1987

Deja Vu - Cup & Runners Up!

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Season Review

Following the successful 1986 season Colin Pratt had to once again break up the team to fit in with the rules and regulations about the points limit. Colin was getting used to it now!

Phil Collins decided to try his luck in California, Steve Bastable who was on loan from Coventry was sold to Bradford.  Simon Cross was talked into staying with the Heathens despite threatening to leave speedway for grasstrack and longtrack.
The base was built around Erik Gundersen, Jan O'Pedersen and Simon Cross, taking up around 29 points of his allocation.  Now he had to find four more riders who's combined average was less than 19 points!  He recalled Alan Grahame for his testimonial year with the Heathens and signed David Walsh on loan from Sheffield and Dean Barker from Eastbourne.  To complete the team he retained junior Paul Fry.
team photo

 

L to R. Dave Walsh, Simon Cross, Team Manager - Colin Pratt,
 Jan O Pedersen, Alan Grahame,
front row - Dean Barker, Paul Fry, Erik Gundersen.
(photo by kind permission of Speedway Star & News)
Supporters were a bit pessimistic following home and away defeats in the Premiership against Oxford, but the team settled down despite injuries to Alan Grahame and Jan O' Pedersen who was hurt riding for Denmark in the second test at Oxford
Against the odds they continued to do well until weakness at reserve was exposed by Coventry, Reading and Oxford in successive matches.Danish youngster Jan Jakobsen was brought over just before Eastbourne recalled Dean Barker.  This fitted well as Alan Grahame was now back at reserve where he proved to be the trump card on several occasions.
Coventry put an end to any hopes the Cradley had of winning the League and also beat the Heathens home and away in the League Cup, but in the K.O Cup and the Midland Cup it was a different story with a draw at Brandon thanks to 12 paid 15 from David Walsh in the Midland Cup.
Cradley added the British Trophy to the KO and Midland Cups and the Dudley Wolves Trophy.
Individually Simon Cross, Jan O' Pedersen and Erik Gundersen all reached the World Final with Erik clinching the runners up spot.
Jan O held the Golden Helmet defeating Simon Wigg at Dudley Wood in April and successfully defended it two days later against Steve Regeling but later that day he was injured at Coventry and as he was unable to defend his title it passed on to his cousin John Jorginsen by default.

Erik was unbeatable in the Golden Hammer winning again to become the only rider to win it twice - Kenny Carter was the other to win it twice.
programme

Riders Performance Chart

1987 Cradley 'The Heathens'.

Rider
Matches
Rides
Points
Bonus
Total
Aver
E.Gundersen
22
91
225
5
230
10.11
S.Cross
21
88
204
10
214
9.73
J.O.Pedersen
21
87
203
9
212
9.75
D.Walsh
17
66
80
13
93
5.64
Al.Grahame
18
67
72
18
90
5.37
J.Bostin
1
4
2
2
4
4.00
J.Jakobsen
22
80
65
13
78
3.90
P.Fry
21
60
43
12
55
3.67
D.Barker
3
9
7
1
8
3.55
N.Leaver
2
6
4
1
5
3.33
W.Garratt
4
9
2
1
3
1.33

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

Final League Table

British League 1987
Team PL W D L BP
For
Ag
Pts
Coventry
22
19
3
0
11
970
746
52
CRADLEY
22
13
1
8
9
917
796
36
Swindon
22
12
2
8
7
884.5
828.5
33
Sheffield
22
13
0
9
6
871
840
32
Bradford
22
10
3
9
7
882
832
30
Ipswich
22
10
3
9
6
874
839
29
Reading
22
11
2
9
4
874.5
840.5
28
Belle Vue
22
10
1
11
5
843
872
26
Hackney
22
7
3
12
3
795
917
20
Wolverhampton
22
6
2
14
3
790
923
17
Oxford
22
6
1
15
3
825
891
16
Kings Lynn
22
4
1
17
2
757
958
11

K.O.Cup
Round 2-1st leg Cradley 55 Bradford 35
Alan Grahame 16, Simon Cross 15, Jan O.Pedersen 11,
(G)Jeremy Doncaster 9, Paul Fry 2, Jan Jakobsen 2,
Wayne Garratt 0.
Round 2-2nd leg Bradford 41 Cradley 49
Simon Cross 13, Dave Walsh 10, Jan O.Pedersen 10.
Erik Gundersen 9, Paul Fry 4, Jan Jakobsen 2,
Alan Grahame 1.
Cradley win 104-76 on aggregate

Semi-Final-1st leg Cradley 39 Oxford 33
Erik Gundersen 11, Jan O.Pedersen 7, Simon Cross 7,
Dave Walsh 6, Jan Jakobsen 3, Paul Fry 3,
Alan Grahame 2.
Semi-Final-2nd leg Oxford 47 Cradley 43
Jan O.Pedersen 13, Erik Gundersen 12, Simon Cross 8,
Dave Walsh 3, Jan Jakobsen 3, Paul Fry 3,
Wayne Garratt 1.
Cradley win 82-80 on aggregate

Final-1st leg Cradley 49 Coventry 41
Jan O.Pedersen 11, Dave Walsh 11, Erik Gundersen 11,
Simon Cross 9, Paul Fry 4, Jan Jakobsen 2,
Nigel Leaver 1.
Final-2nd leg Coventry 45 Cradley 45
Dave Walsh 12, Erik Gundersen 11, Jan O.Pedersen 11,
Simon Cross 8, Jan Jakobsen 2, Paul Fry 1,
Nigel Leaver 0.

