Liverpool Chads
Encyclopedia
Liverpool Chads are a defunct motorcycle speedway
team who were based at the Stanley Stadium in Prescot Road, Fairfield, Liverpool
, England
.
, effectively a Northern League, which ran alongside the Southern League. In 1930 the team competed in the Northern League. They were known during this time as Liverpool Merseysiders. The Liverpool promotion were attached to the Belle Vue Aces
promotion during this time but midway through 1937 the club folded
and the riders moved to Belle Vue.
When the sport was revivied in 1949 the team were known as Liverpool Chads. The team's nickname referred to a popular piece of cartoon graffiti at the time known as a Chad.They opened again in the National League Division Three
and were again based at Stanley Stadium, Liverpool
. The team moved up to National League Division Two
for the 1951 season and operated there until 1953 when the track closed, again in mid season. A new side now called Liverpool Eagles were created in 1957 but closed after a few meetings. A few open meetings were staged in 1959 and the club, now racing as the Liverpool Pirates, competed in the 1960 Provincial League
. The club again closed at the end of the year and the Stanley Stadium was demolished and a fruit market was constructed on the site.
Speedway was also staged in Liverpool in the 1930s at Seaforth Stadium.
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 who were based at the Stanley Stadium in Prescot Road, Fairfield, Liverpool
Fairfield, Liverpool
Fairfield is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, encompassing streets between Tuebrook and Kensington and stretching to Old Swan. It consists of a variety of houses; there are some traditional red-brick terraces, larger Victorian villas and also the notable and rather wonderful 300...
, 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
Liverpool Speedway's team was established the late 1920s. League racing first took place in 1929 with the formation of the English Dirt Track LeagueSpeedway English Dirt Track League
The English Dirt Track League was created in 1929 and was the inaugural season of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Northern English teams. The season was littered with mid-season withdrawals but eventually the Leeds Lions were crowned champions. In 1930, the league was renamed the Northern...
, effectively a Northern League, which ran alongside the Southern League. In 1930 the team competed in the Northern League. They were known during this time as Liverpool Merseysiders. The Liverpool promotion were attached to the Belle Vue Aces
Belle Vue Aces
The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there...
promotion during this time but midway through 1937 the club folded
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and the riders moved to Belle Vue.
When the sport was revivied in 1949 the team were known as Liverpool Chads. The team's nickname referred to a popular piece of cartoon graffiti at the time known as a Chad.They opened again in 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:...
and were again based at Stanley Stadium, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The team moved up to 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...
for the 1951 season and operated there until 1953 when the track closed, again in mid season. A new side now called Liverpool Eagles were created in 1957 but closed after a few meetings. A few open meetings were staged in 1959 and the club, now racing as the Liverpool Pirates, competed in the 1960 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 again closed at the end of the year and the Stanley Stadium was demolished and a fruit market was constructed on the site.
Speedway was also staged in Liverpool in the 1930s at Seaforth Stadium.
Notable riders
- Ginger LeesGinger LeesHarry Riley Lees was a former international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the first ever Speedway World Championship final in 1936. He was born in Bury, England.- Career summary :...
(rode in the first ever Speedway World ChampionshipSpeedway 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...
final in 1936) - Peter CravenPeter CravenPeter Theodore Craven was an English motorcycle racer. He was a finalist in each FIM Speedway World Championship from 1954 to 1963 and he won the title twice . He was British Champion in 1962-63....
(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...
)