Essex Spartans
Encyclopedia
The Essex Spartans are an American Football
team based in Billericay
, 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 Community Leagues
, Division 2 East.
(who later reformed).
As both the former teams had been competing at the same level in the British Senior League, the newly formed Spartans were granted a spot in the National Division (which was then the second of the league's three tiers). After winning six of their games (including shutouts against the Canada Life Cardinals and the London Mets, the Spartans finished second in their conference and so qualified for the playoffs. They defeated the Southern Sundevils in the quarter-final, but were finally beaten 19–33 away to the Gateshead Senators
.
The 2000 season started badly with two consecutive defeats to the London Blitz
, followed by a heavy defeat away to the London O's
two matchdays later. In a season which saw the team lose 13 players through injury, the Spartans finished third from bottom of their group with a 2-6 record. However, some consolation was found in some individual player performances, with Steve Berlingo ending the season as the league's leader in interceptions, and Shulba Hunt finishing as the sixth highest rusher in the league.
The Spartans continued to struggle the following season. After five straight defeats (including a forfeited match) coupled with a number of injuries, a few players transferring to other teams and some US armed forces players from a nearby base unable to play, they were forced to withdraw halfway through the season and were realigned into Division Two for the next season.
2002 was a transitional year for the Spartans. The team moved back to the Chiefs' old home ground in Basildon, but their long-time star offensive player Shulba Hunt was forced to retire through injury. They finished eighth out of nine teams with a 3-6 record. In the 2003 preseason, the then Head Coach Dean Gibson and his new Offensive Coordinator Dave Thomas developed a new new offensive playbook featuring an emphasis on short passing. This seemed to suit the squad and results improved, but fell short of expectations as the Spartans finished 5-4-1 and just missed out on the playoffs. 2004 saw the squad depleted by a number of retirements, and the Spartan's young players could only manage a 3-6-1 finish to the season.
However, 2005 saw the club's best season since they first entered the league. The coaching staff put an emphasis on developing the young squad into one full of multi-skilled positional players, and the team was bolstered by the arrival of a number of players from the recently-folded Southend Sabres. After a winning regular season which included two comfortable wins over league newcomers Maidstone Pumas
, they finished second in their group with a 5-2-1 record, enough to qualify for the playoffs. They were drawn away to the Oxford Saints, where they beaten 0–20.
2006 saw the Spartans reach the playoffs once again after finishing second with a 5-4-1 regular season record. They were originally drawn to face the South Wales Warriors
in a wild-card playoff, and turned up at the Warriors' home field to play the match. However, they complained to BAFL (British American Football League
) that the Warriors' pitch at Bedwas RFC was too short, and therefore did not comply with competition rules. After consultations between the two teams, the game was played as normal but BAFL decided afterwards that the Warriors would forfeit the game, and therefore the game was awarded to the Spartans as a 1–0 victory. In the quarter-finals, they were once again drawn away to the Oxford Saints and were again defeated by the eventual divisional champions. They unable to repeat their playoff run in 2007, finishing fourth out of six teams with a 3-7 regular season record.
A second poor season under Head Coach Dave Barham with the team finishing a lowly 1-8-1 saw Dean Gibson re-instated to the Head Coach position in 2009 (having previously served as Head Coach until 2007), returning with him was Offensive Co-Ordinator Brendan Bride. This combination had brought success to the Spartans in previous years, their previous tenure ending with playoff appearances in both 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately the team was unable to improve on the previous seasons mark and ended the 2009 season with an identical 1-8-1 record.
2010 proved to be a breakout season for the Essex Spartans. The close season 2009-2010 saw ex Wisconsin Badgers
and Detroit Lions
star Cyrill Weems join the team firstly in an advisory capacity before taking over as Head Coach prior to the start of the 2010 season. Weems' professional influence and high work ethic brought about a complete culture change at the team both on and off the field and a young Essex side began the 2010 season with a renewed hope of bringing success back to the Essex franchise following a bleak period after their last playoff appearance in 2006. The Spartans finished the 2010 season with a 6 and 4 win/loss record, narrowly losing lost two close games to Bedfordshire and Norwich. This huge turnaround in fortune led to the team finishing second in the division behind eventual league champions the London Olympians
rewarding them with a trip to the Hampshire Thrashers in the BAFACL Quarter finals. An extremely entertaining and hard fought game eventually finished 29-15 to Hampshire with the deciding score coming in the final few minutes.
