1980

Into the Golden 80's Years

Season Review

  Oh the dreaded 50 point rule!  Dan McCormick was again forced to lose riders to get with in the limits, Kristian Praestbro eased the situation a little by announcing his retirement from British League racing before the season started and Dan decided that Bobby Schwartz was the other man to go.  Bobby was off to Reading, who went on to win the Championship with his help.
The big disappointment though was that he was unable to use some of his talented contracted riders such as Dave Perks and Mike Sampson because of the regulations and had to make up the team with novices early on.
It still looked strong though with Bruce Penhall, Phil Collins, Erik Gundersen and Alan Grahame as the spearhead.
 Bruce was magnificent making a fine inspiring skipper despite a few injuries.
team photo

L to R. Ila Teromaa, Dave Perks, Team Manager - Bob Wasley, Phil Collins, John Hack,
front row:Alan Grahame, Erik Gundersen. On Bike - Bruce Penhall
(photo kind permission of Speedway Star & News)

  Phil Collins, never a good gater improved tremendously and became a fine heat leader.  Gundersen improved on the exciting potential he had already displayed and just edged out Alan Grahame for the third heat leader spot.  This top end should have taken the Heathens to the top of the League but the lack of strength at the bottom end of the team held them back a little.  As well as this a broken collar-bone kept Phil Collins out for a time, he was replaced by Dave Perks but he suffered back injuries which kept him out for the rest of the season.  Until Phil was hurt Cradley were up there challenging near the top of the League, but although unbeaten at home the Heathens away record was poorer than expected.
However the KO Cup came back to the cupboard again after a tremendous Final with Belle Vue after losing by 26 points in the first leg they slaughtered the Aces at Dudley Wood by 42 points.  They were knocked out of the Inter-League Cup in the semi final by Kings Lynn but won home and away against Coventry in the Midland Cup, the first time Cradley had won the regional competition.  They also beat Wolves in the Dudley Wolves Trophy.

In individual events at Dudley Wood, Penhall won the Midland Riders semi-final with a brilliant maximum. Chris Morton won the Golden Hammer, Penhall retained the Golden Helmet before losing it to Hans Neilsen in the deciding leg at Birmingham.  Bruce also reached his first World Final finishing fifth at Gothenburg with nine points.
Dan McCormick left Dudley Wood after a disagreement with the management and took charge of nearby Birmingham.
John Hack was involved in a crash at Monmore Green and suffered head injuries so severe that he was left struggling for life, he slowly recovered before announcing that his racing career was over.
programme 1980

Riders Performance Chart

1980 Cradley 'The Heathens'.

Rider
Matches
Rides
Points
Bonus
Total
Aver
B.Penhall
24
106
268
5
273
10.30
D.Perks
7
25
47
9
56
8.96
Al Grahame
32
136
244.5
40
284.5
8.37
Ph Collins
29
127
228
30
258
8.13
E.Gundersen
31
136
264
9
273
8.03
S.Lawson
5
16
26
2
28
7.00
M.Sampson
7
22
23
7
30
5.45
I.Teromaa
26
98
101
20
121
4.94
J.Hack
21
65
56
14
70
4.31
A.Reid
4
16
12
2
14
3.50
D.Harrison
10
29
20.5
3
23.5
3.24
Gl.McDonald
3
9
5
0
5
2.22
Cr.Featherby
6
16
4
1
5
1.25
H.A.Klinge
2
4
1
0
1
1.00
P.Bosley
10
22
3
1
4
0.73
M.Stephenson
1
2
0
0
0
0.00
M.Collins
1
2
0
0
0
0.00

statistics taken from the Cradley Speedway database for BL matches only.

Final League Table

British League
Team PL W D L BP
For
Ag
Pts
Reading
32
24
1
7
--
1434
1062
49
Hackney
32
23
0
9
--
1300
1188
46
Belle Vue
32
21
1
10
--
1298
1193
43
Coventry
32
20
2
10
--
1326
1170
42
CRADLEY
32
20
0
12
--
1302
1189
40
Kings Lynn
32
17
0
15
--
1353
1141
34
Ipswich
32
16
2
14
--
1298
1194
34
Swindon
32
16
2
14
--
1264
1231
34
Poole
32
15
2
15
--
1254
1237
32
Halifax
32
15
1
16
--
1219
1271
31
Leicester
32
14
0
18
--
1253
1241
28
Hull
32
11
5
16
--
1207
1286
27
Wimbledon
32
12
2
18
--
1195
1294
26
Birmingham
32
11
1
20
--
1158
1338
23
Wolverhampton
32
9
2
21
--
1192
1297
20
Eastbourne
32
9
1
22
--
1093
1399
19
Sheffield
32
8
0
24
--
1039
1454
16

Midland Cup
Round 1 - 1st leg Birmingham 30 Cradley 48
Bruce Penhall 15, Alan Grahame 13, Erik Gundersen 9,
Ila Teromaa 8, John Grahame 3, Dave Perks 0.

Round 1 - 2nd leg Cradley 51 Birmingham 27
Bruce Penhall 14, Erik Gundersen 13, Alan Grahame 9,
Ila Teromaa 7, John Hack 6, Derek Harrison 2,
John Grahame 0.

