In 1952, a grass speedway circuit was marked on the inside of the dog track, with sand on the bends to aid broadsiding. Just one meeting was staged on the grass that year, being held in aid of the Lynmouth Flood Disaster Fund on 7 September and this saw Barry East win the Stadium Trophy in front of 3,000 spectators. Two meetings were run in 1953, with King’s Lynn defeating Long Eaton 43-39 in the first on 6 April. This attracted an attendance of 1,507 and was run in aid of King’s Lynn Flood Relief.
The second meeting saw King’s Lynn slip to a 47-35 defeat at the hands of a side labelled East Midlands on 31 May. However, no further speedway-style events took place at Saddlebow Road until 1965, when a proper 400-yard shale track was constructed at what had become a derelict stadium.
Stars Timeline
1965 The first ever shale meeting took place on the 23 May with Terry Betts winning the Lynn Trophy. 1966-1967 The King’s Lynn stars became members of the British League. 1968 British League Division One. 1969-1970 British League Division One and Division Two. 1971-1974 British League Division One. 1975-1990 British League 1991-1994 British League Division One. 1995 Premier League 1997 The King’s Lynn Knights entered the Elite League and Amateur League 1998-1999 Elite League and Conference League. 2000-2001 Elite League 2002 The team was renamed The Silver Machine‚ and entered the Elite League and Conference League. 2003 The team returned to their original name of The stars and entered the Premier League. 2004 Premier League and Conference Trophy. 2005-2008 Premier League. 2009 Premier League and National League. 2011 Moved up to the Elite League 2011 Elite Elevation Champions
2017 Elite League re-branded as SGB Premiership
NB: The Division Two team of 1969 and 1970 was called Starlets. In 1997, King’s Lynn shared their Amateur League fixtures with Ipswich under the banner of Anglian Angels.
The Conference League side of 1998 were known as Norfolk Braves while in 1999 the team was called the King’s Lynn Braves. The Conference League side of 2002 were known as the King’s Lynn Kids and in 2004, the Conference Trophy team rode as the King’s Lynn Starlets. The National League team of 2009 went under the name of King’s Barracudas. Since 2005 King’s Lynn’s junior team has been known as the King’s Lynn Young Stars.
Trophy Cabinet
Premier Trophy Champions: 2006, 2007 & 2009 Young Shield Champions: 2005 Inter-League K.O. Cup Champions: 1978 & 1980 League Cup Champions: 1981 K.O. Cup Champions: 1977, 2000, 2005 2006, 2007 & 2009 Premiership Winners: 2001
Premiership table winners: 2018
Premiership Play-Finalists: 2018
Premiership KO Cup runners-up: 2018
Spring Gold Cup Winners: 1973 Premier League Champions: 2006 & 2009 World Champions: 1980 – Michael Lee, 1999 – Tony Rickardsson, World Under-21 Champion: 2009 – Darcy Ward
