1931 Speedway Southern League
The 1931 Southern League was the third season of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams, and its final season before amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Leagues. The Northern teams also had their third season known as the 1931 Speedway Northern League.

Summary 
Both Birmingham teams based at Perry Barr and Hall Green had left, as had Coventry but the latter returned mid-season to replace Leicester Stadium who were liquidated in late May.

Harringay Canaries resigned in June to be replaced by a Belle Vue team, who then rode both in the Northern and Southern Leagues, the latter as Manchester. Nottingham closed in July but they were not replaced and their results stood. The league season was the longest in the short history of the competition as teams met each other four times instead of twice.

The Wembley Lions won their second consecutive title finishing three points clear of 1929 champions Stamford Bridge. The league suffered a fatality during the match between Belle Vue and Wembley at Hyde Road. James Allen (known as Indian Allen) was thrown from his bike and hit his head on a fence, trying to avoid a rider who had fallen in front of him. He died three days later in hospital on 12 September 1931. Another rider Noel Johnson of Plymouth had been killed in a challenge match against Coventry reserves on 25 August.

Final table 

 * Harringay scored 12 points from 14 matches, Belle Vue scored 16 from 24
 ** Leicester scored 1 point from 8 matches, Coventry scored 16 from 30

Top Five Riders

National Trophy
The 1931 National Trophy was the first edition of the Knockout Cup. It was contested between teams from the Southern and Northern Leagues.

First round

Second round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

First leg

Second leg

Wembley were declared National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 120-69.

London Cup
First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg

Second leg

Crystal Palace won on aggregate 114–76

Riders & final averages
Crystal Palace

 7.75
 8.32
 7.51
 6.79
 6.61
 6.55
 6.30
 4.20
 2.67

Harringay (withdrew)

 10.56
 6.95
 5.94
 5.65
 5.41
 5.33
 5.33

High Beech

 7.26
 6.76
 6.69
 6.43
 6.37
 6.09
 5.56
 4.80
 4.79
 4.57
 4.23
 4.00
 3.83

Lea Bridge

 10.22
 7.91
 6.97
 6.95
 6.80
 6.39
 6.00
 4.79
 4.44
 4.32
 3.71

Leicester/Coventry

 6.86/9.22
 8.20/x
 6.27/7.10
 x/6.50
 5.36/6.67
 2.40/5.16
  5.00/4.27
 x/4.98
 x/4.89
 4.55/x
 x/4.55
 x/4.31
 x/4.00
 3.14/3.47

 Manchester (Belle Vue)

 8.14
 6.39
 6.20
 6.06
 6.00
 5.33
 5.33
 3.64
 3.56
 3.28
 3.20
 3.20
 2.57

Nottingham

 8.93
 8.26
 7.58
 7.29
 5.07
 5.03
 4.57
 4.00
 4.00
 3.72

Southampton

 9.87
 7.42
 6.98
 6.44
 5.83
 5.35
 4.88
 4.67
 4.00
 3.14

Stamford Bridge

 10.09
 10.06
 8.65
 8.31
 6.85
 6.40
 5.60
 (John Glass) 5.33
 5.20
 4.32
 4.43
 Keith Harvey 4.29
 4.25
 3.60

Wembley

 9.56
 9.09
 8.75
 7.96
 7.50
 7.33
 7.09
 6.59
 5.30
 4.76
 4.00
 2.09

West Ham

 10.55
 9.32
 9.00
 8.79
 6.90
 4.13
 4.10
 4.36
 3.79
 3.25
 3.09
 1.71

Wimbledon

 10.19
 9.43
 8.48
 6.90
 6.17
 6.06
 5.91
 5.72
 5.41
 5.19
 3.24

See also
List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
Knockout Cup (speedway)

References

Speedway Southern League
1931 in British motorsport
1931 in speedway