1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
142-916: The East Kilbride Pirates are an American Football team based in Glasgow , Scotland , who compete in the BAFA National Leagues Premier North, the highest level of British American football. The club although formed in East Kilbride currently operate in Glasgow and play their home games at Braidholm . They are both the most successful and the oldest surviving American Football team in Scotland having been formed in 1985. The club has won Division 1 National titles in 2011 and 2022 and are eleven-time Divisional champions. The East Kilbride Pirates were formed in 1985 , following
284-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
426-633: A 0–9 season, but this year was to be remembered for all the wrong reasons. During a game at the Dundee Whalers, Pirates' linebacker Kenny Hodge received injuries from which he later died. This was the first ever fatality in American Football in Britain, and if any good can come from such a set of circumstances, then the tightening up of player insurance and ambulance cover which followed was one such benefit. After much soul searching within
568-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
710-577: A 21–17 lead and the Pirates, whilst driving down the field, fumbled the ball away on their final possession, allowing the Blitz to kneel out the game. Despite the setback, it was a strong showing and proof that the Pirates were a good fit in the Premier Division. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, it was announced that there would be another restructure of the top flight, expanding each side of
852-697: A 4–4 record, and miss a place in the Bowl game by the narrowest of margins. 2000 saw the BSL realign Division 1, with the Pirates being moved into the Northern Conference. After a slow start, the Pirates went on a long unbeaten run, which only ended in the Play-off Semi-finals. Despite finishing the regular season with a 6–2 record, the lack of home field advantage proved too big an obstacle to overcome. Another year, another step forward with
994-522: A 6–3–1 record. A loss at Dundee was overturned by League officials and the game awarded to East Kilbride after the Whalers were found guilty of fielding ineligible players. The 6 wins also included an awarded victory over Denny Broncos and an unfulfilled fixture at Granite City was declared a tie. Despite falling at the first hurdle in the playoffs, this was a highly successful year considering the small squad used. An unprecedented number of injuries compounded
1136-401: A 72–0 whitewash of Gateshead Senators, with the Pirates notching up their biggest win since 2011, followed by a 41–0 victory away to Sheffield. The strong results continued (despite forfeits from Yorkshire Rams and Doncaster Mustangs) and the Pirates were 8–0, going into the final game of the regular season, away to Tamworth Phoenix. The game was streamed online and hundreds of viewers saw EKP win
1278-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
1420-531: A disappointing 5–0 loss to the Senators. One field goal and a safety given on a dubious foul call were all that separated the teams. In the second game, frustrations continued as the Pirates moved the ball well against the Bulls but failed to capitalise on good field positions, eventually throwing two interceptions which led to touchdowns. In the third game, after a flight to Bristol, continuous rain meant fumbles were
1562-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
SECTION 10
#17327874041721704-457: A group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in a game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change
1846-534: A half years leading the club. At the team's AGM, Amanda McDonald was voted in as his replacement, the first time a woman had led a Scottish senior American Football team. The quest for the Division 1 North title began again in 2011 and with the exception of an away loss to the Doncaster Mustangs, where starting QB Ryan Hunter was unavailable and his replacement Neil Baptie had his collarbone broken by
1988-605: A jarring hit early on, the Pirates sailed through the regular season with a 9–1 record. The playoffs saw a home game against the Yorkshire Rams where EK, followed by a visit to old rivals the Birmingham Bulls, who the Pirates dispatched with a 47–27 scoreline to book their third consecutive finals place. The event, held at Crystal Palace, London, was expected to go the way of the Leicester Falcons (who
2130-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
2272-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
2414-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
2556-510: A modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as the "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton
2698-542: A nailbiter 14–7 and claim their fifth conference title in a row, along with home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Two weeks later, they hosted the London Olympians in the quarter-finals (a team the Pirates had never beaten in six attempts) and dismantled them by a score of 52–18. The following week saw a rematch of the last two semi finals, with the London Blitz travelling up to take on the Pirates for
2840-474: A notice appearing in the local newspaper asking any interested parties to attend training. The club was named in a competition through the local newspaper, the East Kilbride News . 1985 was a formative year, and the club played three unkitted games, winning 2 and losing 1. For the 1986 season, the Pirates merged with the nearby Rutherglen Ironhogs, producing a suitably sized squad to take part in
2982-477: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
SECTION 20
#17327874041723124-583: A player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits, the game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as
3266-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
