Hello Britball – This Is London Calling

Since The Earliest Days Of American Football In The UK, The Powerhouse Programmes Have Been Based In London. If You Doubt The Validity Of That Statement, Just Check Out These Numbers. Of The Thirty Two British Championship Titles That Have Been Claimed, Teams From London Have Won Twenty Seven Of Them.

It all started in 1982 with a bunch of guys throwing a ball around in Hyde Park. Curious onlookers, word of mouth and a plug on local radio, led to an avalanche of potential players and the London Ravens were formed. Led by American Head Coach Lance Cone, they went on an unparalleled winning run that stretched for five years and 63 games, including beating the then French champion, Paris Spartacus 51-0. Along the way, they became British Champions four times, represented Britain in the European club championship and supplied the backbone of the Great Britain national side. Initially they had a British player’s only policy, but with other teams around the UK harnessing American talent, they chose to join the trend. Their most notable import arrived in 1986. Quarterback Ron Roberts Junior, a Milwaukee native who at one point tried out for the Chicago bears led them to further success. Their strength though, came from their elite level British players. In the mid to late eighties, they had the perfect blend of running backs. Powerhouse full back Mark Winnick hit you like a train, Victor Muhammed combined size, speed and power, Joe St Louis has elusiveness and the propensity to break the big run, and Mark “Speedy” Walcott would kill you with speed. They also had a fearsome defence, led by middle linebacker John Aska, the line-up also included current London Warriors Head Coach Tony Allen. During the first full season of Britball in 1985 it was thought that the Ravens would most likely meet the rampaging Birmingham Bulls in the championship “SummerBowl”, but a shock defeat for the Bulls at the hands of the “other” London team, the then Streatham Olympians, meant it would be an all London final. Many observers had dismissed Streatham as serious contenders, as they were deemed to be playing in a week division. The Ravens won 45-7, but people would not take the Olympians lightly again.

Initially the second big team from London, the Olympians have outlasted all the other programmes from the “Big Smoke”. Formed out of the “Olympians Gym” in Streatham (hence the name), they eventually dropped the Streatham tag and became simply the Olympians or “O’s”. In their early years they had Britball Legend linebackers Bob Dean and Martin Fletcher on the roster, along with standout American triggerman, Leonard Valentine. Wide-out Leroy Innes was one of the all-time best brits at the position as was running back Richard Dunkley. In the nineties they were the “Team of the Decade” taking eight British Championship titles and two Eurobowl crowns. Of late their fortunes have waned somewhat, but you would be foolish to dismiss them. Their rich tradition and determination will likely see them return to challenge the current incumbents who vie for the title of the “Top team in London”, “The Warriors” and the “The Blitz”.

The Blitz were formed in 1995, and gradually worked their way up the Britball pyramid. They claimed their first Britbowl title in 2007 in a titanic battle with the Coventry Jets. Coventry came back and claimed the Championship Game the following year, but between 2009 and 2012, the Blitz reined supreme, claiming four titles in succession. They represented Britain in Europe and featured on TVs “A League of Their Own” giving Jack Whitehead a good introduction to the game. For a while, they seemed poised to be the dominant force in the British leagues. During the 2012 season, although they won the title, they did suffer home and away losses to the surging London Warriors, a foretelling of the shape of things to come.

The London Warriors Urban American Football programme was formed in 2007 as the London Cobras junior team “graduated” and wanted to play senior ball. The junior programme had been created by former Raven Tony Allen, to provide a focused outlet for some of the capitals more challenged youth, and it became a great success. Allen’s no nonsense approach, aligned with the experience he gained coaching in NFL Europe laid the foundations for the Warriors current dominance. The last four seasons have seen them defeat the Blitz in the season finale, as the two teams fight for both the Capital and National bragging rights.

So, is the British game set to see the continued dominance of the London based teams? The argument has always been that they have the biggest catchment area, so are able to recruit from a bigger talent pool. That may be true, but they have also benefitted from great organisation off the field as well. Over the years, there have been Northern based teams (let’s say north of Watford) who have threatened to break the stranglehold. Currently the outfit most likely to challenge the supremacy are the Tamworth Phoenix. The midlands outfit have been a magnate for talented Britball athletes who aren’t based in London, and for the last two seasons have fallen at the semi-final stage. I think it’s safe to assume that director of player personnel Jason Scott will be particularly active this off-season as the Phoenix look to take the next step, but for now, it’s hello Britball, this is London calling…the shots.