Willie Wilson (speedway rider)
| Born | 8 September 1923 Kilbirnie, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Died | 10 September 2016 (aged 93) Kilbirnie, Scotland |
| Nationality | British (Scottish) |
| Career history | |
| 1949–1952 | Ashfield Giants |
| 1953–1954 | Belle Vue Aces |
William Wilson (8 September 1923 – 10 September 2016) was a motorcycle speedway rider from Scotland. He earned 12 international caps for the Scotland national speedway team.[1]
Biography
[edit]Wilson, born in Kilbirnie, Scotland, began speedway under the tutelage of Ken Le Breton during the second half of 1948.[2] His British leagues career started when riding for Ashfield Giants during the 1949 Speedway National League Division Two season.[3]
He remained with Ashfield for four seasons from 1949 to 1952, where he rode for the promoter Johnnie Hoskins.[4]. As an Ashfield rider, he reached the final of the National Trophy in 1950 and topped the team's averages in 1952, when hitting a season average of 8.29.[5] Wilson also reached the Championship round of the 1952 Individual Speedway World Championship and became the club captain.
Following the closure of Ashfield in 1953 he followed his promoter Johnnie Hoskins to Belle Vue Aces after signing for £1500.[6][7] He did not enjoy his time in Manchester and wished for a return to Glasgow.[8] He would ride a few meetings for Scottish representative sides in 1955 and 1956 but decided to retire at the end of 1956.
References
[edit]- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Discovery of the year, so Ken will show him how". Daily Mirror. 21 April 1949. Retrieved 9 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1949 season". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ "This speed business gets you hypnotised". Daily Mirror. 17 March 1953. Retrieved 10 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Scots speed captain in £1500 transfer". Daily Record. 12 November 1952. Retrieved 20 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Wilson wants a transfer". Daily Mirror. 9 January 1954. Retrieved 10 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.