History
Milton Keynes Pathfinders
The Pathfinders were formed in their first guise as a youth flag football team, but only began participation in senior kitted football in 2006, before joining the BAFL in 2008. They played their home games at the Emerson Valley Sports Pavilion in Milton Keynes.
Their first match was in 2006, away to the Cambridgeshire Cats and was followed by a 0–35 defeat at home to the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders, at the time, another associate team looking to join the league.
In their first season as a league team, they posted a 0-9-1 record, conceding 445 points, the highest total since the 464 points conceded by the Andover Thrashers in 2005.
In 2011, they recorded their first ever winning season, going 7-2-1, which saw them clinch the final Division 2 playoff spot, losing to eventual finalists, the West Coast Trojans. They reached the playoffs again in the final season in 2012, this time reaching the Southern Final, before losing to the Peterborough Saxons. [6]
Their overall regular season league record at the time of the merger with Bedfordshire was 25-34-2, with a post season record of 1-2.
Bedfordshire Blue Raiders
The Blue Raiders were formed in 2006 by locals Dave Pankhurst and Steve Guy, and began the BAFL associate process in 2007. They played their first game against Maidstone Pumas, winning 18-8. One month after their first contest with the Pathfinders, they were accepted into the league. The Blue Raiders were placed in the Eastern Conference of Division Two.
By 2013, lack of interest lead to reduced player participation, and the squad size was approximately half of that which started the season, with no healthy quarterbacks. This meant that the Blue Raiders had to forfeit a game against the Kent Exiles, and ruined their chances of appearing in another playoff game. They only managed to fulfill their final fixture by registering coaches as players.
Their overall regular season league record at the time of the merger with Milton Keynes was 32-30 with a post season record of 0-1. [7]
Merger
At the end of the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders' final game, an EGM was called to discuss the future of the club going forward. Neale McMaster stepped forward as chairman, and proposed a merger with the Pathfinders.
On 3 November 2013, a joint EGM was called by both clubs, and the constitution and articles of merger were approved by all in attendance. [8]
Recent Years
The Eagles began their inaugural season in 2014, under the guidance of Head Coach Will White. They lost their first game to the Watford Cheetahs 19-0. However, they easily won their second game to the rookie London Hornets, finishing 37-0. In their first season's penultimate game, the Eagles beat the Kent Exiles in a game that would see the winning team reach the playoffs. After finishing the regular season 8-2, they lost to the Solent Thrashers in the first round.
Going into their second season, a league realignment saw them placed in the Division One Southern Football Conference, in the North division. [9]
The Edinburgh Wolves are an American football team based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division North, the highest level of British American Football. The team operate from the Peffermill Playing Fields.
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.
As of 2012 the Berkshire Renegades are an American Football team currently competing in the Division 2 South British American Football League. play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire. First formed in 1985, they competed in the United Kingdom American Football Association, the Budweiser League, the Combined Gridiron League and the British National Gridiron League before folding in 1990. They were reformed in 2005 and entered the BAFL the following year. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, the BAFL ceased to operate and the Berkshire Renegades joined the BAFA Community Leagues. At the conclusion of the 2011 Season the Berkshire Renegades were invited to compete in the BAFA National Leagues Division 1 for the 2012 Season. The team accepted and were placed in Division 1 Central & South. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, the BAFANL decided to re-align the league once again and the Renegades were put in the Premier South division.
The Bristol Academy Aztecs are an American football team based in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They operate from the Stoke Gifford Stadium in Filton, although they represent the nearby City of Bristol which is where the team were formed. Formed in 1990, The Aztecs are two-time BritBowl runners-up having missed out on the prize in 1999 and 2004. In 2020 the Aztecs football programme merged with the Filton Academy Pride setup, basing their full Academy setup at the SGS College.
The London Blitz are an American football team based in Finsbury Park, North London, England, who compete BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They were formed in 1995 and operate from Finsbury Park Athletics Stadium. They are one of the Britain's most successful teams and are five-time BritBowl winners as well as European Champions following their EFAF Cup triumph in 2011. They have also seven divisional titles to their name.
The Essex Spartans are an American Football team based in Grays, Essex, England. The team has played under the Spartans name since 1998 following a merger between two local teams and currently play in the BAFA National Leagues, Southern Football Conference 2 East.
