The move from top flight B.L racing to National League racing meant a difficult transistion for the Falcon's, especially as their strength the previous season had been built around overseas stars.

Scott Autrey had switched to Swindon, Vaclav Verner and Peter Prinsloo went to Poole whilst Ales Dryml moved on to Sheffield. Indeed, the only remaining rider that appeared in 1980 was to be Nigel Boocock. Whilst maybe lacking some of the old sparkle, he was to prove a pillar of strength, especially in the early part of the season when Exeter's youngsters looked like being steam rollered.

Exeter gambled on two other riders to give Boocock the backing he needed. After a lengthy tug-of-war with several other tracks Australian Robert Maxfield was signed on loan from British League Belle Vue, and teenager John Barker bought from Eastbourne in a joint deal involving Swindon. The Falcons paid half the £4,000 fee and Swindon paid the other half. It was plain from the opening match that Maxfield, Barker and Boocock would provide a solid scoring trio, particularly at the County Ground, but even more obvious was the fact that Exeter were woefully weak in the second string department.

Exeter's opening NL match was at home to Newcastle and they went down 38-40 having lost by 14 points in a challenge match at Weymouth a couple of days earlier where new signing Gary Flood damaged his shoulder.

Team Picture (L to R) Phil Vance, Robert Maxfeild, Nigel Boocock, Dave Brewer, Martin Hewlett, Patrick Pawson, Mascot Shaun Howe, John Barker, Tony sanford and Arnie Haley.

There was dissapointment when former Falcon Martin Ashby turned down an offer to ride for Exeter, he felt he still had a lot to offer at B.L level and stayed at Swindon.

These were difficult times at the County Ground, the crowds had dwindled and it was going to take time for the fans to realise that racing could be equally as entertaining at this level. But stick to their guns they did and huge efforts were made to help promote Speedway at Exeter that eventually ensured the track's survival during the transistion.

Exeter made one other signing that they hoped would yield big scores, Martin Hewlett. Another from Swindon junior school the ex-cycle speedway star had a first full year in the sport that could only be summed up as tremendous. At all times he was a great second string for Exeter, and on some occasions he was much more, like a paid 15 against Oxford and a full dozen against Peterborough. More important perhaps were his away scores, paid 10 at Milton Keynes, 11 at Workington, 10 at Glasgow, 9 at Oxford and 10 at Newcastle. Of course there were a few other times when the points were down the other end of the scale, but he did did more than enough to demand that 1981 honours him as a heat leader in his own right.

For the rest, they gambled on youngsters without success. Bob Watt was in for one match only, Neil Farnish retired after one match, Alan Leaver vanished from the team with dislocated elbow and broken shoulder blades. Mike Sanderson returned to Sheffield after a brief, unsuccessful flirtation. Tony Sandford was in and out all season but showed good form when they finally gave him a prolonged run near the end, and Dave Brewer from Wimbledon improved slowly all year. Patrick Pawson, Gary Flood and Tony Garard were among others that drifted in and out. Arnie Haley came from Belle Vue but was then sacked after failing to turn up for a home meeting and Phil Vance had an extended run without ever claiming a permanent team place.

But they persevered with youth and then, out of the blue they made the signing that really mattered, John Williams from Ellesmere Port. He was bought for a bargain £2,000 and was an instant crowd favourite, crowning his season with a stunning win in the Westernapolis when he defeated League stars Scott Autrey and Vaclav Verner.

By late season, Tony Garard was also showing what could have been expected had he been able to ride all year, and the team nosed up into 12th slot by the season's end. More than that could hardly have been expected from a first-year club starting almost from scratch. What they did lay was a foundation for the future. What they made were many riders who will help make that future secure.

During the close season, there were more developments at the County Ground. Wally Mawdsley, involved in promoting there since the early sixties, decided to pull out and eventually Poole Stadium Limited took over his interest to forge a promoting partnership with Peter Oakes. It was a move that found instant favour with the fans who had still not, forgiven Mawdsley for pulling out of the British League twelve months earlier - and the new team quickly backed up their optimistic words by signing Les Sawyer from Halifax, Andy Campbell, a 21-year old from Reading, and paying off Swindon's share of John Barker.

