1974 British League season

{{Short description|British speedway season}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox speedway league

| competition = British League

| competitors = 17

| domesticcup1 = Champions

| domesticcup1 winners = Exeter Falcons

| domesticcup2 = Knockout Cup

| domesticcup2 winners = Sheffield Tigers

| domesticcup3 = Individual

| domesticcup3 winners = Peter Collins

| domesticcup4 = Midland Cup

| domesticcup4 winners = Leicester Lions

| domesticcup5 = London Cup

| domesticcup5 winners = Wimbledon Dons

| highest average = Ole Olsen

| leagues below = British League (Div 2)

| prevseason = 1973

| nextseason = 1975

}}

The 1974 British League season was the 40th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the tenth season known as the British League.{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html|title=Historic league tables|publisher=Speedway Archive}}{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=HISTORY ARCHIVE|website=British Speedway|access-date=1 July 2021}}

Summary

The 1973 Champions Reading didn't compete as they no longer had a stadium, following the closure of Reading Stadium and Hull Vikings replaced them. The league was reduced to seventeen teams when the Coatbridge Tigers dropped down to Division Two. Overseas riders that rode in other leagues abroad were banned which meant that top Swedish riders such as Anders Michanek, Bernt Persson, Tommy Jansson and Christer Löfqvist didn't compete.{{cite book|last=Rogers|first=Martin|title=The Illustrated History of Speedway|year=1978|pages=129–133|publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd|isbn=0-904584-45-3}}

The Exeter Falcons won their first title. They were headed by the legendary four time world champion Ivan Mauger and backed up well by Scott Autrey (8.32), Tony Lomas (7.29) and Kevin Holden (7.26).

At the end of the season Oxford Rebels finished four points above the Hull Vikings courtesy of a protest over Hull's victory against the Rebels.{{cite book|last=Oakes|first=Peter|title=1981 Speedway Yearbook|year=1981|page=100|publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd|isbn=0-86215-017-5}} Hull were later re-awarded the points after a close season hearing and moved above the Rebels.

Final table

class=wikitable width="400"

! Pos

! Team

! PL

! W

! D

! L

! Pts

1

| Exeter Falcons

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 25

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | 51

2

| Belle Vue Aces

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 23

| align="center" | 0

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 46

3

| Ipswich Witches

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 22

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 9

| align="center" | 45

4

| Sheffield Tigers

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 21

| align="center" | 0

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 42

5

| King's Lynn Stars

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 20

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 11

| align="center" | 41

6

| Newport

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 3

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 37

7

| Halifax Dukes

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 3

| align="center" | 15

| align="center" | 31

8

| Wimbledon Dons

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 14

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 29

9

| Hackney Hawks

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 2

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | 28

10

| Leicester Lions

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 18

| align="center" | 27

11

| Wolverhampton Wolves

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 13

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 18

| align="center" | 27

12

| Swindon Robins

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 2

| align="center" | 18

| align="center" | 26

13

| Cradley United

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 25

14

| Poole Pirates

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 1

| align="center" | 19

| align="center" | 25

15

| Coventry Bees

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 12

| align="center" | 0

| align="center" | 20

| align="center" | 24

16

| Hull Vikings

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 0

| align="center" | 22

| align="center" | 20

17

| Oxford Rebels

| align="center" | 32

| align="center" | 10

| align="center" | 0

| align="center" | 22

| align="center" | 20

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

Fixtures and results

{{#invoke:sports results|main

|matches_style=FBR|solid_cell=grey

|team1=BV|team2=COV|team3=CH|team4=EX|team5=HAC|team6=HAL|team7=HV|team8=IPS|team9=KL|team10=LEI|team11=NEW|team12=OX|team13=PP|team14=SHE|team15=SWI|team16=WIM|team17=WOL