3408-511: A round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with
3550-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
3692-403: A separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble a gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following
3834-627: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . 1995 in sports Men's professional Men's amateur Women's professional Steeplechases Flat races The following
3976-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
4118-537: A single 6-team Premier to a split 6 North/6 South Premier for the 2012 season, The Pirates were places in the Northern conference, alongside the Yorkshire Rams, Doncaster Mustangs, Leicester Falcons, Tamworth Phoenix and Birmingham Bulls. The season was successful on the field for the team, but a number of the other Northern teams had significant problems, leading 4 games being cancelled (Doncaster away, both Leicester fixtures and Birmingham at home). The Pirates went 5–1 on
4260-478: A skiing accident just before coming to Scotland and was not able to do himself justice. After a month here, he returned to the States. Dunoon based QB, Graeme Henry took over and steered the team to a record of 4–4 in a season shortened by other Clubs failing to fulfill their fixtures. The 1995 Season was the first of the independent Scottish Gridiron Association, and the Pirates finished as Conference Champions with
4402-399: A small squad, recording 2 wins, however a good graduating class from the two youth teams boosted the 2015 playing squad and the team won two games before finishing their season by winning a friendly against Clackmannanshire Ravens in the off-season after a change of coaching staff once the season had ended. Further additions from the two Youth teams and an expansion of the coaching staff boosted
East Kilbride Pirates - Misplaced Pages Continue
4544-493: A spirited performance at Hamilton which ultimately finished in a loss. The first win of the season came in a hard-fought performance against the ailing Southern Sundevils in a rainy Hamilton Palace bottom-of-the-table clash, where the Sundevils took an early lead but were eventually outgunned by the Pirates. Game seven saw a depleted squad travel to Warwick to play Coventry and put up a spirited performance in which they outscored
4686-471: A spot at Britbowl. 2015 saw the Pirates lose two regular season games for the first time since 2008, to Lancashire Wolverines and Tamworth Phoenix, but they turned both results around in the second meetings and managed to do so with a good enough points difference to claim the #1 spot in the North for the seventh year running. With a new format and no Quarter-finals this year, the team hosted the London Blitz for
4828-664: A three-year opening-day curse by beating the Gateshead Senators comfortably 34–8. Game two saw a spirited performance despite a heavy loss at home to the Coventry Jets, which was followed by a crushing defeat in London at the hands of the reigning champion London Blitz. Game four saw Pirates pick up the pace again with a good win in Gateshead and this was followed by a strong victory away to the Birmingham Bulls, with
4970-416: A touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish
5112-540: A travelling squad of only 19 players, to put the Pirates second in the division. In game 6, a tough visit to Aldershot Army Stadium to play the Farnham Knights resulted in a heavy defeat, again highlighting the gulf between some teams in the Premier Division. In an all-or-nothing game seven, the Pirates played poorly and lost to the Bristol Aztecs, ending their playoff hopes. The final game was forfeited by
5254-460: A two-point victory over the Yorkshire Rams; however they found another gear the following week, recording a 17-point win over the same opposition in the return leg. Their seventh game saw the team visit the second-placed Doncaster Mustangs, where they won 42–22 and clinched their conference title for the first time since 2004. Game eight was cancelled as the Trojans were unable to field a team, giving
5396-539: A very strong performance from the team they beat in the previous years semi-final, the Tamworth Phoenix. Despite the disappointment, it was another strong season as the team celebrated their 25th anniversary. Two weeks after the conclusion of the season, the Pirates launched their first Youth and Junior team setup since 1998 and Chairman Matthew Davies announced that he would step down in January, after three and
5538-460: Is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with
5680-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
5822-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
East Kilbride Pirates - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-579: Is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in the United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However,
6106-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
6248-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
6390-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
6532-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
6674-776: The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league;
6816-479: The Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in the world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in
6958-412: The center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until the snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform
7100-409: The commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to a league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of
7242-494: The drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on
SECTION 50
#17327874041727384-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
7526-407: The neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912, the field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance
7668-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
7810-413: The 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained a tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement
7952-566: The 2018 campaign including a historic loss against Scottish rivals the Edinburgh Wolves, the team parted ways with head coach Ross Templeton after the third game of the season, replacing him with former vetern player and junior offensive coordinator Jamie McLaughlin. Despite this, the team went winless for the rest of the season and were relegated to Division 1. East Kilbride Pirates Youth In 2010, after an absence of 12 years, Youth Kitted American Football returned to East Kilbride in
8094-567: The 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap
8236-651: The British American Football League (Anglo Conference). Things started brightly under head coach, Steve Gulley, a player with the club, as a 13–0 win was recorded over the Clydesdale Colts in the first kitted game. Unfortunately, this was to be the last win of the year, as the team ended up with a 1–6 record. 1987 saw a new head coach with the appointment of Bill Walsh, an American working in East Kilbride. Walsh's influence
8378-552: The British Semi-final. Here they beat the Tamworth Phoenix in an impressive 25–0 sweep, before losing to the London Cobras at Britbowl. The Pirates once again competed in the Division 1 North in the 2010 season. This time around, they completed a clean sweep of the regular season with a 10–0 record, conceding less than 6 points per game and scoring over 35. They finished the season with the overall #1 ranking in
8520-742: The British U19 final in four years. The game was streamed by BBC Sport, and despite strong hopes the Scots were shut out 26–0 against a fast and physical London Blitz junior team. In September 2015 the East Kilbride Pirates launched their first women's team. The call for players met with a positive local response and the team competed in the British American Football Association's Opal Series flag competition for women. The Pirates women's team compete in
8662-464: The Bulls, giving a record of 4–4 but leaving many to question the sustainability of the Premier League. Running concurrently to the kitted league, the Pirates also entered a team into the inaugural BAFA Adult Flag contest and fared reasonably well, however it was felt by the committee and the players that flag football distracted from the team's primary aim of supporting a kitted team and so this
SECTION 60
#17327874041728804-447: The Coventry Jets (who the Pirates have never beaten) for the first time since 2008. They will also face Scottish opposition (West Coast Trojans) for the first time since 2009. East Kilbride had another strong campaign in 2013, powering through the schedule without loss, racking up only their third perfect 10–0 season in history (but the second in four seasons and only the second in the top flight), including two comprehensive victories over
8946-761: The Highland Wildcats off the top spot for the first time in over five years and qualifying for u17s British Finals in Sheffield on Saturday 3 September. The Pirates went on to sail through each round of the finals, culminating in a championship final win against Cobham Cougars that saw the Pirates take the u17s British Championship title. Jack Cochrane was named as youth BritBowl MVP. The scores were as follows: Quarter-final – East Kilbride Pirates 16 v 8 Birmingham Bulls Semi-final – Chester Romans 13 v 25 East Kilbride Pirates National Championship Final: East Kilbride Pirates 37 v 6 Cobham Cougars The Pirates Youth made
9088-516: The NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at the time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from
9230-570: The NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in the FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by
9372-461: The Opal flag and Sapphire kitted competitions. American Football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down
9514-654: The PA Knights was played during torrential rain in a mudbath at Brancumhall, and it was the visitors who came out on top after an almighty struggle. The Pirates made it all the way to the Final again in 2003 , again going undefeated in the regular season. The game at Lancashire was postponed twice before eventually being declared a "tie". The play-offs saw a narrow win over Ipswich before again losing out to London O's in Britbowl 2003 in Sheffield. The 2004 campaign came on
9656-497: The Pirates reaching Britbowl 2001 at Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield. The title of Northern Conference Champions was also picked up along the way. What was initially expected to be a rebuilding year exceeded all expectations. The "void" game against Cheshire came about following a serious accident to one of the Romans' players on the eve of the game (thankfully he recovered fully). Also, the away game at Nottingham scheduled for 15 July
9798-480: The Pirates a 1–0 win and in game nine, they were held to a draw by the Dundee Hurricanes after backup Quarterback Darren Brownlie suffered a broken collar bone. In the final game of the regular season, the Pirates visited old rivals the Gateshead Senators and fell to a 7–6 loss after a dismal offensive performance. They turned this result around the following week to beat the Senators and book their place in
9940-663: The Pirates increased their coverage in Lanarkshire by creating a second Youth team, the Hamilton Buccaneers. The Bucs have continued to grow, consistently finishing #3 in the Scottish youth conference, and in 2017 launched the club's first youth flag endeavor. East Kilbride Pirates Junior In mid 2013, the team announced plans for a Junior team, to compete in the 16–19 age range and bridge the gap between Youth and Senior. They played their first season in 2014 with