Elsewhere in 1980

England win the World team cup staged at Wroclaw, Poland. The England team, comprising of Dave jessup, Peter Collins, Chris Morton Michael Lee and reserve John Davis (d.n.r) scored 36pts to beat United States (29), Poland (15) and Czechoslovakia (12).

They also win the World Pairs Chamionship scoring 29 to beat Poland (22), Denmark (21) and Sweden (18).

John Davis scored 14 to get the season underway in the Daily Express Spring Classic at Wimbledon. Runner up was Dave Jessup with 12pts and John Louis third also on 12pts, Jessup winning the run off. Dave Jessup also won the British Final in style remaining unbeaten in his five races to beat runner up Michael Lee (14pts) and third placed Phil Collins (10pts) after a run off with Gordon Kennett who also scored 10pts.

As if to show that 1980 was to be his season, Dave Jessup then went on to win the Commonwealth Final, he scored 14pts to beat John Louis on 13pts and Ivan mauger who scored 12pts. But Dave couln't quite win the big one. Michael Lee is crowned World Champion in the Final held in Gothenburg. He scored 14pts to beat Dave Jessup 12pts and with Billy Sanders third having scored 12pts.

Chris Morton (Pictured Right) won the Intercontinental Final staged at London White City beating Bruce Penhall into second and Billy Sanders third. This was the Final that saw the end of an era when Ivan Mauger failed to qaulify, thus failing to reach his 15th consecutive World Final.

The Continental Final staged in Lonigo, Itlay was won by Zenon Plech ahead of Jiri Stancl and third placed Ales Dryml.

Cradley Heath win the Speedway Star KO Cup beating B.Vue 116-100 on aggregate and Cradley also won the Inter Divisional Fours beating K.Lynn, Birmingham and Halifax in the Final.

Mark Courtney won the British Junior title beating John Barker and Kevin Smith in the Final. Bo Petersen won the Supporters Trophy at Kings Lynn, John Davis the Daily Express Spring Classic at Wimbledon, Bob Kilby the Christer Sjosten Memorial Trophy at Poole, John Louis the Harry Weslake Memorial Trophy at Eastbourne, Les Collins the Olympique atWolverhampton, Bo Petersen the Argus 100 also at Eastbourne, Dave Jessup the Embassy Internationale at Wimbledon, Billy Sanders the Daily Mirror/Weslake Classic at Ipswich and Finn Thomsen the London Riders Championship. So prolofic were these individual meetings that there were thirty others raced, too many to list in this section.

The N.L Fours title went to Crayford who scored 14pts to beat Rye House (13pts), Ellesmere Port (12pts) and Stoke (9pts). Berwick win the N.L KO Cup beating Middlesbrough 79-76 on aggregate whilst King's Lynn clinch the inter Divisional KO Cup as they beat Swindon 83-73. Middlesbrough however won the N.L Pairs, their pairing of Steve Wilcox and Mark Courtney saw off the challenge from runners up Boston and third placed Boston.

Les Collins (14pts) beats Bruce Penhall (12pts), and Larry Ross (11pts)to win the B.L Riders Championship.

Reading finished the season on 49pts and are crowned B.L Champions beating Hackney (46) and B.Vue (43), whilst Rye House capture the NL Title. They scored 62pts to edge out runners up Newcastle on 61pts and third placed Middlesbrough on 56pts.

Karl Majer is crowned World Longtrack Champion ahead of runner up Egon Muller.

Dave Jessup (K.Lynn) tops the BL averages in this year on 11.23 ahead of second placed Mike Lee (K.Lynn) and Chris Morton (B.Vue) both on 11.10 with Peter Collins (B.Vue) and Gordon Kennett (Eastbourne) both on 10.78 in third. In the NL it was Dave Perks 11.53 (Oxford) who topped the averages ahead of Steve Lawson 11.48 (Glasgow) and David Gagen 11.25 (Boston).