Coach Cyrill Weems returned to the United States in July 2010; Offensive Co-Ordinator Brendan Bride having departed the team in June 2010 due to personal circumstances. As such, a new Coaching structure which would continue with the development of the programme was required and on 11 July 2010 the team were pleased to announce ex-Farnham Knight, ex-Coventry Jet and current Essex Spartan Marc Saunders as Head Coach with Spartan stalwart Seán Benton taking over as Offensive Co-Ordinator. Also joining the coaching staff for the 2010 season and beyond were Kieron Goymer as Offensive Line Coach, ex-Tiptree Titan and Chelmsford Cherokee speedster Wes Bourke as Defensive Backs Coach, longtime Essex Spartan Craig Brittney as Wide Receivers Coach and Anglia Ruskin Phantoms Offensive Co-Ordinator Chris Hunt as Offensive analyst.
2010 also saw General Manager Tony Palmer celebrate 25 years running the club and for his tireless work for the team over this period he was honoured with a special presentation of a squad signed helmet at the 2010 team awards evening.
football team. This was done with a view to developing the club and squad by exchanging resources, coaching staff and players, and further strengthening the ties between the towns of Billericay
and Billerica, Massachusetts
, which have been twinned for the last 10 years.
In addition to the senior squad, the Spartans also operate a youth team. Players between the ages of 14-18 are welcome to attend practice.
The Chelmford and Cambridge based Anglia Ruskin Phantoms who play in the BUAFL
have also developed a link with the Spartans and there are several ex-ARU players on the current roster.
Coaches and Sideline Staff
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Billericay
Billericay
Billericay is a town and civil parish in the Basildon borough of Essex, England. It lies within the London Basin, has a population of 40,000, and constitutes a commuter town east of central London. The town has three secondary schools and a variety of open spaces...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The team has played under the Spartans name since 1998 following a merger between two local teams and currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association in 2010 to coordinate contact football and flag football across all age ranges...
, Division 2 East.
History
Able to trace it's history back to 1989, the team has been playing under the Essex Spartans name since the close of the 1998 season when two local rival teams, the Essex Chiefs and the Redbridge Fire, decided to merge. After initial training sessions, the team's numbers were boosted by the demise of the Cambridge CatsCambridgeshire Cats
The Cambridgeshire Cats are an American football team competing in Division 1 Central of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Coldhams Common in Cambridge. The club was first formed in 1984, entered senior competition in 1985 and won two divisional titles in the 1990s as...
(who later reformed).
As both the former teams had been competing at the same level in the British Senior League, the newly formed Spartans were granted a spot in the National Division (which was then the second of the league's three tiers). After winning six of their games (including shutouts against the Canada Life Cardinals and the London Mets, the Spartans finished second in their conference and so qualified for the playoffs. They defeated the Southern Sundevils in the quarter-final, but were finally beaten 19–33 away to the Gateshead Senators
Gateshead Senators (American football)
Gateshead Senators are a British American Football Team based in Gateshead at Gateshead International Stadium.- Origins :The Senators started life in the 1980s as the Newcastle Senators, rising out of the ashes of the aptly named Newcastle Browns, and playing at Northern Rugby Club in Newcastle...
.
The 2000 season started badly with two consecutive defeats to the London Blitz
London Blitz (American football)
London Blitz are a British American football team based in North London at Finsbury Park athletics stadium.- Overview :The Blitz field a senior team in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership as well as youth teams. The roster has included both local players as well as players from North America,...
, followed by a heavy defeat away to the London O's
London Olympians
The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club...
two matchdays later. In a season which saw the team lose 13 players through injury, the Spartans finished third from bottom of their group with a 2-6 record. However, some consolation was found in some individual player performances, with Steve Berlingo ending the season as the league's leader in interceptions, and Shulba Hunt finishing as the sixth highest rusher in the league.
The Spartans continued to struggle the following season. After five straight defeats (including a forfeited match) coupled with a number of injuries, a few players transferring to other teams and some US armed forces players from a nearby base unable to play, they were forced to withdraw halfway through the season and were realigned into Division Two for the next season.
2002 was a transitional year for the Spartans. The team moved back to the Chiefs' old home ground in Basildon, but their long-time star offensive player Shulba Hunt was forced to retire through injury. They finished eighth out of nine teams with a 3-6 record. In the 2003 preseason, the then Head Coach Dean Gibson and his new Offensive Coordinator Dave Thomas developed a new new offensive playbook featuring an emphasis on short passing. This seemed to suit the squad and results improved, but fell short of expectations as the Spartans finished 5-4-1 and just missed out on the playoffs. 2004 saw the squad depleted by a number of retirements, and the Spartan's young players could only manage a 3-6-1 finish to the season.