The Britbowl is the championship game of the British American Football National League, and formerly the British American Football League (BAFL) in the United Kingdom. It is the most prestigious of the league's three bowl games that constitute Britbowl Weekend. Only teams in the Premier Division of BAFL are eligible to compete in Britbowl. To progress to a Britbowl the winner of the seasonal BAFA Premier Division South will play the Runner up of the Premier North and vice versa in a semi-finals with the two winners eventually meeting in a final. Teams who play in the second and third levels compete for promotion in their own Championship Bowl games
The Coventry Jets were an American football team based in Coventry, England.The club ceased to exist in 2018 and dropped out of the BAFA National Leagues with all club assets and teams being moved over to the Etone Jaguars based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
The Lancashire Wolverines are an American football team based in Preston, Lancashire, England, who compete in the BAFA National Leagues NFC 1 Central, the second level of British American Football. They currently operate from the UCLAN Sports Arena and were formed in 1989 but were a coming together of two previous sides that had folded, the Wigan Wolverines and the Lancashire Chieftains. The Wolverines folded again in 2004 but had reformed and been re-instated by 2007. Aside from their current home, the team has previously operated from other towns within the area namely Blackburn and Wigan in Greater Manchester.
The South Wales Warriors are a British American Football team based in Llanharan, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. They play in SFC 1 West for the 2022 season. The team was formed in 2001 after the Tiger Bay Warriors had disbanded due to the departure of head coach Rob Mota, along with key staff and players, by the remaining players and staff; the staff used equipment, resources and shirts from the folded Tiger Bay Warriors for economical purposes.
The Birmingham Bulls are an American football team based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. They play their home games at Kings Norton RFC in Hopwood. They are a member of the NFC Division One South in the BAFA National Leagues.
The Dundee Hurricanes were an American football team based in Dundee, Scotland who played in the BAFA National Leagues.
The Bedfordshire Blue Raiders were an American Football team competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL). They entered the British American Football League in 2008 as one of five expansion teams, and play their home games at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium.
The Sussex Thunder are an American football team from England based in Brighton, Sussex. The club entered the league for the first time in 1997 when the Crawley Raiders merged with local rivals the Brighton B52s to form a new club – Sussex Thunder under inaugural Head Coach Jim Jasicki. The Thunder reached the BritBowl Final in their second year led by current Head Coach Ian Ellis, narrowly losing to the London Olympians. Success continued to allude the club afterwards, but on 20 September 2008, led by Head Coach Len Scott, the Thunder won the Division 1 national championship in an overtime win against the Redditch Arrows.
The Leicester Falcons are an American football team based in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division North, the top level of British American football. The club currently operate from the Leicester Forest East Rugby Club, having vacated De Montfort Park in Hinckley at the end of the 2018 season.
The Peterborough Saxons were a British American Football team based in Thorney, Cambridgeshire. They played in the BAFA Nation League's Midlands Conference Division One for the 2016 season but dropped out the League after one regular season game. The senior team was first formed in 2001 as the East Midlands Saxons and entered senior competition the following year. Particular seasons of note are 2008, 2012, and 2015, where the Saxons have won a significant number of games, achieved the play-offs or final, and achieved promotion. The Saxons folded in 2016 following an opening day defeat to the Nottingham Caesars.
The Hertfordshire Cheetahs are an American football team based in Watford, including a senior kitted team (contact) competing in the BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL), Under 16 and under 19 kitted teams (contact) a women's kitted team and The Hertfordshire Cheetahs Flag Football under 11 and under 14 Flag football (non-contact) teams playing in the Youth Flag Football League (YFFL). Currently all teams train and host their home games at Sun Postal Sports & Social Club, Bellmount Wood Avenue, Watford, WD17 3BN. The senior team was first formed in 1986 and entered a senior competition the following year, making them the third-longest continuously competing team in the United Kingdom behind only the Birmingham Bulls and Glasgow Tigers. During their history, the Cheetahs have reached the Divisional Playoff final on four occasions: in 1997, 2004, 2005 and 2018.The 2018 final was their first championship victory beating the Portsmouth Dreadnoughts for division 2 honours.
The Nottingham Caesars are an American football team based in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues NFC South 1, the second level of British American football. They are based at the Harvey Hadden Stadium in the Bilborough area of the city. The team is affectionately known by its players and fans as "The Big C" and was formed in 1984 initially as the youth team of the Nottingham Hoods before later splitting off to form its own adult side.
The BAFANL are the primary American football domestic League competition in Great Britain. The League is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate contact football within England, Scotland and Wales. The top level is the Premier Division and the BritBowl is the annual final championship game.
The 2015 Birmingham Bulls season was the team's 32nd season in competitive British American Football. It was also the first season under rookie Head Coach Mark Pagett and Chairman Richard Penwright, whilst Rob Amor returned for a fifth year as Club Secretary. The Bulls entered the 2015 season in the second tier following a league restructure, and were considered by some to be favourites for post-season success and immediate promotion back to the top tier.