|name_BV=Belle Vue

|match_BV_COV=59–19

|match_BV_CH=50–28

|match_BV_EX=46–32

|match_BV_HAC=49–29

|match_BV_HAL=54–24

|match_BV_HV=52–26

|match_BV_IPS=48–30

|match_BV_KL=56–22

|match_BV_LEI=51–27

|match_BV_NEW=45–33

|match_BV_OX=42–36

|match_BV_PP=48–30

|match_BV_SHE=46–32

|match_BV_SWI=53–25

|match_BV_WIM=53–25

|match_BV_WOL=43–35

|name_COV=Coventry

|match_COV_BV=45–32

|match_COV_CH=43–35

|match_COV_EX=40–38

|match_COV_HAC=36–42

|match_COV_HAL=44–34

|match_COV_HV=48–30

|match_COV_IPS=36–42

|match_COV_KL=35–43

|match_COV_LEI=28–50

|match_COV_NEW=42–36

|match_COV_OX=40–35

|match_COV_PP=43–35

|match_COV_SHE=34–43

|match_COV_SWI=42–36

|match_COV_WIM=42–36

|match_COV_WOL=38–40

|name_CH=Cradley

|match_CH_BV=35–43

|match_CH_COV=43–35

|match_CH_EX=37–41

|match_CH_HAC=29–49

|match_CH_HAL=44–34

|match_CH_HV=42–36

|match_CH_IPS=35–43

|match_CH_KL=38–40

|match_CH_LEI=38–40

|match_CH_NEW=39–39

|match_CH_OX=38–40

|match_CH_PP=49–29

|match_CH_SHE=41–37

|match_CH_SWI=44–33

|match_CH_WIM=49–29

|match_CH_WOL=47–30

|name_EX=Exeter

|match_EX_BV=44–34

|match_EX_COV=50–28

|match_EX_CH=43–35

|match_EX_HAC=49–29

|match_EX_HAL=56–22

|match_EX_HV=51–24

|match_EX_IPS=42–36

|match_EX_KL=44–34

|match_EX_LEI=49–29

|match_EX_NEW=43–35

|match_EX_OX=50–28

|match_EX_PP=53–25

|match_EX_SHE=45–33

|match_EX_SWI=46–32

|match_EX_WIM=50–28

|match_EX_WOL=45–33

|name_HAC=Hackney

|match_HAC_BV=37–41

|match_HAC_COV=43–35

|match_HAC_CH=42–36

|match_HAC_EX=38–40

|match_HAC_HAL=39–39

|match_HAC_HV=48–30

|match_HAC_IPS=30–47

|match_HAC_KL=38–40

|match_HAC_LEI=47–28

|match_HAC_NEW=40–38

|match_HAC_OX=41–37

|match_HAC_PP=43–35

|match_HAC_SHE=37–41

|match_HAC_SWI=49–29

|match_HAC_WIM=49–29

|match_HAC_WOL=49–29

|name_HAL=Halifax

|match_HAL_BV=31–47

|match_HAL_COV=40–38

|match_HAL_CH=43–35

|match_HAL_EX=40–38

|match_HAL_HAC=46–32

|match_HAL_HV=42–36

|match_HAL_IPS=42–36

|match_HAL_KL=47–31

|match_HAL_LEI=42–36

|match_HAL_NEW=39–39

|match_HAL_OX=42–36

|match_HAL_PP=50–28

|match_HAL_SHE=35–43

|match_HAL_SWI=49–29

|match_HAL_WIM=52–26

|match_HAL_WOL=54–24

|name_HV=Hull

|match_HV_BV=60–09

|match_HV_COV=58–20

|match_HV_CH=37–41

|match_HV_EX=34–44

|match_HV_HAC=44–34

|match_HV_HAL=49–29

|match_HV_IPS=31–46

|match_HV_KL=36–42

|match_HV_LEI=42–36

|match_HV_NEW=51–27

|match_HV_OX=40–38

|match_HV_PP=58–20

|match_HV_SHE=45–33

|match_HV_SWI=48–30

|match_HV_WIM=38–40

|match_HV_WOL=37–41

|name_IPS=Ipswich

|match_IPS_BV=54–24

|match_IPS_COV=41–37

|match_IPS_CH=53–25

|match_IPS_EX=36–41

|match_IPS_HAC=48–30

|match_IPS_HAL=48–30

|match_IPS_HV=44–34

|match_IPS_KL=44–33

|match_IPS_LEI=44–34

|match_IPS_NEW=51–27

|match_IPS_OX=48–30

|match_IPS_PP=50–28

|match_IPS_SHE=40–38

|match_IPS_SWI=40–38

|match_IPS_WIM=56–22