10082-495: The Pirates narrowly defeated, 22–20 in the 2010 Quarter-final), but the Pirates came out of the blocks firing and scored TDs on each of their first six possessions, racking up a 42–0 half time lead. The second half was a closer affair, but the Falcons never looked close to making up the ground, eventually succumbing by a scoreline of 62–23 and handing the Pirates their first ever National Championship. With BAFANL opting to move from
10224-651: The Pirates return to the British Senior League, where only they and the Strathclyde Sheriffs represented Scotland. While the Sheriffs competed in Division 2, East Kilbride were thrown in at the deep end, as part of Division 1's National Conference. A mixed season followed, with the Pirates winning three of the seven games actually played. This, along with an awarded game saw the Club finish with
10366-609: The Premier Division of the Budweiser League. The higher standard of football quickly became obvious, as the Pirates tumbled to a 0–10 season. Included in those 10 losses was a 110–0 defeat at the Granite City Oilers. To date this is still the second heaviest defeat suffered in domestic American Football games in the United Kingdom (only Mersey Centurions 148–6 defeat of Halton Demons in a 1989 BNGL game
10508-622: The Premier Division to 11-team Conferences. Each team is scheduled to play the others in its conference once; 5 home and 5 away. This will see the Pirates face an opponent for the first time (Sheffield Predators) as well as continuing their rivalries with the Mustangs, Rams, Bulls and Phoenix, playing the Lancashire Wolverines for the first time since 2004, the Nottinghams Caesars for the first time in seven years and
10650-535: The UK among Division 1 teams, thereby securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs at their new home ground of Whitecraigs Rugby Club, Newton Mearns. In the playoffs they won a close battle with Division 1 newcomers the Leicester Falcons, before securing their place in a second successive final with a victory over the Ipswich Cardinals. In the final, held at Worcester Warriors Sixways Stadium, they fell to
10792-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
10934-586: The back of what many saw as a "winter of discontent". Several players left for a variety of reasons and a new squad was assembled under the leadership of James Dougall who was appointed as head coach. An affiliation was also put in place with Clyde Valley Hawks youth team to hopefully ensure a flow of players into the club in future years. The League introduced a Division 1A, with inter-conference games between Div. 1 and 1A teams. The games against Chester Romans (H) and Lancashire Wolverines (A) were awarded to East Kilbride as 1–0 wins. Play-off participation ended swiftly at
11076-572: The ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of
11218-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
11360-430: The ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on the offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except
11502-414: The challenge of a larger, but less experienced squad. The off-season saw refocusing for the team and 2017 sees the first wholesale graduation of members the club's junior team to play senior football, with six junior graduates stepping up to adult football. Another disappointing season followed in 2017 which finished 4–5–1 and again saw the team miss out of playoff action. Following a disappointing start to
11644-561: The club, the Pirates decided to carry on. The Player of the Year Award was renamed in Kenny's memory. 1991 saw the return of Nick Fantini as head coach, with Nick having returned to Scotland. A 3–5–1 season ensued, but the club was again rocked by the loss of another player. Cornerback Barry Nunn died from a congenital heart disease, and although his death was not football related, the loss was just as great. A new Most Improved Player Award
11786-591: The college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with
11928-608: The conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for the second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of
12070-551: The conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in the United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of
12212-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
12354-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
12496-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
12638-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
12780-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
12922-499: The feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create a standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from
13064-413: The field (9–1 when forfeits were added in) and topped the conference, earning a bye into the semi-final. The London Blitz travelled up to play the Pirates in their fourth ever meeting and the night before the game, their bus was set robbed and on fire! On the day, the Pirates took a 7–0 lead, before falling 14–7 behind and then regaining a 17–14 lead in the 4th quarter. With only minutes to go, the Blitz took
13206-412: The field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue
13348-524: The final again in 2017, this time narrowly losing out to the Cougars. The Pirates won their Second youth National Championship in 2018 with running back Mathew Black being the MVP in the final, the results were as follows: Quarter-Finals: Kent Exiles 14-26 Pirates, Semi-Finals: Leeds Academy Assassins 13-27 Pirates: National Championship Game: Chorley Buccaneers 22-51 Pirates The Hamilton Buccaneers In 2012,
13490-444: The first time, travelling down to Doncaster and beating the UK #1 seed in their first game, before losing out in double overtime in the semi-final. In 2015, they again qualified for the semi-finals and completed their regular season fixtures by beating the dominant Highland Wildcats for the first time in their history. In 2016, the Pirates youth team continued to extend their dominance by finishing as overall Scottish Champions, knocking
