Cycle Speedway Teams Down the Ages
Scotland - Strathclyde: Craigton Eagles
About the team
1st track at Crossmyloof.
2nd track at Rouken Glen. This track was completely refurbished in 1961.
A Glasgow based team.
Raced in the Glasgow & District League.
1945 - 1960.
Merged with Knightswood Toffs in 1961, changed name to "The Toffs".
Individual Honours.
Pete Bell was the Scotland Test Team Captain.
1946 Pete Bell was the first Glasgow League Riders Champion.
1958 Hamish Orr won the Devon Grand Prix.
1958 Hamish Orr won the Glasgow Individual Championship, runner-up Doug Maxwell(Knightswood), 3rd Bert Harkins(Mansewood).
Team Honours.
1946 won the Glasgow League, runners up Pennilee Lions.
1952 were the Glasgow League Champions.
1958 Winners of the Glasgow League, beating Knightswood Toffs by 3 points.
Interesting Fact - Olympic Championship 1948.
This event was run over three meetings with the riders being handicapped to give everyone a chance of being in contention come the final meeting. The handicapping was devised by a committee consisting of Pete Bell, Barry Shapley, Bob Garland and Bill Ritchie. There was also an entry fee of one shilling(five new pence), which went towards the purchase of prizes. Generous donations were also received from Bill Ritchie, Red Monteith, Bob Garland and George Sutherland. On the Thursday 'Red' Monteith scored a 15 point maximum, with Bob Garland on 13, while Bill Ritchie, George Sutherland and Pete Bell all scored 11 points apiece. Barry Shapley and Johnny Weinman scored 10 points each. However, the bonus points made a big difference, and the leader after the first meeting was Jack Fryer(who had a handicap of 12 bonus points) with a total of 18 points, 'Red' Monteith(with 2 bonus points) was second on 17 points, and Howard Shaw(with 9 bonus points) was third on 16 points. On Friday it was Bill Ritchie's turn to score a 15 point maximum, with Barry Shapley on 14 points, Pete Bell on 13, 'Red' Monteith on 11, and George Sutherland on 10 points. At the end of the second stage the leaders were Bill Ritchie(3 bonus points) on 30, 'Red' Monteith(2 bonus points) on 28, Barry Shapley(2 bonus points) on 26, George Sutherland(4 bonus points) on 25, and Pete Bell(0 bonus points) on 24. On Saturday(the 3rd meeting) Pete Bell top scored with 14 points, 'Red' Monteith and Barry Shapley scored 12 points apiece, George Sutherland and Bob Garland scored 11 points each, with Bill Roberts and Johnny Weinman both on 10 points. The Final placings of the competition were as follows: 1st 'Red' Monteith(2 bonus points) 40, 2nd Bill Ritchie(3 bonus points) 39, 3rd(after a run-off) Pete Bell(0 bonus points) 38, 4th Barry Shapley(2 bonus points) 38, 5th George Sutherland(4 bonus points) 36, 6th Johnny Weinman(4 bonus points) 33, =7th Bill Roberts(8 bonus points) 31 and Bob Garland(2 bonus points) 31, 9th Howard Shaw(9 bonus points) 30, 10th Jack Fryer(12 bonus points) 26, 11th Len Hutton(8 bonus points) 22, =12th Terry Wade(11 bonus points) 21 and R. Patterson(9 bonus points) 21, =14th L. Dick(8 bonus points) 20, L. McIlwraith(4 bonus points) 20 and A. Miller(4 bonus points) 20. The bonus points system had been a resounding success, keeping the points scoring very close.
Riders
- Barrie Allan
- Norman Allan
- Norrie Allan
- Dick Barrie
- Pete Bell(capt)
- David Cresswell
- .... Cunningham
- Brian Gilliland
- .... Hosie
- .... Kennedy
- John Kerr
- Alistair Kyle
- Joe Letts(team manager)
- John McArthur
- .... McGregor
- .... McInally
- Doug Maxwell
- Hamish Orr(capt)
- .... Peacock
- Bruce Reid
- Bill Ritchie
- Blair Ross
- .... Rough
- Barry Shapley(1947/48)
- Jim Spates
- David Stevenson
- Jim Thornton
- Dougie Wade
- Alex Young