|match_IPS_WOL=44–34

|name_KL=King's Lynn

|match_KL_BV=41–37

|match_KL_COV=49–29

|match_KL_CH=38–40

|match_KL_EX=40–38

|match_KL_HAC=42–36

|match_KL_HAL=51–27

|match_KL_HV=42–36

|match_KL_IPS=39–39

|match_KL_LEI=46–32

|match_KL_NEW=51–27

|match_KL_OX=42–36

|match_KL_PP=41–37

|match_KL_SHE=43–35

|match_KL_SWI=44–34

|match_KL_WIM=55–23

|match_KL_WOL=49–29

|name_LEI=Leicester

|match_LEI_BV=40–38

|match_LEI_COV=47–31

|match_LEI_CH=48–30

|match_LEI_EX=39–39

|match_LEI_HAC=42–36

|match_LEI_HAL=35–43

|match_LEI_HV=51–27

|match_LEI_IPS=37–41

|match_LEI_KL=43–35

|match_LEI_NEW=41–37

|match_LEI_OX=46–32

|match_LEI_PP=44–34

|match_LEI_SHE=23–55

|match_LEI_SWI=53–25

|match_LEI_WIM=51–27

|match_LEI_WOL=36–42

|name_NEW=Newport

|match_NEW_BV=41–37

|match_NEW_COV=52–26

|match_NEW_CH=51–27

|match_NEW_EX=37–41

|match_NEW_HAC=45–33

|match_NEW_HAL=40–38

|match_NEW_HV=45–33

|match_NEW_IPS=51–27

|match_NEW_KL=47–31

|match_NEW_LEI=50–28

|match_NEW_OX=41–37

|match_NEW_PP=57–21

|match_NEW_SHE=44–34

|match_NEW_SWI=42–36

|match_NEW_WIM=51–27

|match_NEW_WOL=48–30

|name_OX=Oxford

|match_OX_BV=32–46

|match_OX_COV=48–29

|match_OX_CH=36.5–41.5

|match_OX_EX=38–40

|match_OX_HAC=34–44

|match_OX_HAL=41–37

|match_OX_HV=50–28

|match_OX_IPS=30–48

|match_OX_KL=48–30

|match_OX_LEI=47–31

|match_OX_NEW=34–44

|match_OX_PP=52–26

|match_OX_SHE=35–43

|match_OX_SWI=36–42

|match_OX_WIM=43–34

|match_OX_WOL=47–31

|name_PP=Poole

|match_PP_BV=37–41

|match_PP_COV=36–42

|match_PP_CH=45–33

|match_PP_EX=38–40

|match_PP_HAC=44–34

|match_PP_HAL=41–37

|match_PP_HV=43–34

|match_PP_IPS=42–36

|match_PP_KL=42–36

|match_PP_LEI=43–34

|match_PP_NEW=40–38

|match_PP_OX=45–32

|match_PP_SHE=45–33

|match_PP_SWI=43–35

|match_PP_WIM=43–35

|match_PP_WOL=38–40

|name_SHE=Sheffield

|match_SHE_BV=40–38

|match_SHE_COV=44–34

|match_SHE_CH=62–16

|match_SHE_EX=51–27

|match_SHE_HAC=61–17

|match_SHE_HAL=51–27

|match_SHE_HV=42–36

|match_SHE_IPS=43–35

|match_SHE_KL=47–31

|match_SHE_LEI=56–22

|match_SHE_NEW=52–26

|match_SHE_OX=58–20

|match_SHE_PP=52–26

|match_SHE_SWI=55–23

|match_SHE_WIM=57–21

|match_SHE_WOL=53–25

|name_SWI=Swindon

|match_SWI_BV=38–40

|match_SWI_COV=45–33

|match_SWI_CH=49–29

|match_SWI_EX=38–40

|match_SWI_HAC=41–37

|match_SWI_HAL=39–39

|match_SWI_HV=49–29

|match_SWI_IPS=40–38

|match_SWI_KL=41–37

|match_SWI_LEI=44–34

|match_SWI_NEW=39–39

|match_SWI_OX=32–46

|match_SWI_PP=46–32

|match_SWI_SHE=44–34

|match_SWI_WIM=45–33

|match_SWI_WOL=44–34

|name_WIM=Wimbledon

|match_WIM_BV=35–43

|match_WIM_COV=49–29

|match_WIM_CH=45–32

|match_WIM_EX=43–35

|match_WIM_HAC=50–27

|match_WIM_HAL=55–23

|match_WIM_HV=50–27

|match_WIM_IPS=41–37

|match_WIM_KL=33–41

|match_WIM_LEI=40–38

|match_WIM_NEW=51–27

|match_WIM_OX=48–30

|match_WIM_PP=39–39

