Motherwell Eagles
The Motherwell Eagles or Lanarkshire Eagles were a motorcycle speedway team based in Motherwell in Scotland that participated in the British National League Division Two from 1951 and 1954. Brief history The team was based at The Stadium, in Milton Street, Motherwell, which was used primarily for greyhound racing but was designed with speedway in mind; the bends wide enough for six cars side by side. The first meeting was held on 14 July 1950 in a challenge match before the Eagles joined the league in 1951. The Eagles started out in the British National League Division Two with veteran ex-Glasgow Tigers Will Lowther and Joe Crowther and ex-Edinburgh rider Danny Lee in the line up. Bill Baird, a pioneer Eagle, became the only rider to ride for all four Scottish teams starting as a Glasgow Tiger before moves to Edinburgh then Ashfield. The team was strengthened late in 1951 by the transfer of Derick Close from Newcastle. In 1952, Eagles rider Derek Close reached the final of the Speedway World Championship. The Eagles operated until the end of the 1954 season and would have run in 1955 but for the reluctance of teams in England to travel up to