1981 British League season

The 1981 British League season was the 17th season of the British League, the top tier of speedway in the UK since 1965.[1]

1981 British League season

League	British League
Season	1981
Champions	Cradley Heath Heathens
No. of competitors	16
Knockout Cup	Ipswich Witches
Division/s below	1981 National League

Summary

Cradley Heathens won the league.[2]

Final table

Team	PL	W	D	L	Pts
Cradley Heath Heathens	30	26	1	3	53
Ipswich Witches	30	21	4	5	46
Swindon Robins	30	19	3	8	41
Belle Vue Aces	30	19	1	10	39
Coventry Bees	30	18	0	12	36
Birmingham Brummies	30	13	1	16	27
Halifax Dukes	30	13	1	16	27
Hackney Hawks	30	12	2	16	26
Poole Pirates	30	12	2	16	26
Sheffield Tigers	30	13	0	17	26
Reading Racers	30	9	7	14	25
Hull Vikings	30	10	4	16	24
Eastbourne Eagles	30	10	3	17	23
King's Lynn Stars	30	10	2	18	22
Leicester Lions	30	11	0	19	22
Wimbledon Dons	30	7	3	20	17

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

Leading averages

Rider	Team	Average
Bruce Penhall	Cradley Heath	11.01
Phil Crump	Swindon	10.30
Michael Lee	Kings Lynn	10.30
Jan Andersson	Reading	10.26
Kenny Carter	Halifax	10.17
Hans Nielsen	Birmingham	9.80
Chris Morton	Belle Vue	9.75
Erik Gundersen	Cradley Heath	9.72
John Davis	Poole	9.70
Gordon Kennett	Eastbourne	9.67

British League Knockout Cup

The 1981 British League Knockout Cup was the 43rd edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Ipswich Witches were the winners.[3]

First Round

Date	Team One	Score	Team Two
04/06	Middlesbrough	43-53	Eastbourne
23/05	Berwick	39-57	Wimbledon
08/05	Peterborough	50-46	Halifax
04/05	Newcastle	40-56	Leicester
08/05	Edinburgh	49-47	Sheffield
12/04	Mildenhall	38-58	Poole
31/05	Rye House	34-62	Birmingham
03/05	Boston	47-48	Hull

Second Round

Date	Team One	Score	Team Two
08/07	Poole	49-47	Leicester
24/06	Hull	54-42	Belle Vue
23/06	Leicester	51-45	Poole
20/06	Cradley Heath	60-36	Eastbourne
14/06	Peterborough	38-58	Birmingham
13/06	Belle Vue	53-43	Hull
11/06	Wimbledon	40-56	Reading
08/06	Birmingham	63-33	Peterborough
08/06	Reading	55-41	Wimbledon
07/06	Eastbourne	49-47	Cradley Heath
30/05	Coventry	63-33	Hackney
30/05	Swindon	69-27	Edinburgh
29/05	Hackney	37-59	Coventry
01/05	Kings Lynn	47-49	Ipswich
21/05	Ipswich	53-43	Kings Lynn
12/06	Edinburgh	47-49	Swindon

Quarter Finals

Date	Team One	Score	Team Two
03/09	Swindon	74-22	Leicester
25/08	Leicester	45-51	Swindon
20/08	Ipswich	54-42	Cradley Heath
12/08	Cradley Heath	48-48	Ipswich
03/08	Reading	51-45	Coventry
24/07	Birmingham	52-44	Hull
22/07	Hull	49-47	Birmingham
11/07	Coventry	49-45	Reading

Semi Finals

Date	Team One	Score	Team Two
28/09	Reading	49-47	Birmingham
18/09	Birmingham	54-42	Reading
18/09	Swindon	46-50	Ipswich
10/09	Ipswich	57-39	Swindon

Final

Date	Team One	Score	Team Two
25/10	Ipswich	51-45	Birmingham
16/10	Birmingham	47-49	Ipswich

See also

List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. "1981 league tables". Speedway GB.
3. "1981 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.