13632-543: The form of the EK Pirates Youth team for players aged 14–16. They competed in the BAFANL Youth league in 2011 and won their first tournament, but ultimately missed the playoffs. In their second year, they continued their development, but again fell short of playoff contention. That year saw their first youth player graduate to the local Lanarkshire Longhorns Junior side. In 2014, they qualified for BritBowl for
13774-545: The fourth year in a row in the British Semi-finals and for the fourth year in a row they came off worse, losing 19–7 in a nail biter where the visitors scored on a pass, a punt return and a strip returned for a TD. The 2016 season saw the Pirates lose four regular season games, lose the northern champions crown and fail to qualify for playoffs for the first time in eight years. The retirement of many long-time players, coupled with an influx of new players had led to
13916-519: The game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play the sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game,
14058-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
14200-655: The game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect
14342-411: The game was forfeited. The 2006 season saw another influx of young players for The Pirates, from the nearby Youth and University league teams. They started poorly, recording only one win from their first four games, largely due to a season-ending injury to QB Matt McCusker in the opening game at Gateshead; however the season was to turn around in emphatic fashion as Ross Templeton took the snaps and led
14484-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
14626-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
14768-411: The hands of old nemesis, the London O's. 2005 saw the Pirates relinquish the Northern Conference title that they had won in the four preceding seasons. Losses in the two opening away games left a mountain to climb, and while the team did qualify for the play-offs with a 6–4 record, it would have been foolhardy to send a small and inexperienced squad to face the London Olympians (formerly the O's). Thus,
14910-555: The illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922,
15052-451: The innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become the most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced
15194-411: The jets in the second half. Unfortunately a first half rout meant it made little difference and it was another long journey home on the back of a loss for the Pirates. The final two home games of the season saw a defeat to the London Blitz, despite an early Pirates lead followed by a 19–6 win over the Gateshead Senators on a day where the score could have been much higher for the rampant Pirates. The season
15336-544: The junior team went 5–1 in the regular season, and narrowly lost out to Manchester Titans in the semi-final, in a game that went to overtime. The team went on to compete in the National Plate final, winning the championship 46–0 against Herfordshire Cheetahs. In 2019, despite having the team's youngest and most inexperienced squad to date, the team finished their regular season 6–0, and won a semi-final 13–9 against Birmingham Lions to qualify for their third appearance at
15478-407: The late addition of a number of players from the Clydesdale Colts, who were "taking a year out" (but never returned) during 1996 , a disappointing Season followed. The Pirates finished with a 2–7 record. For 1997 , East Kilbride lost the services of the former Colts, but these players were more than replaced by the arrival of a significant number of Glasgow Lions players following the demise of what
15620-515: The local West Coast Trojans, extending the record to 17 seasons without loss to another Scottish team. The team performed well in poor conditions in the semi-final to record their first ever win against the Bristol Aztecs, but in a repeat of the previous year's semi-final, they again fell to the London Blitz by 4 points, despite having their chances to win. The Blitz finally lost their title to the London Warriors. The 2014 season started with
15762-493: The newly promoted Sussex Thunder. Due to this increase in teams based in the South of England, Pirates travelling distances were set to rocket, with the consequence that costs, too, would increase dramatically. Despite ongoing discussions, in which the Pirates outlined the problems which this would cause, the decision had been made and the Pirates had to make the regrettable move of stepping down to BAFL Division 1 North. This gave them
15904-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
16046-494: The opportunity to regroup and find a new home with Hamilton Rugby Club. They opened their account with a 50-point demolition of nearby team the West Coast Trojans in the teams' first ever meeting. This was followed by a scrappy victory over the Dundee Hurricanes and comfortable defeats of the visiting Merseyside Nighthawks and Gateshead Senators. Their first real challenge of the season came in game 5, where they managed
16188-477: The order of the day and the Pirates Offense were stagnant and failed again to put any points on the board. The Bristol Aztecs walked away easy winners, scoring on interceptions and their own possession. The fourth game at Crystal Palace against defending British Champions, the London Olympians was called off due to a lack of an ambulance. Game five saw the Pirates rack up their first points of the season, in
16330-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
16472-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
16614-511: The problem, but with many players playing both ways, a difficult year was completed with some success. Following this relative success, a number of veteran players announced their retirement. Their places were filled by no fewer than 6 of the Junior squad who moved up to join the Seniors, in addition to the new players recruited from Rookie Trials. This left a very inexperienced squad, and despite
