Cradley Heath Heathens
Encyclopedia
Cradley Heath Heathens are a defunct motorcycle speedway
team from Dudley
, England
.
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 Championship
s were won by Cradley riders between 1981 and 1996.
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
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.
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. There is an online petition to show support for the application which is linked from the Cradley Heath Speedway website.
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.
World Champion
World Under-21 Champion
British League Riders Champion
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
team from Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Cradley Heath speedway team was formed in 1947 and first raced at Dudley Wood StadiumDudley Wood Stadium
Dudley Wood Stadium on Dudley Wood Road in Dudley, West Midlands, England was opened in 1947 and was mainly used for greyhound racing and speedway. The stadium was demolished in 1998 by the new owners , despite not receiving planning permission for their home development project.-Speedway:Cradley...
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
Speedway Provincial League
The Provincial League was a league competition for speedway teams in the United Kingdom which operated alongside the National League for five years between 1960 and 1964.-History:The Provincial League was formed in the winter of 1959/60...
. 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
Loomer Road Stadium
Loomer Road Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Chesterton, Staffordshire. Today, it hosts mainly motorcycle speedway and occasionally stock car racing, but in the past it has been the venue for greyhound racing...
in Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
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
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
in 1981 and 1983 and eight Knockout Cup competitions. Seven Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
s were won by Cradley riders between 1981 and 1996.
Name
The team name is taken from the stadium’s proximity to Cradley HeathCradley Heath
Cradley Heath is a town in the Black Country, located in Sandwell metropolitan borough, England. The name is usually pronounced "Craid-ley", not "Crad-ley", but in the Black Country accent, it may even sound like "Craig-ley Aith"...
town centre, though it lies in the borough of Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, centred about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. At the time of formation the two towns were in different counties
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
- Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, but both towns are now part of the county of West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. The Cradley team initially took the nickname “Cubs” but during the 1949 season, having gained promotion from the National League Division Three
Speedway National League Division Three
The National League Division Three was the third division of Speedway in the United Kingdom. The league was created as a third tier in 1947 but ran for only 5 years. In 1952 it was replaced by more regional leagues such as the Southern League.-References:...
to the National League Division Two
Speedway National League Division Two
The National League Division Two was the second tier of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. The competition was founded in 1938 following a competition named "The National Provincial League". Following World War II the second tier of racing was entitled "The Northern League" in 1946...
, 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
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
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.
Future plans
Supporters of the club have continued a campaign to resurrect speedway in the local area. Plans have been submitted to Dudley CouncilMetropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
for a new site. The Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium ....
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. There is an online petition to show support for the application which is linked from the Cradley Heath Speedway website.
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
Wolverhampton Wolves
The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van...
) and the Perry Bar Stadium (home track of the Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium ....
). The team manager is Will Pottinger, and the club will be promoted by Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
speedway presenter Nigel Pearson.
National League
League Trophy Winners (Dudley Heathens) 2010 - (Lost Play Off for Overall Champions)World ChampionSpeedway World ChampionshipThe World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
- Bruce PenhallBruce PenhallBruce Lee Penhall is a retired American motorcycle speedway racer who also starred in television and in film. He was the World Speedway Champion in 1981 and 1982 and rode for the successful Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team in the United Kingdom...
1981, 1982 - Erik GundersenErik GundersenErik Gundersen was a speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s. Gundersen was the Speedway World Championship on three occasions, a two time Long Track World Champion and a seven time World Team Cup winner with Denmark.-Career:Gundersen rode for the Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 until 1989...
1984, 1985, 1988 - Jan O. PedersenJan O. PedersenJan Osvald Pedersen is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen...
1991 - Billy HamillBilly HamillWilliam Gordon Hamill is an American international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a former Speedway World Champion, winning the title in 1996.-Early career:...
1996 - Greg HancockGreg HancockGregory Alan "Greg" Hancock is an American motorcycle speedway rider.He is a current Speedway World Champion and a multiple World Team champion with USA, with whom he is currently captain...
1997
World Under-21 ChampionIndividual Speedway Junior World ChampionshipThe Individual Speedway Junior World Championship is an annual speedway event held each year organized by the International Motorcycling Federation since 1977...
- Gert HandbergGert HandbergGert Handberg is a former international motorcycle speedway rider. He was a member of the Denmark speedway team when they won the 1991 World Team Cup...
1989
Inter-Continental Champion
- Bruce PenhallBruce PenhallBruce Lee Penhall is a retired American motorcycle speedway racer who also starred in television and in film. He was the World Speedway Champion in 1981 and 1982 and rode for the successful Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team in the United Kingdom...
1981 - Erik GundersenErik GundersenErik Gundersen was a speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s. Gundersen was the Speedway World Championship on three occasions, a two time Long Track World Champion and a seven time World Team Cup winner with Denmark.-Career:Gundersen rode for the Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 until 1989...
1986, 1987 - Jan O. PedersenJan O. PedersenJan Osvald Pedersen is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen...
1988
Overseas Champion
- Phil CollinsPhil Collins (speedway rider)Philip David 'Phil' Collins is a former Speedway rider. He once finished runner-up with England in the World Team Cup final in 1984 and third in 1985. He was British Under-21 Champion in 1978...
1983 - Lance King 1984
- Simon CrossSimon Cross.Simon James Cross is a former motorcycle speedway rider who spent most of his career with the Cradley Heath Heathens....
1988
British League Riders ChampionSpeedway Elite League Riders ChampionshipThe Elite League Riders Championship is a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from each club competing in the Speedway Elite League in the UK. The championship was inaugurated in 1960 when it was known as the Provincial League Riders Championship...
- Erik GundersenErik GundersenErik Gundersen was a speedway rider in the late 1970s and 1980s. Gundersen was the Speedway World Championship on three occasions, a two time Long Track World Champion and a seven time World Team Cup winner with Denmark.-Career:Gundersen rode for the Cradley Heath Heathens from 1979 until 1989...
1983, 1985 - Jan O. PedersenJan O. PedersenJan Osvald Pedersen is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen...
1988
National League Riders Champion
- Lee SmartLee SmartLee Mitchell Smart in Swindon, Wiltshire, is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom, riding with the Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the Premier League after being released by the Birmingham Brummies mid season.- References :...
2010