[5][6] He rode for the Harringay Tigers in 1935 before dropping down a division to the Southampton Saints.
He gave up racing, thinking he was not good enough to progress, but due to financial difficulties with his garage business in 1937 he returned to the National League with Harringay, soon rising to heat leader status.
[5][6] After the Second World War he joined the Odsal Boomerangs in Bradford, captaining the team,[5] before moving to the Wimbledon Dons for a record £2,000 transfer fee, repaying that with 336 points in the 1948 season.
[8] He travelled to Australia for the 1938/9 series, scoring 2 points in the fourth test.
[8] It was in the post-war period when Statham became a leading rider for England, regularly selected between 1947 and 1949.