16756-478: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
16898-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
17040-411: The rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of
17182-631: The rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands the ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
17324-507: The role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when the AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain
17466-466: The rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football,
17608-451: The rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at
17750-435: The same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of
17892-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
18034-518: The squad and in 2016 they went on to become Scottish Champions, Northern Champions and British u19s championship runners-up. In 2017 the team repeated this achievement, narrowly losing in the British Final to the London Blitz, in the highest scoring Junior final in British history. This made the Pirates the first Scottish team ever to appear in more than one British Championship game. In 2018
18176-450: The team on to five wins out of their remaining six fixtures. A quarter-final win after the long journey to Finsbury Park, London would have set up a much anticipated semi-final against Gateshead but despite a brave performance, The Pirates were defeated. After the close of the 2006 season, BAFL again realigned the league structure, placing the Pirates in the newly formed BAFL Premier League 2007 started off with another trip to Gateshead and
18318-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
18460-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
18602-408: The young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for a common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of
18744-444: Was Scotland's leading Club. The inclusion of both their playing ability and coaching knowledge was a huge benefit to the Pirates who proceeded to go throughout the 1997 Season unbeaten to capture their first Scottish Title. (SGA Bowl III at Caird Park, Dundee) The Pirates retained their SGA Title in 1998 , defeating Dundee Whalers in the Bowl game, just as they had done 12 months earlier. (SGA Bowl IV at Loch Inch, Glasgow) 1999 saw
18886-495: Was apparent as East Kilbride went 4–4 to finish second in Division One of the new, Budweiser American Football League. With Coach Walsh's return to the States, a new head coach was appointed in 1988 . Another American, Nick Fantini, was in town on a 12-month exchange visit, and he agreed to take over the reins during his stay. Unfortunately for both Fantini and the club, the previous year's success had resulted in promotion to
19028-402: Was completed with a 13–0 away victory over Birmingham Bulls. The off-season prior to the 2008 campaign was unusual as the London O's were forced to pull out of the league once the schedule had been set. This meant that the northern teams lost one game and the southern teams lost two, so to even the fixtures, the Pirates also lost an away game to Coventry Jets. On their season opener, they broke
19170-623: Was conceded by the Caesars. 2002 again saw several changes in personnel and the average age of the side dropped even further. However, the quality of incoming players was again very high. An unbeaten regular season saw the Pirates finish as the Number One ranked side in Division 1. The scheduled first round of the playoffs should have been vs the Chester Romans but the Romans conceded the fixture. The much anticipated semi-final against
19312-561: Was created to commemorate Barry. In 1992 , with the team still in the BNGL National Division, things started to improve on the field. A then Club record 44–0 win over the now defunct Glasgow Cyclones, and a 34–12 victory at Granite City Oilers being two of the main highlights in a 5–5 year. On to 1993 , and the BNGL Premier Division. Last year's progress continued, and a first ever winning season of 7–3
19454-460: Was dissolved after 2008. True to Pirates recent form, more off-season drama preceded the 2009 season. The BAFL decided that due to a number of factors (namely London O's dropping out of the Premier Division prior to the '08 season and both Gateshead and Birmingham failing to complete their fixtures) they would reduce the Premier Division to six teams for 2009. These six teams would be the five teams who completed their '08 Premier fixtures, as well as
19596-418: Was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included the reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams,
19738-575: Was more emphatic). Nick returned home after this season, but he was to return later. The head coach's cap was passed to Alastair Rodger, a Scottish coach who had previously worked with the Clydesdale Colts. Another change in the league set-up saw the club compete in the Combined Gridiron League (Premier Division) in 1989 . 1990 saw the arrival of the British National Gridiron League. The Pirates had
19880-440: Was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed a rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football
20022-556: Was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine a national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to
20164-580: Was recorded. Highlights included a nail-biting win at the Edinburgh Eagles to clinch a playoff spot. Involvement in the playoffs was short, with a heavy defeat in England at the hands of a very strong Lancashire Wolverines side. The BAFA Senior League arrived in 1994 , with East Kilbride in Division 2. In an attempt to improve their standing, the Club arranged to import an American quarterback, Craig Van Ness. Unfortunately, Craig damaged his knee in
#171828