Glasgow Tigers (speedway)

The Glasgow Tigers are a motorcycle speedway team from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1928, the club adopted the Tigers nickname in 1946 and compete in the British SGB Championship. The team race at Saracen Park, the home of Ashfield F.C., and celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2016.

For the Glasgow Tigers American football team, see Glasgow Tigers (American football).

Glasgow Tigers
Club information
Track addressAshfield Stadium
Possilpark
Glasgow
Country Scotland
Founded1928
Team managerCameron Brown
Team captainCraig Cook
LeagueSGB Championship
Websitewww.glasgowtigers.co
Club facts
ColoursRed and White
Track size319 metres (349 yd) (pre 2011 302 metres (330 yd))
Track record time55.59 seconds (pre 2016 55.6)
Track record date4 September 2016 (pre 4 September 2016)
Track record holderTai Woffinden (pre 2016 Richie Worrall)
Current team
Rider CMA
Craig Cook 9.93
Ricky Wells 7.05
Ulrich Østergaard 5.98
Justin Sedgmen 5.20
Broc Nicol 5.16
Sam Jensen 4.34
Connor Bailey 3.03
Total 40.69
Major team honours
British League Div. 2 champions1993, 1994
British League Div. 2 KO Cup1993, 1994
Premier League Champions2011
Premier League KO Cup Winners2011,2016
Premier League Pairs champions2005, 2006, 2011

History

Glasgow Speedway was formed in 1928 and were initially based at the White City Stadium on Paisley Road West in Ibrox, Glasgow (close to Rangers F.C.'s Ibrox Stadium). Other venues were also operating open meetings around this time at Carntyne Stadium, Celtic Park and Nelson Athletic Grounds in the Gallowgate area of the city. White City had been built in 1928 as a greyhound track and hosted speedway in the 1930 and 1931 Northern League and the 1939 Open/ACU Trophy. White City staged meetings from 1928 until 1931 and again from 1939 (Glasgow Lions) to 1940 and finally in 1945.[1]

The Tigers raced at White City intermittently (1946 until 1954, 1956, and 1964 until 1968) before moving to Hampden Park in 1969 after the White City stadium was demolished to make way for the M8 motorway through Glasgow. Johnnie Hoskins was the promoter in 1945 and he handed the role over to his son Ian who promoted from 1946 to 1953. The track promoted two meetings staged in 1954 and ex-Tigers Tommy Miller and Junior Bainbridge were responsible for a short-lived venture in 1956. Trevor Redmond, in concert with the Hoskins family, reopened the track at White City in 1964 and rode for the Tigers that season before finally retiring as a rider. He continued as promoter until 1967.

In 1973 the club moved to Coatbridge and became the Coatbridge Tigers, riding at Cliftonhill, home of Albion Rovers F. C.. The Tigers remained there until they moved to Blantyre in the middle of the 1977 season and re-introduced the name Glasgow Tigers. The Tigers rode in two stadiums in Blantyre, firstly at the Blantyre Greyhound Stadium. The bends at this track were unusual; the first and second bends were sweeping whilst the third and fourth were pointed giving the track an egg-shape. This stadium was demolished in advance of the construction of the East Kilbride Expressway and the Tigers moved in 1982 to Craighead Park. The track at Craighead Park was shoe-horned into a football stadium but was a more traditional oval shape.

In 1987 the Tigers moved to Derwent Park in Workington and although they started the year named as Glasgow, they were renamed Workington Tigers for the rest of what was an uncompleted season. This was the only time in the team's history that they have been based in England. In 1988, the club returned to Glasgow when they moved into Shawfield Stadium, Rutherglen. The Tigers achieved a 'double double' feat in 1993 and 1994, winning both the British League Division Two Championship and Knockout Cup in consecutive years. The Tigers remained at Shawfield with the exception of the 1996 season when the poorly supported Scottish Monarchs rode there in top flight speedway. In 1999 the club moved to its current home at the Ashfield Stadium in Possilpark when the speedway track replaced an old greyhound racing track.[2]

Prior to the 2011 season the club embarked on significant changes to the Ashfield track, extending its length by 17 meters on the inside, but more significantly widening the bends and increasing the banking, especially on bends three and four, opening up new racing lines in an effort to up the entertainment value of the meetings. Therefore, the final track record for the 302 meter track was 56.2s by Shane Parker on 8 August 2009.

The Tigers won their first Premier League title in October 2011.

With debts still hanging over the club at the end of the 2012 season, following the track alterations and championship season, club owners A&S Entertainments decided to sell the club, a new company was created with several key fans taking control of the club prior to the 2013 season. The club logo was also re-branded with the change of company, the old logo continues to be the club badge, and is still used for the Hall of Fame.

Old LogoNew Logo

Riders

2019 team

Previous seasons
Extended content

2017 team

2016 team

Also Rode

2015 team

Also Rode

2013 team

Also Rode:

2012 team

Also Rode:

2011 team

Also Rode:

2010 team

Also Rode:

2009 team

2008 team

Also Rode:

  • Ross Brady

2007 team

Also Rode:

2006 team

Notable riders

STARs Hall Of Fame

Other notable riders

Club honours

British League Division Two

Champions: 1993, 1994[3]

British League Division Two Knock Out Cup

Winners: 1993, 1994[3]

Premier League

Champions: 2011

Premier League Pairs

Champions: 2005, 2006, 2011, 2019[3]

National Series

Winners: 1990[3]

References
  1. Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
  2. Henry, J. & Moultray, I. (2001). Speedway in Scotland. ISBN 0-7524-2229-4
  3. Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0.
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