Canterbury Crusaders (speedway)
| Canterbury Crusaders | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club information | |||||||
| Track address |
Kingsmead Stadium Kingsmead Road Canterbury Kent |
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| Country | England | ||||||
| Founded | 1968 | ||||||
| Closed | 1987 | ||||||
| Website | Canterbury Crusaders | ||||||
| Club facts | |||||||
| Colours | Blue and Gold | ||||||
| Track size | 360 metres (390 yd) | ||||||
| Major team honours | |||||||
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The Canterbury Crusaders were a motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Kingsmead Stadium, Kingsmead Road, Canterbury. For all of their 20-year existence, the Crusaders operated at the second level of British league speedway, in British League Division Two and the National League.
The first meeting at Kingsmead, on May 18 1968, saw the Crusaders narrowly lose a British League Division Two fixture 38-39 to Belle Vue Colts. The Colts and the Crusaders had contested the first ever Division Two fixture ten days previously at Belle Vue on May 8, when the Colts won 55-23.
The Crusaders' first league title was won in 1970, and a second championship was to follow in 1978.
In 1977 the promoters Johnnie Hoskins and Wally Mawdsley had to go to court in order to keep the Kingsmead track open after complaints of noise from local residents. However, the team were forced to disband in 1987 when the Canterbury Council refused to renew the lease.
The final Crusaders fixture took place at Kingsmead on October 31 1987 when Canterbury defeated Rye House Rockets 49-29 in the second leg of the Kent/Herts Trophy.
Greyhound racing continued at Kingsmead until 1999 but the site is now a housing estate
The longest serving rider was Barney Kennett who rode for the Crusaders from 1971 until 1984. Barney is the brother of riders Gordon and Dave and is uncle to Edward Kennett.
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