Cradley win the K.O.Cup 94-86 on aggregate

British Trophy
Round 2-1st leg Cradley 46 Wolves 32
Jan O.Pedersen 12, Erik Gundersen 11, Alan Grahame 8,
Simon Cross 7, Dave Walsh 3, Paul Fry 3,
Dean Barker 2.
Round 2-2nd leg Wolves 44 Cradley 34
Jan O.Pedersen 12, Erik Gundersen 10, Simon Cross 6,
(G)Martin Dugard 3, Dave Walsh 2, Paul Fry 1,
Dean Barker 0.
Cradley win 80-76 on aggregate

Final-1st leg Cradley 43 Oxford 35
Alan Grahame 11, Erik Gundersen 11, Simon Cross 10,
Jan.O.Pedersen 5, Dave Walsh 2, Paul Fry 2,
Jan Jakobsen 2.
Final-2nd leg Oxford 38 Cradley 40
Erik Gundersen 11, Simon Cross 9, Jan O.Pedersen 9,
Alan Grahame 5, Jan Jakobsen 4, Dave Walsh 2,
Paul Fry 0.

Cradley win the British Trophy 83-73 on aggregate

Cradley started the season by losing both legs of the Premiership to Oxford 82-72 on aggregate.

Again we hosted an International Test Match - this time England - Denmark drew 54-54.

The Golden Hammer was retained by Erik Gundersen the first rider to win it in successive years.

Golden Hammer

    League Cup

Team P W D L F A Pts
Coventry 22 16 1 5 493 772 43
Oxford 22 14 2 6 884 832 39
Belle Vue 22 14 1 7 921 792 38
Cradley 22 14 0 8 888 828 36
Sheffield 22 13 2 7 889 822 33
Reading 22 12 1 9 867 887 31
Swindon 22 9 2 11 878 838 26
Wolves 22 9 1 12 828 886 23
Bradford 22 8 2 12 829 885 22
Hackney 22 6 2 14 801 913 17
Kings Lynn 22 5 1 16 765 947 12
Ipswich 22 4 1 17 790 921 10


Play-offs
Semi-Final 1st leg Cradley 36 Coventry 42
Erik Gundersen 12, Simon Cross 9, Jan O.Pedersen 7,
Alan Grahame 6, Jan Jakobsen 2, Dave Walsh 0,
Paul Fry 0.
Semi-Final 2nd leg Coventry 45 Cradley 33
Simon Cross 11, Erik Gundersen 7, Alan Grahame 5,
Jan Jakobsen 2, Paul Fry 1, Jan O.Pedersen 4,
Dave Walsh 3.
Coventry win 87-69 on aggregate

Belle Vue beat Oxford 80-76 on aggregate in the other Semi-Final
The Final between Coventry and Belle Vue ended all square after two legs 78-78.
In the replay Coventry win 84-72

Midland Cup
Round 1-1st leg Wolves 38 Cradley 39
Erik Gundersen 12, Jan O.Pedersen 11, Simon Cross 8,
Jan Jakobsen 3, Alan Grahame 2, Paul Fry 2,
Dean Barker 1.
Round 1-2nd leg Cradley 47 Wolves 31
Erik Gundersen 12, Jan O.Pedersen 12, Simon Cross 11,
Alan Grahame 8, Jan Jakobsen 3, Paul Fry 1,
Wayne Garratt 0.
Cradley win 86-69 on aggregate

Semi-Final-1st leg Cradley 43 Oxford 35
Alan Grahame 11, Erik Gundersen 11, Simon Cross 10,
Jan O.Pedersen 5, Dave Walsh 2, Paul Fry 2, 
Jan Jakobsen 2.
Semi-Final-2nd leg Oxford 38 Cradley 40
Erik Gundersen 11, Simon Cross 9, Jan O.Pedersen 9,
Alan Grahame 5, Jan Jakobsen 4, Dave Walsh 2,
Paul Fry 0.
Cradley win 83-73 on aggregate

Final-1st leg Cradley 49 Coventry 41
Jan O.Pedersen 11, Dave Walsh 11, Erik Gundersen 11, 
Simon Cross 9, Paul Fry 4, Jan Jakobsen 2,
Nigel Leaver 1.
Final-2nd leg Coventry 45 Cradley 45
Dave Walsh 12, Erik Gundersen 11, Jan O.Pedersen 11, 
Simon Cross 8, Jan Jakobsen 2, Paul Fry 1,
Nigel Leaver 0.

Cradley win the Midland Cup 94-86 on aggregate

Dudley Wolves Trophy
1st leg Wolves 39 Cradley 51
Erik Gundersen 13, Jan O.Pedersen 12, Simon Cross 8,
Dave Walsh 7, Jan Jakobsen 4, Alan Grahame 4,
Paul Fry 3.
2nd leg Cradley 56 Wolves 33
Simon Cross 13, Dave Walsh 12, Erik Gundersen 11, 
Paul Fry 7, Alan Grahame 7, Jan Jakobsen 6,
Jan O.Pedersen 0.

Cradley win 107-72 on aggregate

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