The Stoke Potters previously the Hanley Potters were a British speedway team. As Hanley Potters they raced at the Sun Street Stadium from 1929 to 1963 and as Stoke, the team raced at Loomer Road Stadium in Newcastle-under-Lyme from 1973 to 2019.Bamford, R & Jarvis, J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway.
History Origins & 1920s In March 1929, British Speedways Ltd agreed a season lease with Northern Greyhound Racers (Hanley) Ltd (the owners of the recently constructed Sun Street Stadium in Hanley) for the introduction of speedway during 1929. Hanley were named as inaugural members of the 1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League and hosted their first home league match against Burnley on 18 May. However, they withdrew before the end of the season and their results were expunged.
1930s Ten years after the last appearance of speedway in Stoke, a team re-surfaced at the Sun Street stadium. The Stoke team with the nickname 'Potters' being used for the first time, joined the 1939 Speedway National League Division Two, under the promotion of the stadium owners. Unfortunately once again the team failed to end the season, withdrawing in early July 1939.
1940s Following an eight year absence, the speedway returned on 8 May 1947 and the Hanley Potters finally completed a campaign, finishing 6th in the eight team third division. Just two years later in 1949, Hanley won the double of National League Division Three and Div 3 National Trophy. The Potters were led by riders such as Vic Pitcher, Les Jenkins and Ken Adams and the club attracted crowds of over 12,000.
1950s Hanley struggled in the second division during 1950 before returning to division 3 in 1951. The team raced as Stoke instead of Hanley during the years 1952 and 1953, which saw a poor run of results. The promoters Miles and Galloway subsequently closed the team down, continuing the trend of the club's history of being unable to compete in league speedway on a regular basis.
1960s With the creation of the Provincial League in 1960, the Potters returned under the promotion of Reg Fearman and Mike Parker. Fearman also rode for the club and Ken Adams returned during a period when Stoke enjoyed a solid four year spell from 1960 to 1963, culminating with the runner-up position behind Wolverhampton Wolves in 1963. Riders Colin Pratt and Peter Jarman starred in 1963.
However, the Sun Street track closed in 1963, because the greyhound stadium owners sold the site to a garage business and the speedway was shut down for the fourth time in club's history.
1970s
In late 1971, Midlands' businessman Russell Bragg applied for and received planning permission from the Newcastle Borough Council for the construction of a new Loomer Road Stadium in Chesterton, at a cost of £200,000. The first speedway match at the track took place on 11 April 1973 in front of 6,500 supporters. The team were known as the Chesterton Potters for the 1973 season.
The club finally experienced continuity and would feature in the National League for a prolonged period. The 1970s saw contrasting fortunes for the Potters and number one riders included Mike Broadbank, Alan Molyneux, Les Collins and Ian Gledhill, the latter winning the 1979 Riders' Championship.
1980s
The Potters struggled in the league from 1980 to 1983 but finished 3rd in 1984 after signing Nigel Crabtree and Paul Thorp to support Tom Owen. Crabtree and Owen went on to win the National League Pairs held at Hackney Wick Stadium on 30 June.
The remainder of the decade resulted in much improved seasons, with the Potters competing well. Successes included Paul Thorp winning the 1986 Riders' Championship, Graham Jones and Steve Bastable winning the 1988 National League Pairs and Crabtree and Eric Monaghan winning the 1989 Pairs.
1990s The 1990s began well with the Potters team of Monaghan, Crabtree, Louis Carr and Chris Cobby, claiming the Fours championship final, held at the East of England Showground on 22 July.
After two more seasons in the second division from 1991 to 1992, the Potters folded after promoter Dave Tattum failed to gain funding for the 1993 season. The team rejoined the third tier in 1994.
In 1996, the team rode as the Cradley & Stoke Heathens in the merged top division called the Premier League. Cradley Heath had been displaced from their base at Dudley Wood Stadium. From 1997 to 1999, Stoke raced as a single club and returned to the second tier, which retained the Premier League name.
2000s The new millennium started a full decade of Premier League speedway, with the Potters reaching a best position of fourth in 2004. However, the decade was underwhelming with the team failing to achieve any notable success.
2010s In November 2010, a major decision was taken by the club's promotion. The team withdrew from Premier League racing to drop a division and compete in the National League, speedway's third tier. The club had been struggling financially for the last couple of seasons and the move was made in order to stabilise finances.
The 2011 season saw the club top the National League table by seven points but injuries struck key riders and Stoke were beaten in the play-off semi finals. Some consolation was taken when Tim Webster and Simon Lambert won the National League Pairs Championship. From 2012 to 2018, the Potters continued to race in the National League and Ben Wilson and Jon Armstrong won the 2014 Pairs Championship.
The 2019 season ended with the Potters winning the fours championship at Loomer Road but it would be the last speedway season at Loomer Road because the site was sold, the team disbanded after the season and the stadium was demolished during June 2022.
Season summary
Year and leaguePositionNotes 1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League N/A withdrew, results expunged 1939 Speedway National League 6th withdrew, fixtures taken over by Belle Vue Aces reserves 1947 Speedway National League Division Three 6th 1948 Speedway National League Division Three 5th 1949 Speedway National League Division Three 1st champions and National Trophy winners (div 3) 1950 Speedway National League Division Two 14th 1951 Speedway National League Division Two 9th 1952 Speedway National League Division Two 10th 1953 Speedway National League Division Two 9th 1960 Provincial Speedway League 5th 1961 Provincial Speedway League 3rd 1962 Provincial Speedway League 4th 1963 Provincial Speedway League 2nd 1973 British League Division Two season 13th rode as Chesterton Potters 1974 British League Division Two season 13th 1975 New National League season 3rd 1976 National League season 11th 1977 National League season 19th 1978 National League season 8th 1979 National League season 13th 1980 National League season 16th 1981 National League season 15th 1982 National League season 18th 1983 National League season 17th 1984 National League season 3rd NL Pairs 1985 National League season 8th 1986 National League season 5th 1987 National League season 4th 1988 National League season 7th NL Pairs 1989 National League season 10th NL Pairs 1990 National League season 8th NL Fours 1991 British League Division Two season 10th 1992 British League Division Two season 8th 1994 British League Division Three 3rd 1995 Academy League 2nd 1996 Premier League speedway season 5th rode as Cradley & Stoke Heathens 1997 Premier League speedway season 12th 1998 Premier League speedway season 13th 1999 Premier League speedway season 10th 2000 Premier League speedway season 7th 2001 Premier League speedway season 11th 2002 Premier League speedway season 7th 2003 Premier League speedway season 15th 2004 Premier League speedway season 4th 2005 Premier League speedway season 14th 2006 Premier League speedway season 10th 2007 Premier League speedway season 11th 2008 Premier League speedway season 13th 2009 Premier League speedway season 11th 2010 Premier League speedway season 12th 2011 National League speedway season 1st PO semi final, NL pairs 2012 National League speedway season 4th 2013 National League speedway season 8th 2014 National League speedway season 6th NL pairs 2015 National League speedway season 9th 2016 National League speedway season 11th 2017 National League speedway season 9th 2018 National League speedway season 9th 2019 National Development League speedway season 7th
Season summary (juniors)
Year and leaguePositionNotes 2004 Speedway Conference League 9th Spitfires 2005 Speedway Conference League 7th Spitfires 2006 Speedway Conference League 4th Spitfires 2007 Speedway Conference League 8th Spitfires
Notable riders
Previous seasons (riders)
2010 team
2009 team
2008 team
Also Rode:
2007 team
Also Rode
(Garry suffered horrific injuries in a crash at Somerset.)
2006 team
References