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The Manchester Spartans were an American football club in Manchester, England. Founded in 1983 as the Northwich Spartans, they became Manchester Spartans in 1984, and were national champions in 1989 and 1990. They won the Eurobowl in 1990. The team folded in 1993. [1]
The Spartans were originally formed as the Northwich Spartans in 1983 and came to Manchester a year later. In 1985 they finished first in the Northern Division of the American Football League with a 10–2 record but lost to their neighbours Manchester Allstars in the first round of the playoffs. [2] In 1986 they again finished with a 10–2 record and this time won their first-round playoff only to suffer a 35–7 defeat to Birmingham Bulls in the British American Football League semi-final playoffs. [3]
In 1989, under player and coach Terry Smith, the team won the 1989 Budweiser title where they defeated Birmingham Bulls 21–14. [4]
In 1990 they were National Champions for the second time, NDMA Coke Bowl I, Manchester Spartans 27-25 Northants Storm. [4] The Spartans also won the Eurobowl with a victory in the final over the Legano Frogs in the same year. [5]
1984-1985 - George Aguado
1988-1990 - Terry Smith
1991 - Nigel Dias
1992 - Terry Smith
1993 - Terry Smith [3]
Terry Smith - Played for the New England Patriots in the NFL prior to England, was the Spartans player/head Coach, wide receiver and free safety. Smith was also the Head Coach of the Great Britain National Team, coaching Great Britain to its first European Nations Championship in 1989.[ citation needed ]
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and outdoor athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace Exhibition building which had been destroyed by fire in 1936, and is on the same site as the former FA Cup Final venue which was used here between 1895 and 1914.
The British American Football League (BAFL) was the United Kingdom's primary American football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League (BSL) until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee. Registration number: 2353839. The company went into administration on 1 April 2010, and the company ceased to trade as from this date.
Terry Michael Smith is an American sportsman, known for his playing and coaching career in American football and baseball, and his ownership of professional sports teams.
Berkshire Renegades are an American Football team currently competing in the BAFANL SFC 2 West play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire.
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The Cambridgeshire Cats are an American football team based in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England who compete in BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the top level of British American football. They play their home games at Coldham's Common in Cambridge. The club was first formed in 1984, entered senior competition in 1985 and won two divisional titles in the 1990s as well appearing in the playoffs a further six times before folding in 1998. They reformed once again in 2002 and re-entered senior competition, gaining promotion in 2003 only to be relegated two seasons later. Most recently, they won the South East Conference of Division One before losing to the Solent Thrashers in the playoff final.
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The sport of American football is played in the United Kingdom in domestic and international levels. Domestic games in England. Scotland and Wales are operated by British American Football Association who run the BAFA National Leagues for Adult Contact football and British Universities American Football League for the University contact game. Games in Northern Ireland are structured by American Football Ireland who are based in the Republic of Ireland. The UK has played host to games in association with the Americans' National Football League (NFL), including four regular-season NFL games, as of 2021.
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