Peterborough Saxons
Encyclopedia
The Peterborough Saxons (formerly the East Midland Saxons) are an American football
team competing in Division 1 South East of the BAFA Community Leagues
(BAFACL), with their home games played at Stanground College
in Peterborough
. The senior team was first formed in 2001 and entered senior competition the following year. 2008 was their most successful year to date, recording their highest number of wins and largest ever win as well as reaching the post-season playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The team was promoted to Division 1 at the end of 2008 as part of a restructure of the league. In some quarters this promotion was controversial and there were some mutterings that the team was a very good Division 2 team but did not merit promotion. In the event the team was very competitive at this level in 2009 and remains in Division 1 for the 2010 season.
, they were accepted into the British Senior League for the 2002 season, where they competed in Division Two North. Their largely inexperienced squad—which was largely drawn from the UCLA Renegades team and a former senior team called the Haven Raiders together with a number of veteran players from defunct teams previously based in Kings Lynn, Boston
and Peterborough
— struggled for most of the season and failed to win any of their games, losing seven and drawing three.
The Saxons relocated to Spalding
Rugby Club in 2003, with the main benefit being that they were now in a more centralised location within their particular catchment area. This meant they were able to attract more local players, and the size of the squad grew. This benefit was apparent on their opening matchday as they recorded their first ever victory at this level, a 31–12 win over the Manchester Titans. After a good start to the season which saw the Saxons win a further two games, an injury to their American-import running back
saw them lose their last five games, failing to score in three of them.
The team moved to the Castle Sports Centre in Spalding, where they played their home games for the 2004 season in the reorganised Division Two North. They suffered in particular from a lack of coaching staff (one of their three coaches was also a player) and injuries (which saw them travel to one game with only 18 fit players, and led to them forfeiting their final match of the season). They lost all nine of their regular season games, only scoring 20 points.
2005 saw a number of changes for the club—they were realigned to the British American Football League
Division Two East, they moved their home games to Stanground College in Peterborough, and they were able to recruit more players, doubling their squad size from an average of 20 to over 45. All three of the team's victories came against the Merseyside Nighthawks, whom they had failed to beat in each of their previous meetings. This number of wins was repeated the following season, with the highlight being their 14–13 victory over the Norwich Devils
.
After spending a season in the Eastern conference, the Saxons were once again realigned into the Central conference of Division Two for the 2007 season. After narrowly losing their first two games, they then won seven out of their last eight games and scored a total of 236 points, the fifth best total in the country. In doing so, they finished second in their group, easily qualifying for the post-season playoffs for the first time in their history. The Saxons were given a long journey north to play the Dundee Hurricanes, and lost a close game 8–14.
Prior to the 2008 season, the team's name was changed to the Peterborough Saxons. On the field, they bettered the previous season's record, finishing the regular season with just two defeats (both of which came against the Cambridgeshire Cats
) and scoring 379 points, second only to the season's divisional champions, the London Cobras
. They also recorded their largest ever victory, an 80–0 win over the MK City Pathfinders
. The Saxons' last home game of the season was a local derby against the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders
, which was played at nearby RAF Alconbury
in front of over 1000 spectators. The Saxons won the inaugural Tri-Base Bowl 35–3 to secure their place in the playoffs for the second year running. Despite earning a home draw for their wild-card playoff match, they were narrowly beaten 6–9 by the visiting Cornish Sharks
due to a field goal
scored with just four seconds left.
Unfortunately, after a difficult offseason with many departures, just a few weeks into the 2011 Season, both the long term GM and the HC left the Team due to various reasons. An Intrim GM was put in place with the aim to continue the season, but due to safety concerns with dwindling numbers, the team was forced to withdraw from competition for the 2011 season. This is not the end of the Saxons, as they will be back in 2012 playing in Division 2. A new Head Coach was announced in the form of William White, who brought a vision, passion and excitement that Team Saxons knew he was the man to lead them forward.
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 competing in Division 1 South East of 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...
