2008 Speedway Premier League
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Premier League was the second division of motorcycle speedway
racing in the United Kingdom
and the 14th season since its creation in 1995. The league is governed by the Speedway Control Board
(SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association
(BSPA).
The League consisted of 16 teams for the 2008 season with the addition of the 2007 Conference League
champions the Scunthorpe Scorpions
. New rules introduced for 2008 include three points for an away win compared to two points in 2007, and the removal of bonus points, in which a team was awarded an additional point for an aggregate win over a home and away match against another team. The team finishing at the top of the league table at the end of the season after accumulating the most points were declared the Premier League champions. The four highest placed teams were entered into promotion play-offs, whereby the Premier League play-off winner faced the Elite League relegation play-off final losers over two legs. Teams finishing in fifth to twelfth at the time of the fixture cut-off date compete in the Young Shield.
The Edinburgh Monarchs
were crowned the Premier League champions after ending the season as the highest placed team. The Somerset Rebels
finished second, King's Lynn Stars
third and the Rye House Rockets
fourth. All four teams took part in the promotion play-off with Edinburgh and King's Lynn reaching the final. Edinburgh won 93–90 on aggregate and faced Elite League team Wolverhampton Wolves
, but lost the two-legged promotion/relegation final 106–76.
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...
racing in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the 14th season since its creation in 1995. The league is governed by the Speedway Control Board
The Speedway Control Board
The Speedway Control Bureau , formerly known as the Speedway Control Board, governs the sport of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom on behalf of the Auto Cycle Union . The directors are appointed by the ACU and British Speedway Promoters' Association...
(SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association
British Speedway Promoters' Association
The British Speedway Promoters Association organises the domestic motorcycle speedway competitions in the UK. They are also responsible for the promotion and running of the FIM meetings staged in Britain....
(BSPA).
The League consisted of 16 teams for the 2008 season with the addition of the 2007 Conference League
Speedway Conference League
The Conference League was the third and lowest division of motorcycle speedway racing in the United Kingdom governed by the Speedway Control Board , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . The other leagues being the Elite League and Premier League. The League consisted of...
champions the Scunthorpe Scorpions
Scunthorpe Scorpions
The Scunthorpe Scorpions are a speedway team in the British Premier League. After three successful years in the Conference League the side were accepted into the Premier League for 2008...
. New rules introduced for 2008 include three points for an away win compared to two points in 2007, and the removal of bonus points, in which a team was awarded an additional point for an aggregate win over a home and away match against another team. The team finishing at the top of the league table at the end of the season after accumulating the most points were declared the Premier League champions. The four highest placed teams were entered into promotion play-offs, whereby the Premier League play-off winner faced the Elite League relegation play-off final losers over two legs. Teams finishing in fifth to twelfth at the time of the fixture cut-off date compete in the Young Shield.
The Edinburgh Monarchs
Edinburgh Monarchs
The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish Speedway team, currently based in Armadale. They compete in the Speedway Premier League, racing on Friday nights during the Speedway season. The club is run by a Board of Directors, chaired by Alex Harkess. The team manager is Alan "Doc" Bridgett...
were crowned the Premier League champions after ending the season as the highest placed team. The Somerset Rebels
Somerset Rebels
The Somerset Rebels are a Speedway team from Highbridge, Somerset. Founded in 2000, the club competes in the British Premier League. Their home track is located at the Oak Tree Arena.-History:...
finished second, King's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Elite League. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team...
third and the Rye House Rockets
Rye House Rockets
The Rye House Rockets are a Speedway team based at Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, England. They currently compete in the British Premier League.The club is promoted by Len Silver who previously ran the Hackney Hawks promotion at Hackney Wick Stadium....
fourth. All four teams took part in the promotion play-off with Edinburgh and King's Lynn reaching the final. Edinburgh won 93–90 on aggregate and faced Elite League team Wolverhampton Wolves
Wolverhampton Wolves
The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van...
, but lost the two-legged promotion/relegation final 106–76.