Cradley win 99-57 on aggregate

Semi-Final - 1st leg Cradley 48 Leicester 30
Bruce Penhall 12, Erik Gundersen 12, Alan Grahame 11, 
Phil Collins 8, Steve Lawson 3, John Hack 2,
Paul Bosley 0.
Semi-Final - 2nd leg Leicester 35 Cradley 43
(G)Bobby Schwartz 11, Erik Gundersen 11, Phil Collins 9,
Alan Grahame 8, Glen McDonald 2, Ila Teromaa 1,
John Hack 1.

Cradley win 91-65 on aggregate

Final - 1st leg - Coventry 38 Cradley 40
Bruce Penhall 12, Phil Collins 8, Alan Grahame 7, 
Ila Teromaa 6, Erik Gundersen 4, John Hack 2,
Andy Reid 1.
Final - 2nd leg - Cradley 48 Coventry 30
Phil Collins 12, Erik Gundersen 11, Bobby Schwartz 10, 
Alan Grahame 9, Steve Lawson 4, Ila Teromaa 2,
John Hack 0.

Cradley win the Cup 88-68 on aggregate

I.L.K.O.Cup
Round 1 - Glasgow 33 Cradley 43
Bruce Penhall 11, Phil Collins 10, Erik Gundersen 10,
Alan Grahame 5, Mark Collins 4, Ila Teromaa 3, 
John Homer 0.
Round 2 - Cradley 52 Sheffield 26 
(G)John Davis 12, Alan Grahame 12, John Hack 10,
Ila Teromaa 7, Phil Collins 7, Dave Perks 4,
Jon Jones 0.
Semi-Final - Kings Lynn 49 Cradley 29
Bruce Penhall 12, Erik Gundersen 5, Craig Featherby 5,
Alan Grahame 4, Phil Collins 2, Ila Teromaa 1,
John Hack 0.

Kings Lynn went into the Final against Swindon and beat them 
83-73 on aggregate

Midland  League

Team

 P W D L F A Pts
Coventry 8 6 1 1 354 270 13
Cradley 8 5 0 3 336 288 10
Leicester 8 4 1 3 302 321 9
Wolves 8 1 2 5 295 329 4
Birmingham 8 1 2 5 272 351 4


Bruce Penhall 11.36[6], Bobby Schwartz 10.50[2],
Phil Collins 8.12[8], Erik Gundersen 8.00[8],
Alan Grahame 7.12[8], John Hack 6.57[5],
Mike Sampson 6.50[2], Dave Perks 5.90[6],
Ila Teromaa 5.00[4], Craig Featherby 4.00[2],
Glen McDonald 1.33[4], Mark Collins 0.00[1]

K.O.Cup

Round 1-1st leg Kings Lynn 58 Cradley 50
Bruce Penhall 11, Erik Gundersen 10, Phil Collins 8,
Ila Teromaa 8, Derek Harrison 7, Alan Grahame 6,
Glen McDonald 0, Hans Albert Klinge 0.
Round 1-2nd leg Cradley 60 Kings Lynn 48
Phil Collins 14, Bruce Penhall 12, Erik Gundersen 10,
Alan Grahame 9, Ila Teromaa 4, Mike Sampson 4,
Dave Perks 4, John Hack 3.

Cradley win 110-106 on aggregate

Round 2-1st leg Reading 53 Cradley 55
Bruce Penhall 16, Alan Grahame 12, 
Erik Gundersen 11, Mike Sampson 6,
 Derek Harrison 5, Ila Teromaa 4, John Hack 1,
Craig Featherby dnr
Round 2-2nd leg Cradley 54 Reading 54
Bruce Penhall 10, Alan Grahame 9, Mike Sampson 8, 
Erik Gundersen 7, John Hack 7, Phil Collins 6,
Ila Teromaa 5, Craig Featherby 2.

Cradley win 109-107 on aggregate 

Semi-Final-1st leg Birmingham 56 Cradley 52
Bruce Penhall 17, Erik Gundersen 12, Phil Collins 8,
Alan Grahame 7, Mike Sampson 3, Steve Lawson 3, 
John Hack 2, Glen McDonald 0.
Semi-Final-2nd leg Cradley 67 Birmingham 41
Bruce Penhall 14, Phil Collins 14, Erik Gundersen 12,
Alan Grahame 11, Ila Teromaa 6, John Hack 5,
Steve Lawson 3, Craig Featherby 2.

Cradley win 119-97 on aggregate

Final - 1st leg Belle Vue 67 Cradley 41
Phil Collins 13, Alan Grahame 13, Erik Gundersen 7,
Ila Teromaa 6, John Hack 1, Steve Lawson 1,
Craig Featherby 0.
Final - 2nd leg Cradley 75 Belle Vue 33
Bruce Penhall 15, Erik Gundersen 13, Phil Collins 12, 
Alan Grahame 11, Andy Reid 9, Ila Teromaa 8,
Steve Lawson 5, Craig Featherby 2.

Cradley win the Cup 116-100

Dudley Wolves Trophy 
1st leg - Cradley 43 Wolves 35
Bruce Penhall 12, Derek Harrison 9, Erik Gundersen 9,
Phil Collins 6, Alan Grahame 5, Arthur Price 1,
John Hack 1.
2nd leg - Wolves 36 Cradley 41
Alan Grahame 13, Erik Gundersen 11, Bruce Penhall 9,
Phil Collins 7, Mark Collins 1, Mike Sampson 0,
Arthur Price 0.

Cradley win 84-71 on aggregate

Cradley hosted an International Test Match in May
England 62 U.S.A 46

The Golden Hammer was won by Chris Morton
Golden Hammer

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