|match_WIM_SHE=46–31

|match_WIM_SWI=55–23

|match_WIM_WOL=51–27

|name_WOL=Wolverhampton

|match_WOL_BV=43–35

|match_WOL_COV=31–46

|match_WOL_CH=38.5–39.5

|match_WOL_EX=37–41

|match_WOL_HAC=39–39

|match_WOL_HAL=45–32

|match_WOL_HV=40–38

|match_WOL_IPS=36–42

|match_WOL_KL=36–42

|match_WOL_LEI=43–35

|match_WOL_NEW=33–45

|match_WOL_OX=46–32

|match_WOL_PP=39–37

|match_WOL_SHE=40–37

|match_WOL_SWI=43–35

|match_WOL_WIM=44–34

|update=complete|source={{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1974.html |publisher=Speedway Researcher |title=1974 fixtures & results |access-date=5 March 2025 }}

}}

Top ten riders (league averages)

class=wikitable

!

! Rider

! Nat

! Team

! C.M.A.

align="center" | 1

| Ole Olsen

| {{Flagicon|DEN}}

| Wolverhampton

| 11.21

align="center" | 2

| Ivan Mauger

| {{Flagicon|NZL}}

| Exeter

| 11.15

align="center" | 3

| Phil Crump

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Newport

| 10.77

align="center" | 4

| Peter Collins

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Belle Vue

| 10.73

align="center" | 5

| John Louis

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Ipswich

| 10.73

align="center" | 6

| Terry Betts

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| King's Lynn

| 10.26

align="center" | 7

| Dag Lövaas

| {{Flagicon|NOR}}

| Hackney

| 10.15

align="center" | 8

| Martin Ashby

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Swindon

| 10.10

align="center" | 9

| John Boulger

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Cradley

| 9.94

align="center" | 10

| Eric Boocock

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Halifax

| 9.92

British League Knockout Cup

The 1974 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 36th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Sheffield were the winners.{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2014/03/british-league-division-one-ko-cup-1974.html|title=1974 British League Knockout Cup|publisher=Speedway archive}}

First round

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=80| Date

!width=250| Team one

!width=80| Score

!width=250| Team two

20/04Cradley United40–38Wolverhampton
19/04Ipswich50–28Oxford
12/04Wolverhampton48–30Cradley United
21/03Oxford40–37Ipswich

Second round

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=80| Date

!width=250| Team one

!width=80| Score

!width=250| Team two

07/06Wolverhampton36–42Kings Lynn
04/06Wimbledon38–40Ipswich
30/05Ipswich52–26Wimbledon
29/05Hull38–40Sheffield
25/05Coventry42–36Leicester
22/05Belle Vue53–25Halifax
18/05Kings Lynn45–33Wolverhampton
17/05Hackney40–38Poole
15/05Poole42–36Hackney
13/05Halifax35–43Belle Vue
09/05Sheffield52–26Hull
07/05Leicester43–35Coventry
27/04Swindon40–38Newport
26/04Newport42–36Swindon
|ExeterbyeReading

