The Scottish League Association Limited was a company set up to run a separate pirate league in Scotland in the 1950s. At least it was if you believed all that was written in the speedway press at the time. Looking back, it’s hard to sort out the hype from the fact but it did seem that plans were afoot to establish a quite separate organisation running the sport in Scotland although it suggested that other tracks in England and Ireland may also join them. Four of the directors of the new company were unnamed but apparently were well known West of Scotland businessmen, the fifth, being Jimmy Valente, a rider from the prewar pioneer days who was charged with developing young riders for the league on a still to be completed training track - something he felt could be achieved in a matter of weeks. Initial plans seemed to involve laying a track at Albion Rovers football ground in Coatbridge in 1950 but these were shelved after the company opted to use their still being constructed greyhound track, less than a mile from the football ground instead.

There was certainly plenty of hype. The company had share capital of 50 shares of £20, which, apparently, had been snapped up immediately – presumably by the five directors. Valente believed he could train riders up to team standard up within weeks rather than years and had applications from “many hundreds of would be riders”, including three Canadians, although it’s not clear why anyone should be impressed by that. The company would have its own headquarters and the first practice track at Coatbridge dog track would open in July.

Initially the league would consist of five tracks, with Coatbridge being joined by four others. Carntyne (Glasgow) which had briefly staged racing before the war, Stepps, a trotting track on Glasgow’s periphery and a Glasgow football ground, believed to be Parkhead, home of Glasgow Celtic were among the names being bandied about Aberdeen was also mentioned and it was being rumoured that the Motherwell track, who had been refused an SCB licence might also enlist. The stories in the press about this may well have persuaded the SCB to hand a licence to the Milton Street promotion to stem any rebellion as Motherwell subsequently opened in mid July and made up for lost time by staging weekly meetings through to the end of September. They were admitted to full league membership the following year.

It was said that it was hoped that three others might join. Were they hoping that existing promotions at White City, Ashfield, Edinburgh. If that was the case then they were dsisappointed as Ian Hoskins stated quite categorically that his company ‘do not intend having anything to do with the newly formed Scottish League Association”

July came and went. The greyhound track opened to some acclaim but as for speedway there and the new league – nothing more was heard from that day  to this!