick Tolley 6 Ivor Davies 4 Laurie Schofield 2 John Hitchings 0 |
|---|---|---|
| [11][10] |
Pat Clark won the National League Division Three Rider's Championship, in front of 28,000 spectators. The final was held atWalthamstow Stadium on 23 October.[12][13][14]
| Pos. | Rider | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Pat Clark | 15 |
| 2 |  Trevor Redmond | 13 |
| 3 | Ken Middleditch | 11 |
| 4 | Gerry Jackson | 9 |
| 5 | Norman Street | 9 |
| ? | Harwood Pike | 6 |
| ? | Alex Gray | 6 |
| ? |  Hugh Geddes | 3 |
| ? | Jack Unstead | ? |
| ? | Basil Harris | ? |
| ? | Reg Duval | ? |
| ? | Cyril Quick | ? |
| ? | Harold Jackson | ? |
Aldershot
Exeter
Leicester
Liverpool
Oxford
Poole
Rayleigh
St Austell
Swindon
Tamworth