Final league table
| Key: | |
|---|---|
| Premier League Play-Offs | |
| Pos | Club | M | Home | Away | F | A | +/- | Pts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | D | L | W | D | L | |||||||
| 1 | Edinburgh Monarchs Edinburgh Monarchs The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish Speedway team, currently based in Armadale. They compete in the Speedway Premier League, racing on Friday nights during the Speedway season. The club is run by a Board of Directors, chaired by Alex Harkess. The team manager is Alan "Doc" Bridgett... |
30 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 1562 | 1161 | 53 | |
| 2 | Somerset Rebels Somerset Rebels The Somerset Rebels are a Speedway team from Highbridge, Somerset. Founded in 2000, the club competes in the British Premier League. Their home track is located at the Oak Tree Arena.-History:... |
30 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 1517 | 1223 | 48 | |
| 3 | Kings Lynn Stars | 30 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1624 | 1111 | 45 | |
| 4 | Rye House Rockets Rye House Rockets The Rye House Rockets are a Speedway team based at Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, England. They currently compete in the British Premier League.The club is promoted by Len Silver who previously ran the Hackney Hawks promotion at Hackney Wick Stadium.... |
30 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1500 | 1232 | 42 | |
| 5 | Workington Comets Workington Comets Workington Comets is a speedway club based in Workington, Cumbria. Their track is at Derwent Park Stadium, which they share with Workington Town Rugby League Football Club.They compete in the Premier League... |
30 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 1435.5 | 1300.5 | 41 | |
| 6 | Berwick Bandits Berwick Bandits The Berwick Bandits are a speedway team based at Shielfield Park, Berwick upon Tweed, the club competes in the British Premier League.-Brief history:... |
30 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1428 | 1316 | 37 | |
| 7 | Redcar Bears Redcar Bears The Redcar Bears are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the Premier League. Captain of the team is 1992 World Champion Gary Havelock. In 2007 the Bears won their first major honour, beating the Birmingham Brummies to win the Young Shield... |
30 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1369 | 1374 | 37 | |
| 8 | Sheffield Tigers Sheffield Tigers The Sheffield 'Window Centre' Tigers are a speedway team based in Sheffield, England. They currently race in the British Premier League and their home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium which is the fastest track in British speedway... |
30 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1381 | 1345 | 35 | |
| 9 | Reading Racers Reading Racers Reading Racers were a British motorcycle speedway team. Formed in 1968, they won four British League titles during their history... |
30 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1350 | 1405 | 34 | |
| 10 | Scunthorpe Scorpions Scunthorpe Scorpions The Scunthorpe Scorpions are a speedway team in the British Premier League. After three successful years in the Conference League the side were accepted into the Premier League for 2008... |
30 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1309 | 1434 | 33 | |
| 11 | Isle of Wight Islanders Isle of Wight Islanders The Isle of Wight Wightlink Islanders are a British Speedway team. They currently compete in the National League and ride at the Smallbrook Stadium.... |
30 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1359 | 1390 | 31 | |
| 12 | Birmingham Brummies Birmingham Brummies Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium .... |
30 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1317.5 | 1401.5 | 30 | |
| 13 | Stoke Potters Stoke Potters The Stoke Potters are a British Speedway team currently competing in the National League. The team races at Loomer Road Stadium.In the late 1940s, early 1950s and the early 1960s, the club was based in Sun Street in Hanley, and were originally known as the Hanley Potters when crowds of over 12,000... |
30 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1307 | 1441 | 25 | |
| 14 | Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion... |
30 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1220 | 1501 | 22 | |
| 15 | Glasgow Tigers 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 Premier League... |
30 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1297 | 1469 | 19 | |
| 16 | Mildenhall Fen Tigers Mildenhall Fen Tigers The Mildenhall Fen Tigers are a British speedway team, currently riding in the National League.The club moved up to the Premier League in 2006 after twelve seasons in the Conference League when new promoter Mick Horton took over. In 2007 Stadium owner Carl Harris formed 'Fen Tigers Limited' with... |
30 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 932 | 1804 | 0 |