# Leicester Hunters > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Leicester_Hunters > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Leicester_Hunters.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Hunters > Source revision: 1271735462 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British motorcycle speedway team Leicester Hunters Club information Track address The Stadium, Blackbird Road, Leicester Country England Founded 1948 Closed 1962 League National League/Provincial League Club facts Colours Hunting pink and gold Track size 382 yards (1949), 364 yards (1950), 380 yards (1951-1962) Major team honours Midland Cup 1951 The **Leicester Hunters** were a [motorcycle speedway](/source/Motorcycle_speedway) team which operated from 1948 until 1962.[1] ## History Speedway had operated before the war at both [Leicester Stadium](/source/Leicester_Stadium) and the [Syston Sports Stadium](/source/Syston_Sports_Stadium). Speedway was proposed to return to Leicester in 1948 at Leicester Stadium, led by A. D. Sanderson with [Roy Dook](/source/Roy_Dook) and later Bob Peett managing the team, but concerns from local residents over noise levels delayed the return until the following year, with the newly formed team limited to away challenge matches in 1948.[1] To go with the team name, the riders wore hunting pink race bibs featuring a gold horseshoe.[2] The Hunters joined the [National League](/source/National_League_(1932%E2%80%931964)) in [Division 3](/source/1949_Speedway_National_League_Division_Three), where they finished 10th.[3] Former rider [Cyril "Squib" Burton](/source/Cyril_%22Squib%22_Burton), who had been one of the top riders of the Leicester Stadium team in the early 1930s, took over as manager in 1950 and the team joined division 2 at the end of the season, after finishing in third place.[4] The team spent six seasons in division 2[5] and by 1957, the dwindling number of teams meant that the National League operated as a single division and the Hunters stayed in the top division until 1961, their best placing being as runners up in 1959.[6][4] Mike Parker then took over the club, and opted to join the [Provincial League](/source/Speedway_Provincial_League) in 1962, finishing in 12th position.[1] This was to be the Hunters' final season, with the team transferring to [Long Eaton](/source/Long_Eaton_Speedway) for the 1963 season.[1] Speedway returned to Leicester Stadium for a period but the team were renamed [Leicester Lions](/source/Leicester_Lions). ## Season summary Extended content Year and league Position Notes 1949 Speedway National League Division Three 10th 1950 Speedway National League Division Three 3rd 1951 Speedway National League Division Two 2nd 1952 Speedway National League Division Two 3rd 1953 Speedway National League Division Two 8th 1954 Speedway National League Division Two 4th 1955 Speedway National League Division Two 7th 1956 Speedway National League Division Two 6th 1957 Speedway National League 5th 1958 Speedway National League 4th 1959 Speedway National League 2nd 1960 Speedway National League 6th 1961 Speedway National League 10th 1962 Provincial Speedway League 12th ## Notable riders - [Harry Bastable](/source/Harry_Bastable) - [Ivor Brown](/source/Ivor_Brown_(speedway_rider)) - [Jack Geran](/source/Jack_Geran) - [Norman Hunter](/source/Norman_Hunter_(speedway_rider)) - [Ken McKinlay](/source/Ken_McKinlay) - [Paweł Waloszek](/source/Pawe%C5%82_Waloszek) - [Len Williams](/source/Len_Williams_(speedway_rider)) ## See also - [Speedway in Leicester](/source/Speedway_in_Leicester) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bamford_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bamford_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Bamford_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Bamford_1-3) Bamford, R & Jarvis J. (2001) *Homes of British Speedway*, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7524-2210-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7524-2210-3), p. 147-149 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Jones, Alan (2004) *Speedway in Leicester: The Hunters Era*, Automedia, p. 8 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Rogers, Martin (1978). *The Illustrated History of Speedway*. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-904584-45-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-904584-45-3). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hoare_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hoare_4-1) Hoare, Ron (1979) *Speedway Panorama*, Haynes, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85429-252-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85429-252-7), p. 122 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)"](https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/history/leaguetables1946-1964). *Official British Speedway website*. Retrieved 25 August 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Year by Year"](https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html). *Speedway Researcher*. Retrieved 25 August 2021. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Leicester Hunters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Hunters) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Hunters?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.