Bill Longley (speedway rider)
| Born | 11 November 1911 Dandenong, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Died | 29 April 2005 (aged 93) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Career history | |
| 1937–1939, 1947–1953 | New Cross Rangers |
| 1946 | Odsal Boomerangs |
| 1953 | Bradford Tudors |
| 1953–1954 | Wimbledon Dons |
| 1955 | Rayleigh Rockets |
| 1955 | Wembley Lions |
| Individual honours | |
| 1946 | Northern Riders' Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1938, 1948, 1954 | National League Champion |
| 1947 | London Cup |
| 1954 | RAC Cup Winner |
William Mowbray Longley (11 November 1911 in Dandenong, Victoria – 15 April 2005) was an Australian international speedway rider.
Career summary
[edit]Longley noted as being only 5 ft 1 inch in height, began his British career with the New Cross Rangers in 1937,[1][2] where he remained until the outbreak of World War II, winning the National League Championship in 1938.[3][4]
In 1946 he rode for Odsal but returned to New Cross in 1947 and was again a member of the team that won the 1948 National League Championship.[2] Longley finished ninth in the Speedway World Championship in 1949[5] and remained with New Cross until they closed in 1953. He joined Bradford for a short spell with the Tudors before returning to London with the Wimbledon Dons.[6]
In 1950, he finished runner up in the Australian Championship.[7]
Longley was a member of the Wimbledon team that won the 1954 National League Championship. In 1955 he had a short spell with the Rayleigh Rockets before riding in one meeting for the Wembley Lions. He then decided to retire.
World Final Appearances
[edit]- 1949 –
London, Wembley Stadium – 9th – 8pts[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Speedway Notes". Norwood News. 21 May 1937. Retrieved 23 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b Jacobs, N. (2008) Out of the Frying Pan, The History Press LTD ISBN 978-0-7524-4476-5
- ^ Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ a b Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
- ^ "Individual Australian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- 1911 births
- 2005 deaths
- Australian speedway riders
- New Cross Rangers riders
- Wimbledon Dons riders
- Wembley Lions riders
- Australian expatriate speedway riders in England
- Rayleigh Rockets riders
- Sportspeople from Melbourne
- Sportsmen from Victoria (state)
- People from Dandenong, Victoria
- 20th-century Australian sportsmen