POOLE SPEEDWAY TIMELINE 1948 – 2018
February 1948
Poole Speedway Ltd formed.
Directors Cliff Brewer, E.J. Crutcher, and Herby Hayden.
Elected to Division Three of the National League.
Team to be known as the Poole Pirates.
March 1948
Charlie Hayden appointed team captain.
April 1948
First meeting held at Poole Stadium.
Mayor Langridge
opens track on
26 April 1948
Joe Bowkis.
The Pirates' very first star rider
May 1948
Alf Elliott becomes first Poole rider to score a league maximum.
September 1948
Alan Chambers first Poole rider to score more than
300 league points in one season.
Alan Chambers
with
Eskil Carlsson
during 1948
Swedish tour
October 1948
First floodlit meeting at the Stadium.
Start Line at Poole before the floodlights were installed.
Three match tour of Sweden, the first English club to undertake a foreign tour.
Cover of Swedish programme
Team finishes 10th in National League Division Three.
January 1949
Change of ownership.
Cliff Brewer and Mrs Janet Brewer take over as sole Directors of Poole Speedway Ltd.
Sid Hazzard appointed Team Manager.
February 1949
Cyril Quick transferred from Bristol for £200.00. A club record transfer fee.
March 1949
Plans announced to improve stadium accommodation.
April 1949
Cyril Quick appointed team captain.
August 1949
Alan Chambers retires from racing.
October 1949
Team finishes 6th in National League Division Three.
February 1950
Original cinder track surface replaced by red shale in line with Speedway Control Board directive.
March 1950
Australian Allan Wall joins club. The club's first overseas signing.
April 1950
Ken Middleditch joins club from Hastings for a club record transfer fee of £800.00.
October 1950
Club finishes 2nd in National League Division Three.
December 1950
C Brewer closes club after failing to agree new lease with Poole Council.
February 1951
Cyril Quick transferred from Poole to Oxford.
March 1951
Change of ownership.
Geoffrey Bravery and Leonard Matchan acquire 100% shareholding in Poole Speedway Ltd.
Ken Middleditch takes over as club captain.
April 1951
Local novice Brian Crutcher joins club.
June 1951
Poole win Festival of Britain Shield.
August 1951
First international match held at Poole
October 1951
Poole win National League Division Three, the club's first league championship success.
November 1951
Club promoted to National League Division Two
1952
National League Division Two Champions.
Brian Crutcher becomes first Poole rider to reach an FIM World Individual Final
1953
National League Division Two Runners-up.
Tour of Sweden.
1954
National League Division Two Runners-up
1955
National League Division Two Champions.
Club promoted to Division One.
Tour of Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.
March 1957
Matchan and Bravery withdraw Poole from National League racing due to falling attendances and put club up for sale.
April 1957
Change of ownership.
E.J.Crutcher buys all Poole Speedway Ltd share capital for less than £1,000.
May 1957
Club granted a licence for Open meetings only.
July 1957
Stadium re-opens for racing.
September 1957
Rayleigh race two National League matches at Poole as the Rayleigh Pirates.
January 1958
Change of Ownership.
E.J Crutcher sells Poole Speedway Ltd to Rayleigh promoter Vic Gooden.
New company Directors, Vic Gooden and Dixey.
Poole return to National League racing.
1959
Dave Lanning appointed club Press and PRO.
Twenty year lease for stadium agreed between Poole Council and Southern Sporting Promotions.
Five match tour of Poland.
1960
Change of ownership.
Directors C.J. Knott jnr, J Knott, and C Foot.
Stadium redeveloped. New track installed.
Club elect to join the Provincial League.
Provincial League Runners-up.
1961
Provincial League Champions
1962
Provincial League Champions
1965
Club become founder members of the British League.
Ronnie Genz first Poole rider to appear in the British Final.
1969
British League Champions.
Tour of Poland.
1972
Christer Lofqvist becomes first Poole rider to win the Golden Helmet Match Race Championship.
1975
Neil Middleditch becomes the first Poole rider to win the British Under 21 Championship.
1976
Malcolm Simmons becomes first Poole rider to win the British Championship.
1977
Neil Middleditch becomes first Poole rider to reach the FIM World Junior Championship final.
1979
Change of ownership.
Directors R Fearman and J Fearman.
Ron Preston becomes first Poole rider to win the FIM World Junior Championship.
1984
Poole Speedway Ltd liquidated at end of 1984.
1985
Change of ownership.
Directors M Stewkesbury, P Ansell, A Hodder.
Club elect to race in the National League.
Team name changed from Pirates to Wildcats.
National League Runners-up.
1986
National League Runners-up
1987
Team name reverted to Pirates from Wildcats.
Daily Echo newspaper becomes club's first main team sponsor.
1988
National League Runners-up.
1989
National League Champions.
1990
National League Champions.
National League Knockout Cup winners.
New Track installed.
1991
J.T. Commercials announced as main team sponsors
1994
British League Champions.
New Track installed.
1995
Jason Crump wins the FIM World Junior Championship.
1996
New Track installed - FIM approved.
1998
Hair Arena announced as main team sponsors.
Kelvin Tatum wins FIM World Longtrack Championship.
1999
Change of ownership. Directors M Ford and M Golding.
ZX1 Motor Oils announced as main team sponsors.
Elite League Runners-up.
Lee Richardson wins the FIM World Junior Championship.
Mark Loram wins the British Championship.
Scott Nicholls wins the British Under 21 Championship.
2000
Gas Appliance Superstore announced as main team sponsors.
Mark Loram becomes first Poole rider to win the FIM World Individual Championship.
2002
Meridian Lifts annouced as main team sponsors.
Craven Shield Champions.
Tony Rickardsson wins FIM World Championship.
2003
Elite League Champions.
lite League Knockout Cup winners.
SPA League Cup winners.
2004
RIAS Insurance announced as main team sponsors.
Elite League Champions.
Elite League Knockout Cup winners.
2005
Krzysztof Kasprzak wins FIM World Junior Championship
2006
Craven Shield Champions
2007
Edward Kennett wins the British Under 21 Championship.
2008
Change of ownership.
Director Matt Ford.
Giles Hartwell joins club as co-promoter.
Castle Cover announced as main team sponsors.
Elite League Champions.
2010
Elite League Knockout Cup winners.
Elite League Runners-up.
Darcy Ward wins the FIM World Junior Championship.
2011
Gordon Pairman joins the club as co-promoter.
Elite League Champions.
Elite League Knockout Cup winners.
2012
Coastal Aluminium announced as main team sponsors.
Elite League Knockout Cup winners.
Elite League Runners-up.
Chris Holder wins the FIM World Individual Championship.
BSPA Elite Shield winners.
2013
Elite League Champions.
BSPA Elite Shield winners.
2014
Elite League Champions.
BSPA Elite Shield winners.
2015
Ready Power announced as main team sponsors.
Elite League Champions.
BSPA Elite Shield winners.
2016
BSPA Elite Shield winners
2017
Volvo Cars Poole announced as main team sponsors.
BSPA Elite Shield winners.
2018
Premiership Champions.
Giles Hartwell leaves club.
Gordon Pairman leaves club.
2019
No 1 Carpet Cleaners announced as main team sponsors.
Daniel Ford and Andrew Tilley join club as co-promoters.
SGB Premiership Shield winners.
Club elect to leave SGB Premiership and join SGB Championship.