However, 2005 saw the club's best season since they first entered the league. The coaching staff put an emphasis on developing the young squad into one full of multi-skilled positional players, and the team was bolstered by the arrival of a number of players from the recently-folded Southend Sabres. After a winning regular season which included two comfortable wins over league newcomers Maidstone Pumas
Maidstone Pumas
The Maidstone Pumas are an American Football team based in Maidstone, Kent. The team were formed in 1997 as a continuation of the former youth team of the same name, and currently play in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues .-History:...
, they finished second in their group with a 5-2-1 record, enough to qualify for the playoffs. They were drawn away to the Oxford Saints, where they beaten 0–20.
2006 saw the Spartans reach the playoffs once again after finishing second with a 5-4-1 regular season record. They were originally drawn to face the South Wales Warriors
South Wales Warriors
The South Wales Warriors are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA National Leagues . The team was formed 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...
in a wild-card playoff, and turned up at the Warriors' home field to play the match. However, they complained to BAFL (British American Football League
British American Football League
The British American Football League was the United Kingdom's primary American Football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee....
) that the Warriors' pitch at Bedwas RFC was too short, and therefore did not comply with competition rules. After consultations between the two teams, the game was played as normal but BAFL decided afterwards that the Warriors would forfeit the game, and therefore the game was awarded to the Spartans as a 1–0 victory. In the quarter-finals, they were once again drawn away to the Oxford Saints and were again defeated by the eventual divisional champions. They unable to repeat their playoff run in 2007, finishing fourth out of six teams with a 3-7 regular season record.
A second poor season under Head Coach Dave Barham with the team finishing a lowly 1-8-1 saw Dean Gibson re-instated to the Head Coach position in 2009 (having previously served as Head Coach until 2007), returning with him was Offensive Co-Ordinator Brendan Bride. This combination had brought success to the Spartans in previous years, their previous tenure ending with playoff appearances in both 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately the team was unable to improve on the previous seasons mark and ended the 2009 season with an identical 1-8-1 record.
2010 proved to be a breakout season for the Essex Spartans. The close season 2009-2010 saw ex Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
star Cyrill Weems join the team firstly in an advisory capacity before taking over as Head Coach prior to the start of the 2010 season. Weems' professional influence and high work ethic brought about a complete culture change at the team both on and off the field and a young Essex side began the 2010 season with a renewed hope of bringing success back to the Essex franchise following a bleak period after their last playoff appearance in 2006. The Spartans finished the 2010 season with a 6 and 4 win/loss record, narrowly losing lost two close games to Bedfordshire and Norwich. This huge turnaround in fortune led to the team finishing second in the division behind eventual league champions the London Olympians
London Olympians
The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club...
rewarding them with a trip to the Hampshire Thrashers in the BAFACL Quarter finals. An extremely entertaining and hard fought game eventually finished 29-15 to Hampshire with the deciding score coming in the final few minutes.
Coach Cyrill Weems returned to the United States in July 2010; Offensive Co-Ordinator Brendan Bride having departed the team in June 2010 due to personal circumstances. As such, a new Coaching structure which would continue with the development of the programme was required and on 11 July 2010 the team were pleased to announce ex-Farnham Knight, ex-Coventry Jet and current Essex Spartan Marc Saunders as Head Coach with Spartan stalwart Seán Benton taking over as Offensive Co-Ordinator. Also joining the coaching staff for the 2010 season and beyond were Kieron Goymer as Offensive Line Coach, ex-Tiptree Titan and Chelmsford Cherokee speedster Wes Bourke as Defensive Backs Coach, longtime Essex Spartan Craig Brittney as Wide Receivers Coach and Anglia Ruskin Phantoms Offensive Co-Ordinator Chris Hunt as Offensive analyst.
2010 also saw General Manager Tony Palmer celebrate 25 years running the club and for his tireless work for the team over this period he was honoured with a special presentation of a squad signed helmet at the 2010 team awards evening.
