White City may have been crowned as British League Champions in 1977, but it was the Reading Racers who had the strongest team in the country - and that's official!
A directive came from the British Speedway Promoters Association that the Racers had fallen foul of the sport's authorities midway though the season and were actually ordered to drop one of their riders because they were too strong. The BSPA ruled that Reading had surpassed the average figure laid down at the beginning of the season as the maximum points strength of any team in the first division.
Back from the previous season came the spearhead of Dave Jessup and John Davis and also returning were Bernie Leigh and Bob Humphreys. Bengt Jansson came back to England for another go, but Boley Proch wasn't fit to start the season because of injury. New faces in the Racers camp were Australian Glyn Taylor, German Hans Wassermann and Sweden's Bo Jansson, brother of Tommy Jansson, although the latter only lasted one meeting where he failed to score.
The problems surrounding Reading's team strength were never far away from day one of the season, but the club put these issues behind them and started off the campaign with home and away wins over Birmingham. The Racers then defeated Cradley 40-38 at Smallmead, which was followed two days later with a 41-36 win at White City. Reading then suffered successive away losses at Coventry and Wimbledon, but there was good news around the corner when Proch was declared fit to take his place back in the Reading team for the home meeting against Bristol on 6th June, when he replaced Glyn Taylor. Davis scored a 12-point maximum and a good all-round Racers performance saw them run out 49-29 wins against the Bulldogs.
Proch's inclusion back in the Reading team certainly appeared to strengthen them as they went on a nine-meeting winning run, which included wins at Leicester (41-37), Wolverhampton (47-31), Hackney (45-33) and Hull (47-31). The run was brought to an end with a 42-36 defeat at Hull, but problems surrounding Racers team was now gathering more steam.
For a further match or two promoter Reg Fearman ignored the clamouring and instructions, but then reluctantly worked out a rota system where each of his second-strings dropped out whilst his appeal against the BSPA decision was lodged with the Speedway Control Board. The matter was finally heard in August and the SCB turned down Reading's appeal, so the result was they had to immediately release someone. Many thought the man to go would be Bengt Jansson, who was expected to join Leicester, but Fearman decided that Proch would make way, and the Pole joined the Lions, with Australian Doug Underwood taking his place in the Racers team. Not unnaturally the whole matter affected everyone at the club, and not surprisingly their title challenge suffered as a result.
Controversy was never far away from Reading, although the next incident a few weeks later was not of their making. Davis, Jessup and Humphreys had to be talked into carrying on in a league match at Bristol on 12th August. The track was declared diabolical and dangerous and although the trio did finish the night's proceedings, the Racers crashed to a 57-21 defeat.
Three days after the Bristol debacle Reading drew 39-39 at home to Poole and then suffered successive defeats at Poole (42-36) and Exeter (59-19). The Racers then drew 39-39 in the return meeting against the Falcons later in the day, but did get back to winning ways the following Monday with a 47-31 home success over Wimbledon. Further losses soon followed at Ipswich and Cradley, but Reading's title hopes were then boosted with a 43-35 home win over White City and a superb 46-32 at local rivals Swindon at the beginning of October.
Two days after the win against the Robins Kings Lynn were brushed aside 43-35 at Smallmead and later that week the Berkshire side raced to two more away wins at Sheffield (40-37) and Halifax 42-36). Next up was Belle Vue at Smallmead, where the Aces were beaten 42-36 and then the Racers raced to a creditable 39-39 in the return fixture against the men from Manchester. Reading then finished their league campaign with homes wins over Sheffield (49-29) and Wolverhampton (43-35).
The Racers had a tremendous season in 1977 and their 53 points total from 36 meetings would have been enough to win the title most seasons, but they had to settle for third place behind Champions White City on 55 and runners-up Exeter on 53. The issues surrounding their team strength during the middle of the season certainly unsettled the team, and that proved costly in the end and probably stopped them adding another Championship trophy to the Smallmead trophy cabinet. Reading won 16 of their home meetings, drawing the other two. On the road they had some goods nights, where they racked up 9 wins, 1 draw and just 8 defeats.
Jessup finished top of the Racers averages in '77 with a 10.20 figure from 35 meetings, with Davis providing excellent support on 9.82 (35 matches). Bengt Jansson was next best on 6.91(33), followed by Leigh (6.11, 32), Wassermann (6.04, 28), Humphreys (5.87, 36) and Underwood (4.09, 41). Proch ended with a 5.03 average from his 23 meeting total with both Reading and Leicester.
Reading had to contend with more heartache in the KO Cup. The Racers won both legs of their first round tie against Halifax which earned them a quarter-final clash against Belle Vue. The Smallmead men then beat the Aces 51-27 at home in the first leg and although they crashed 48-30 at Hyde Road in the return match, the Racers progressed through to a semi-final match-up against Bristol 81-75 on aggregate. Bristol were easy meat in the first leg at Reading (47-31) and despite a 42-36 reverse in the second leg, the aggregate win of 83-73 saw them line-up against Kings Lynn in the final.
The Racers won the first leg of the final 40-38 at Smallmead, but with just one race remaining in the return fixture at Saddlebow Road, Kings Lynn held a 77-73 lead on aggregate. Reading looked as if they may take the cup final to a run-off, as Jessup and Davis led Michael Lee which would have made it 78-78, but Lee pulled off a breath-taking pass of Davis on the last lap, and the two points by Lee was a enough to give the Stars the cup by the narrowest of margins (79-77).
