Our History
The Peterborough Panthers Speedway team raced at The East of England Showground from 1970 – 2023.
Club Honours
Elite League/Premiership
Elite League/Premiership League Champions (3) – 1999, 2006 & 2022
Play Off’s (6) – 2002, 2003 2004, 2006, 2007 & 2010
Knockout Cup Winners (3) – 1999, 2001 & 2017
Knockout Cup Runners Up (1) – 2002
Craven Shield Winners (1) – 1999
Craven Shield Runners Up (1) – 2001
Elite Shield Winners (1) – 2007
Premiership Runners Up (1) – 1997
4TT Champions (3) – 1997, 2017 & 2018
Midland League Runners Up (1) – 2009
League Riders Champions (2) – J Crump 1999 & R Sullivan 2000
British Champions (1) – M Loram 2001
British U21 Champions (1) – D Howe 2000
Premier League
League Champions (1) – 1998
League Runners Up (1) – 1996
KO Cup Runners Up (2) – 1996 & 1998
Young Shield Runners Up (1) – 1998
4TT Champions (1) – 1998
4TT Runners Up (2) – 1995 & 1996
League Riders Champion (2) – G Cunningham 1998; U Ostergaard 2015
Pairs Champions (1) – G Cunningham & B Woodifield 1998
British League (Div 2) – Seasons (9)
League Champions (1) – 1992
Ko Cup Winners (1) – 1992
Ko Cup Runners Up (1) – 1972
Premiership Winners (1) – 1993
4TT Champions (1) – 1992
National League – Seasons (16)
4TT Champions (4) – 1977, 1978, 1988, 1989
Gold Cup Runners Up (1) – 1991
League Riders Champion (1) – I Barney 1984
Club History
Speedway in Peterborough began in 1970, following a failed attempt to race at the Peterborough Greyhound Stadium and a subsequent successful application by Allied Presentations (headed by Maurice Littlechild) to race at the East of England Showground. Despite receiving a licence, the team were initially refused entry to the league by the Speedway Control Board but then replaced Plymouth Devils for their inaugural season in the 1970 British League Division Two. The Panthers finished in 10th place.
The Panthers remained in division 2 (the National League from 1975) and recorded a best placing of third in 1972, headed by riders Richard Greer and John Davis. The next significant moment was winning the first silverware, after securing consecutive Fours championships in 1977 and 1978. Only Nigel Flatman appeared in both of the fours finals.
1980s
The Panthers continued in the National League during the 1980s, but the decade was one of mediocrity with a highest placing of 5th in 1987. The highlight of the decade was winning two more fours championships in 1988 and 1989. Three riders, Ian Barney, Craig Hodgson and Mick Poole rode in both.
1990s
After signing Australian’s Jason Crump and Stephen Davies to join fellow Aussie Mick Poole, the club’s first major success arrived during the 1992 British League Division Two season. The Panthers won the league and cup double in addition to the fours.
Following 25 consecutive years in the second tier, the Panthers joined the newly merged 1995 Premier League speedway season, meaning that the Panthers competed in the top division for the first time in their history. However, the team dropped down a division in 1998, which brought immediate success, winning the league, pairs and fours. The following season they went up to the Elite League (Div 1) and completely rebuilt their team for the season. They brought in three Australians, the returning Jason Crump from Oxford, Ryan Sullivan from Poole and Craig Watson from Newport, in addition to recalling Zdeněk Tesař Peterborough pipped Poole by one point and beat them in the cup final to achieve the league and cup double and the Craven Shield win. Crump won the Riders’ Championship and topped the averages.
2000s
Another Knockout Cup was added to the trophy cabinet in 2001 and the team won the league title during the 2006 Elite League speedway season. Peterborough and Reading battled each other throughout the season finishing level on points in the regular season table before Peterborough edged Reading in the play off final. Peterborough had a strong all round squad and included Danish trio of Hans Andersen, Jesper Jensen and Niels Kristian Iversen, in addition to Australian Ryan Sullivan.
2010s
The team continued to compete in the highest league despite problems leading up to the 2011 season. Following changes to the rules for rider averages made at the AGM of the BSPA, the Panthers and Coventry Bees walked out of the meeting. As a result the BSPA omitted both teams from the 2011 Elite League for failing to declare their intent to compete. The decision was the subject of a legal challenge by both clubs. The BSPA offered a compromise which was initially rejected before both teams confirmed their starting places.
The team had a record Elite League victory on 23 August 2013, beating Coventry Bees by 70 points to 20. The Panthers dropped to the second division from 2014 to 2018 but won the 2017 division 2 Knockout Cup and fours during the period. In 2019, the team rejoined the highest league called the SGB Premiership.
2020s
After the leagues were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Panthers won the highest league title for just the third time in their history in 2021. After finishing top of the regular season table by just one point, they overtook the long time leaders Wolverhampton Wolves and by virtue of finishing top they elected to play Wolves in the play off semi finals, rather than the third or fourth placed teams Belle Vue and Sheffield. Peterborough then deservedly won the playoffs by beating Wolverhampton in the semifinals and Belle Vue in the final. The Peterborough team gained the nickname the ‘Dad’s Army’ due to the fact that four of their riders were aged 40 or older.The 2023 season was the last season for Peterborough at the East of England Showground, following the proposed redevelopment of the Arena by owners Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG)