Stoke Potters

Last updated

Stoke Potters
Stokepotters.jpg
Club information
Track address Loomer Road Stadium
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Staffordshire
ST5 7LB
Country England
Founded1929
Closed2019 [1]
Team managerAdam Isherwood
Team captainTom Perry
League National League
Website www.stoke-speedway.com
Club facts
ColoursRed and White
Track size312 metres (341 yd)
Track record time60.5s
Track record date8 August 2009, 26 September 2009
Track record holderTy Proctor, Steve Johnston
Major team honours
National League Div 3 Champions 1949
Div 3 National Trophy Winners 1949
Northern Cup1960
National League Fours Champions 1990
National League (1975-1994) Pairs Champions1984, 1988, 1989
NDL Fours Champions2019
National League Pairs Champions2011, 2014

The Stoke Potters previously the Hanley Potters were a British speedway team competing in the National League. As Stoke, the team raced at Loomer Road Stadium in Newcastle-under-Lyme. [2] As Hanley Potters they raced from 1929 to 1963.

Contents

History

Hanley Potters were inaugural members of the 1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League but withdrew during the season and their results were expunged. [3] They rode at the Sun Street Stadium in Hanley. [4] In the late 1940s, early 1950s and the early 1960s, the club attracted crowds of over 12,000.

Hanley won the National League Division Three and Div 3 National Trophy in 1949. [5] [6] [7] The Sun Street track closed in 1963 after the greyhound stadium owners sold the site to a garage business. [8]

The team returned in 1972 riding at a new venue the Loomer Road Stadium; they were known for one season as Chesterton Potters. [9] From 1973 to 1995 they competed mainly in the National League.

In 1996, The team rode as the Cradley & Stoke Heathens, after the Cradley Heath team were displaced from their base at Dudley Wood Stadium, Cradley Heath. [6]

November 2010 saw a major decision taken by the club's promotion. The team were to withdraw from Premier League racing to drop a division and compete in the National League, speedway's third tier. [10] The club had been struggling financially for the last couple of seasons and the move was made in order to stabilise finances and hopefully get on a sure footing to make a return to the Premier League later.

2011 saw the club top the National League table by seven points. [11] Injuries struck key riders and this affected their final matches in which they were beaten in the play-off semi finals by the Mildenhall Fen Tigers who also beat them in the final of the National League Knockout Cup. Since the 2011 campaign the Potters have continued to race in the National League with little success and they ended 2015 season's National League table with only Kent Kings below them. [12] On 13 July 2019, Stoke won the National League Fours for the second time. [13]

Season summary

Extended content
Year and leaguePositionNotes
1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League N/Awithdrew, results expunged
1939 Speedway National League 6thwithdrew, fixtures taken over by Belle Vue Aces reserves
1947 Speedway National League Division Three 6th
1948 Speedway National League Division Three 5th
1949 Speedway National League Division Three 1stchampions and National Trophy winners (div 3)
1950 Speedway National League Division Two 14th
1951 Speedway National League Division Two 9th
1952 Speedway National League Division Two 10th
1953 Speedway National League Division Two 9th
1960 Provincial Speedway League 5th
1961 Provincial Speedway League 3rd
1962 Provincial Speedway League 4th
1963 Provincial Speedway League 2nd
1973 British League Division Two season 13throde as Chesterton Potters
1974 British League Division Two season 13th
1975 New National League season 3rd
1976 National League season 11th
1977 National League season 19th
1978 National League season 8th
1979 National League season 13th
1980 National League season 16th
1981 National League season 15th
1982 National League season 18th
1983 National League season 17th
1984 National League season 3rd
1985 National League season 8th
1986 National League season 5th
1987 National League season 4th
1988 National League season 7th
1989 National League season 10th
1990 National League season 8th
1991 British League Division Two season 10th
1992 British League Division Two season 8th
1994 British League Division Three 3rd
1995 Academy League 2nd
1996 Premier League speedway season 5throde as Cradley & Stoke Heathens
1997 Premier League speedway season 12th
1998 Premier League speedway season 13th
1999 Premier League speedway season 10th
2000 Premier League speedway season 7th
2001 Premier League speedway season 11th
2002 Premier League speedway season 7th
2003 Premier League speedway season 15th
2004 Premier League speedway season 4th
2005 Premier League speedway season 14th
2006 Premier League speedway season 10th
2007 Premier League speedway season 11th
2008 Premier League speedway season 13th
2009 Premier League speedway season 11th
2010 Premier League speedway season 12th
2011 National League speedway season 1stPO semi final
2012 National League speedway season 4th
2013 National League speedway season 8th
2014 National League speedway season 6th
2015 National League speedway season 9th
2016 National League speedway season 11th
2017 National League speedway season 9th
2018 National League speedway season 9th
2019 National Development League speedway season 7th

Season summary (juniors)

Extended content
Year and leaguePositionNotes
2004 Speedway Conference League 9thSpitfires
2005 Speedway Conference League 7thSpitfires
2006 Speedway Conference League 4thSpitfires
2007 Speedway Conference League 8thSpitfires

Previous seasons (riders)

Extended content

2010 team

2009 team

2008 team

Also Rode:

2007 team

Also Rode

2006 team

Notable riders

Riders 1976 Stoke Potters.jpg
Riders 1976

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References

  1. ↑ "FINAL CALL FOR POTTERS - British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Bamford, R & Jarvis, J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN   0-7524-2210-3
  3. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Stoke Speedway Hanley". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Official Stoke Potters Speedway: BRIEF HISTORY OF STOKE SPEEDWAY". stoke-speedway.com. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 423. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
  9. ↑ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN   0-904584-45-3.
  10. ↑ "POTTERS JOIN NL - British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  13. ↑ "STOKE CROWNED NL FOURS CHAMPIONS - British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
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