Quarter-finals

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=80| Date

!width=250| Team one

!width=80| Score

!width=250| Team two

31/07Poole38–40Kings Lynn
20/07King's Lynn38–40Poole
16/07Leicester38–40Ipswich
08/07Sheffield46–32Newport
06/07Belle Vue44–32Exeter
05/07Newport35–43Sheffield
20/06Ipswich42–36Leicester
10/06Exeter46–32Belle Vue
24/08Kings Lynn42–36Poole
21/08Poole45–32Kings Lynn

Semi-finals

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=80| Date

!width=250| Team one

!width=80| Score

!width=250| Team two

09/09Sheffield46–32Poole
04/09Poole37–40Sheffield
29/08Ipswich50–28Exeter
19/08Exeter42–36Ipswich

=Final=

First leg

{{football box

|date = 6 October 1974

|team1 =Ipswich Witches
John Louis 11
Billy Sanders 10
Tony Davey 6
Mick Hines 5
Ted Howgego 3
Alan Sage 2
Trevor Jones 0

|score = 37–41

|report = {{cite news |title=Hero Haley puts Ipswich on the rack |work=Daily Mirror |date=7 October 1974 |access-date=7 December 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19741007/218/0028 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

|team2 = Sheffield Tigers
Arnie Haley 13
Bob Valentine 11
Doug Wyer 8
Reg Wilson 6
Craig Pendlebury 2
Bob Paulson 1
Carl Glover 0

|stadium = Foxhall Stadium

}}

Second leg

{{football box

|date = 7 October 1974

|team1 =Sheffield Tigers
Bob Valentine 11
Arnie Haley 8
Doug Wyer 8
Craig Pendlebury 8
Reg Wilson 7
Carl Glover 6
Bob Paulson 1

|score = 49–29

|report = {{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/result-archive/heatdetails/season1974.pdf|title=Season 1974|website=British Speedway|access-date=25 June 2021}}

|team2 = Ipswich Witches
John Louis 13
Tony Davey 9
Billy Sanders 3
Mick Hines 2
Ted Howgego 1
Mike Lanham 1
Alan Sage 0

|stadium = Owlerton Stadium

}}

Sheffield Tigers were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 90-65.

Riders' Championship

Peter Collins won the British League Riders' Championship held at Hyde Road on 19 October.{{cite news |title=Speedway |work=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=21 October 1974 |access-date=2 June 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19741021/326/0031 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

class=wikitable

!width=25px|Pos.

width=200px|Riderwidth=70px|Heat Scoreswidth=50px|Total
align=center {{speedway color|g}}

|1

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Peter Collins3 3 3 3 315
align=center

|2

align=left|{{flagicon|NZL}} Ivan Mauger2 2 3 3 212
align=center

|3

align=left|{{flagicon|AUS}} Phil Crump1 3 2 3 312
align=center

|4

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} John Louis3 2 1 2 311
align=center

|5

align=left|{{flagicon|AUS}} Bob Valentine3 1 2 2 311
align=center

|6

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Dave Jessup2 3 1 2 210
align=center

|7

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Martin Ashby1 2 2 1 28
align=center

|8

align=left|{{flagicon|SCO}} George Hunter2 0 3 2 07
align=center

|9

align=left|{{flagicon|NZL}} Barry Briggs0 2 EF 3 27
align=center

|10

align=left|{{flagicon|SCO}} Jim McMillan1 3 0 1 16
align=center

|11

align=left|{{flagicon|AUS}} John Boulger2 1 2 EF 16
align=center

|12

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Eric Boocock0 1 3 0 15
align=center

|13

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Bob Kilby3 F R 1 04
align=center

|14

align=left|{{flagicon|NOR}} Dag Lövaas0 0 1 1 13
align=center

|15

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Terry Betts1 0 1 0 02
align=center

|16

align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} Nigel Boocock0 1 0 0 EF1

  • ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded

Final leading averages

class=wikitable

!

