The White City Rebels were a
motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...
team who operated from the
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was a stadium located in White City, London, England. Built for the 1908 Summer Olympics, it hosted the finish of the first modern marathon and other sports like swimming, speedway, boxing, show jumping, athletics, stock car ...
, Wood Lane in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
History
White City were inaugural members of the
Southern League in 1929 but only raced for the one season. The White City team were due to race in the 1930 Southern League, but they withdrew from the league before it started. The stadium then ran once again using an Open Licence and held occasional one-off meetings between (1953–1958, 1961) until a new league team was formed, from the
Oxford Rebels
The Oxford Cheetahs are a British Motorcycle speedway, speedway teamLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964 Speed ...
team in 1976. They re-opened in 1976 under the promoters
Danny Dunton
Dennis Clifford "Danny" Dunton (13 May 1924 – 2 January 2015) was an English international motorcycle speedway rider and promoter who reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in 1950, achieving 12th place with 5 points. As well as ...
and
Bob Dugard. They were managed by Danny Dunton's son, Lee Dunton. They had previously raced at
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
as the
Oxford Rebels
The Oxford Cheetahs are a British Motorcycle speedway, speedway teamLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964 Speed ...
, but a threat of track closure and sell-off for development in 1975 caused the promoters to seek a new venue.
In 1977, White City Rebels won the
1977 British League season title in only their second season of existence. The London team caused a surprise with their consistent form throughout the season with heavy scoring of
Gordon Kennett
Gordon William Kennett (born 2 September 1953) is a former motorcycle speedway rider. In 1978 he won the World Pairs Championship with Malcolm Simmons. He also finished runner-up to Ole Olsen in the 1978 Speedway World Championship at Wembley. ...
leading the team. The success came from a group of five other riders hitting around a seven average to support Kennett. The five were Englishmen
Mike Sampson
Mike Sampson (born 8 August 1945) is a former speedway rider from England.
Speedway career
Sampson rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1971 to 1982, riding for multiple clubs. He was a member of the Exeter Falcons team that won the ...
,
Steve Weatherley and
Trevor Geer
Trevor Geer is a former motorcycle speedway rider, active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Geer raced for the Eastbourne Eagles in the early seventies, before transferring to the Oxford Rebels. He and Ole Olsen came second in the Radio Oxford ...
, Pole
Marek Cieślak
Marek Kazimierz Cieślak (born 28 June 1950) is a Polish former speedway rider and current coach.
In 2007 he was a manager of Poland national team. Poland won Speedway World Cup and Team U-21 World Championship. After victory in SWC, on 30 Ju ...
and Finn
Kai Niemi
Kai Juhani Niemi (born 15 September 1955 in Pori, Finland) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who represented the Finland national speedway team.
Career
He reached four World Championship finals, finishing a career best fourt ...
.
The team closed after only three seasons due to poor crowds levels, despite finishing the 1977 season as champions of the
British League
The British League was the main motorcycle speedway league in Britain from its formation in 1965 until 1995 when British speedway was restructured. It initially had a single division, with a second division starting in 1968 (which was renamed the ...
.
[Jacobs, N. ''Speedway in London'', ] The teams riders and assets were sold to
Eastbourne Eagles
The Eastbourne Eagles were a British speedway team, based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne, England, that raced in the SGB Championship.
History
Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in 1929. During their first league season th ...
.
Notable riders
*
Gordon Kennett
Gordon William Kennett (born 2 September 1953) is a former motorcycle speedway rider. In 1978 he won the World Pairs Championship with Malcolm Simmons. He also finished runner-up to Ole Olsen in the 1978 Speedway World Championship at Wembley. ...
*
Steve Weatherley
*
Trevor Geer
Trevor Geer is a former motorcycle speedway rider, active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Geer raced for the Eastbourne Eagles in the early seventies, before transferring to the Oxford Rebels. He and Ole Olsen came second in the Radio Oxford ...
*
Marek Cieślak
Marek Kazimierz Cieślak (born 28 June 1950) is a Polish former speedway rider and current coach.
In 2007 he was a manager of Poland national team. Poland won Speedway World Cup and Team U-21 World Championship. After victory in SWC, on 30 Ju ...
*
Kai Niemi
Kai Juhani Niemi (born 15 September 1955 in Pori, Finland) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who represented the Finland national speedway team.
Career
He reached four World Championship finals, finishing a career best fourt ...
*
Mike Sampson
Mike Sampson (born 8 August 1945) is a former speedway rider from England.
Speedway career
Sampson rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1971 to 1982, riding for multiple clubs. He was a member of the Exeter Falcons team that won the ...
*
Trevor Geer
Trevor Geer is a former motorcycle speedway rider, active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Geer raced for the Eastbourne Eagles in the early seventies, before transferring to the Oxford Rebels. He and Ole Olsen came second in the Radio Oxford ...
Season summary
References
{{Reflist
Defunct British speedway teams
Speedway teams in London
White City, London