Senior team season records
| Season | Division | W | L | T | Points For | Points Against | Final Position | Playoff Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | BSL Division One East | 6 | 3 | 0 | 121 | 73 | 2 / 4 | Beat Southern Sundevils 19-7 in quarter-final. Lost 19-33 to Gateshead Senators Gateshead Senators (American football) Gateshead Senators are a British American Football Team based in Gateshead at Gateshead International Stadium.- Origins :The Senators started life in the 1980s as the Newcastle Senators, rising out of the ashes of the aptly named Newcastle Browns, and playing at Northern Rugby Club in Newcastle... in semi-final. |
— |
| 2000 | BSL Division One South | 2 | 6 | 0 | 89 | 269 | 5 / 7 | — | — |
| 2001 | BSL Division One South | 0 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 142 | 7 / 7 | — | Spartans withdrew from league after five matches due to lack of players. Relegated to Division Two. |
| 2002 | BSL Division Two South | 3 | 6 | 0 | 100 | 139 | 8 / 9 | — | — |
| 2003 | BSL Division Two South East | 5 | 4 | 1 | 145 | 125 | 3 / 8 | — | — |
| 2004 | BSL Division Two South East | 3 | 6 | 1 | 108 | 148 | 4 / 6 | — | — |
| 2005 | BAFL Division Two South East | 5 | 3 | 2 | 216 | 162 | 2 / 5 | Lost 0–20 to Oxford Saints in quarter-final. | — |
| 2006 | BAFL Division Two South | 5 | 4 | 1 | 244 | 141 | 2 / 4 | Awarded wildcard playoff against South Wales Warriors South Wales Warriors The South Wales Warriors are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA National Leagues . The team was formed 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... . Lost 6–14 to Oxford Saints in quarter-final. |
— |
| 2007 | BAFL Division Two South East | 3 | 7 | 0 | 80 | 236 | 4 / 6 | — | — |
| 2008 | BAFL Division Two South East | 1 | 8 | 1 | 126 | 343 | 4 / 5 | — | — |
| 2009 | BAFL Division Two South East | 1 | 8 | 1 | 64 | 237 | 3 / 4 | — | — |
| 2010 | BAFA Community Leagues Division Two East | 6 | 4 | 0 | 256 | 115 | 2 / 6 | Lost 29-15 to Hampshire Thrashers in quarter-final | — |
| 2011 | BAFA Community Leagues Division Two East | 7 | 2 | 1 | 312 | 98 | 2 / 6 | Lost 7-0 to Lancashire Wolverines Lancashire Wolverines The Lancashire Wolverines are a British American football team based in Blackburn and from the 2007 season will be playing in Division Two of the British American Football League... in quarter-final |
— |
Other teams and activities
In May 2008, the Spartans began a twinning program with the Billerica Memorial High SchoolBillerica Memorial High School
Billerica Memorial High School is located at 35 River Street in Billerica, Massachusetts. It is one of two public high schools in the town. Kevin Soraghan is the principal of Billerica High. The school serves about 1,630 students in grades 9 through 12. An assistant principal oversees students in...
football team. This was done with a view to developing the club and squad by exchanging resources, coaching staff and players, and further strengthening the ties between the towns of Billericay
Billericay
Billericay is a town and civil parish in the Basildon borough of Essex, England. It lies within the London Basin, has a population of 40,000, and constitutes a commuter town east of central London. The town has three secondary schools and a variety of open spaces...
and Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, which have been twinned for the last 10 years.
In addition to the senior squad, the Spartans also operate a youth team. Players between the ages of 14-18 are welcome to attend practice.
The Chelmford and Cambridge based Anglia Ruskin Phantoms who play in the BUAFL
British Universities American Football League
-2009-10 Challenge Trophy results:-2010 league MVPs:League MVP: David Saul Offensive MVP: Tristan Varney Defensive MVP: Ed Butcher...
have also developed a link with the Spartans and there are several ex-ARU players on the current roster.
Hall of Fame
- Drew Bader (RB/LB) USA
- Aaron Griffiths (QB)
- Karlos Baah (FB/Coach)
- Gary Jennings (S)
- Steve Berlingo (S) USA
- Jindi Singh (LB)
- Steve Pikett (OL/Coach)
- Gary Duce (DL/Sponsor)
- Kenny Wanlass (WR) USA
- Colin Normington (DL)
- Christine Simpson (Supporter)
Retired Jersey Numbers
Jersey numbers are retired in American football to honour players who have made an outstanding contribution to the success of their team. The Spartans have retired a total of two jersey numbers in their history.- #75 Seán Benton (OT)
- #7 Cyrill Weems (RB/LB)
Roster
| Essex Spartans 2011 Roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Receivers
Offensive Linemen
|
Defensive Linemen
Linebackers
|
Defensive Backs
Special Teams
Injured Reserve
|
||||
Coaches and Sideline Staff
- Tony Palmer (General Manager)
- Marc Saunders (Head Coach / Defensive Co-Ordinator / Defensive Line & Runningbacks Coach)
- Seán Benton (Assistant Head Coach / Assistant Manager / Offensive Co-Ordinator / Quarterbacks Coach)
- Wes Bourke (Special Teams / Defensive Backs Coach)
- Kieron Goymer (Offensive Line Coach)
- Craig Brittney (Wide Receivers Coach)
- Chris Hunt (Offensive Analyst)
- Elliot Kayser (Defensive Analyst)
- Lisa Humphrey (Statistician)