! Rider

! Nat

! Team

! C.M.A.

align="center" | 1

| Ole Olsen

| {{Flagicon|DEN}}

| Wolverhampton

| 11.39

align="center" | 2

| Peter Collins

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Belle Vue

| 10.98

align="center" | 3

| Ivan Mauger

| {{Flagicon|NZL}}

| Exeter

| 10.88

align="center" | 4

| Phil Crump

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Newport

| 10.79

align="center" | 5

| John Louis

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Ipswich

| 10.79

align="center" | 6

| Terry Betts

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| King's Lynn

| 10.32

align="center" | 7

| Dag Lövaas

| {{Flagicon|NOR}}

| Hackney

| 10.17

align="center" | 8

| Martin Ashby

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Swindon

| 10.09

align="center" | 9

| John Boulger

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Cradley

| 10.06

align="center" | 10

| Bob Valentine

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Sheffield

| 9.92

align="center" | 11

| Malcolm Simmons

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| King's Lynn

| 9.78

align="center" | 13

| Sören Sjösten

| {{Flagicon|SWE}}

| Belle Vue

| 9.72

align="center" | 14

| Jim McMillan

| {{Flagicon|SCO}}

| Hull

| 9.71

align="center" | 15

| Dave Jessup

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Leicester

| 9.66

align="center" | 15

| Eric Boocock

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Halifax

| 9.61

align="center" | 17

| Reidar Eide

| {{Flagicon|NOR}}

| Newport

| 9.42

align="center" | 18

| Billy Sanders

| {{Flagicon|AUS}}

| Ipswich

| 9.34

align="center" | 19

| Ray Wilson

| {{Flagicon|ENG}}

| Leicester

| 9.34

align="center" | 20

| Barry Briggs

| {{Flagicon|NZL}}

| Wimbledon

| 9.30

Midland Cup

Leicester won the Midland Cup. The competition consisted of six teams.{{cite news |title=Wolves beaten in cup final |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=12 October 1974 | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19741012/549/0022 | via = British Newspaper Archive| access-date=21 October 2023 |url-access=subscription }}

First round

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=150| Team one

!width=150| Team two

!width=120| Score

OxfordSwindon41–37, 34–44
CoventryCradley39–39, 28–50

Semi final round

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!width=150| Team one

!width=150| Team two

!width=120| Score

LeicesterSwindon41–37, 41–37
CradleyWolverhampton32–46, 38–40

=Final=

First leg

{{football box

|date = 8 October 1974

|team1 = Leicester
Ray Wilson 11
Dave Jessup 9
Frank Auffret 9
Bob Coles (guest) 4
Malcolm Brown 4
Mick Bell 3
Norman Storer 2

|score = 42–36

|report =

|team2 = Wolverhampton
John Boulger (guest) 14
George Hunter 10
Malcolm Shakespeare 8
Bengt Andersson 3
Colin Meredith 1
Tom Leadbitter 0
Tony Featherstone 0

|stadium = Leicester Stadium

|attendance =

}}

Second leg

{{football box

|date = 11 October 1974

|team1 = Wolverhampton
Eric Broadbelt (guest) 12
George Hunter 9
Malcolm Shakespeare 6
Tom Leadbitter 4
Bengt Andersson 2
Colin Meredith 2
Finn Thomsen 0

|score = 35–43

|report =

|team2 = Leicester
Dave Jessup 10
Ray Wilson 9
Arthur Price (guest) 8
Frank Auffret 6
Norman Storer 5
Mick Bell 5
Malcolm Brown 0

|stadium = Monmore Green Stadium

|attendance =

}}

Leicester won on aggregate 85–71

London Cup

Wimbledon won the London Cup but there were now only two teams remaining in London.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1974record.pdf |title=1974 fixtures and results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=30 September 2023}}

Results

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"

!width=100| Team

!width=70| Score

!width=100| Team

Wimbledon46–32Hackney
Hackney39–39Wimbledon

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

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Coventry

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Cradley Heath

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Exeter

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Hackney

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Halifax

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Hull

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Ipswich

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King's Lynn

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Leicester

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{{div col end}}

Newport

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Oxford

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Poole

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Sheffield

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{{div col end}}

Swindon

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{{div col end}}

Wimbledon

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{{div col end}}

Wolverhampton

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

{{div col end}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Speedway in the United Kingdom}}

{{United Kingdom Speedway Seasons}}

{{British Speedway League seasons}}

Category:British League

Category:1974 in British motorsport

Category:1974 in speedway