(BAFACL), with their home games played at Stanground College
Stanground College
Stanground College is a co-educational foundation Comprehensive School and specialist college for sport, in the city of Peterborough in the United Kingdom. It has capacity for around 1,500 pupils aged 11 to 18, of whom almost 300 are in the Sixth Form. The school was officially opened by Alderman Dr...
in Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
. The senior team was first formed in 2001 and entered senior competition the following year. 2008 was their most successful year to date, recording their highest number of wins and largest ever win as well as reaching the post-season playoffs for the second consecutive year.
The team was promoted to Division 1 at the end of 2008 as part of a restructure of the league. In some quarters this promotion was controversial and there were some mutterings that the team was a very good Division 2 team but did not merit promotion. In the event the team was very competitive at this level in 2009 and remains in Division 1 for the 2010 season.
History
The East Midlands Saxons were officially formed in late 2001 as a means of allowing players from the local UCLA Renegades youth kitted team to continue playing after they reached the cut-off age for youth football. Playing their home games in Boston, LincolnshireBoston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
, they were accepted into the British Senior League for the 2002 season, where they competed in Division Two North. Their largely inexperienced squad—which was largely drawn from the UCLA Renegades team and a former senior team called the Haven Raiders together with a number of veteran players from defunct teams previously based in Kings Lynn, Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
— struggled for most of the season and failed to win any of their games, losing seven and drawing three.
The Saxons relocated to Spalding
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
Rugby Club in 2003, with the main benefit being that they were now in a more centralised location within their particular catchment area. This meant they were able to attract more local players, and the size of the squad grew. This benefit was apparent on their opening matchday as they recorded their first ever victory at this level, a 31–12 win over the Manchester Titans. After a good start to the season which saw the Saxons win a further two games, an injury to their American-import running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
saw them lose their last five games, failing to score in three of them.
The team moved to the Castle Sports Centre in Spalding, where they played their home games for the 2004 season in the reorganised Division Two North. They suffered in particular from a lack of coaching staff (one of their three coaches was also a player) and injuries (which saw them travel to one game with only 18 fit players, and led to them forfeiting their final match of the season). They lost all nine of their regular season games, only scoring 20 points.
2005 saw a number of changes for the club—they were realigned to the 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....
Division Two East, they moved their home games to Stanground College in Peterborough, and they were able to recruit more players, doubling their squad size from an average of 20 to over 45. All three of the team's victories came against the Merseyside Nighthawks, whom they had failed to beat in each of their previous meetings. This number of wins was repeated the following season, with the highlight being their 14–13 victory over the Norwich Devils
Norwich Devils
The Norwich Devils are a British American Football team based in Norwich, Norfolk.-Overview:The Devils currently field a senior team in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues...
.
After spending a season in the Eastern conference, the Saxons were once again realigned into the Central conference of Division Two for the 2007 season. After narrowly losing their first two games, they then won seven out of their last eight games and scored a total of 236 points, the fifth best total in the country. In doing so, they finished second in their group, easily qualifying for the post-season playoffs for the first time in their history. The Saxons were given a long journey north to play the Dundee Hurricanes, and lost a close game 8–14.
Prior to the 2008 season, the team's name was changed to the Peterborough Saxons. On the field, they bettered the previous season's record, finishing the regular season with just two defeats (both of which came against the Cambridgeshire Cats
Cambridgeshire 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...
) and scoring 379 points, second only to the season's divisional champions, the London Cobras
London Cobras (American football)
The London Warriors are an American Football team based in Boston Manor, London. The team were formed in 2007 as the senior outfit for the London Warriors youth team, and currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues Premiership.-History:The London Cobras were formed in 2007 as a senior team of...
. They also recorded their largest ever victory, an 80–0 win over the MK City Pathfinders
Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
The Milton Keynes City Pathfinders are an American Football team based in Milton Keynes, England, competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Emerson Valley Sports Pavillion in Milton Keynes, which they share with Milton Keynes Rugby Club...
. The Saxons' last home game of the season was a local derby against the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders
Bedfordshire Blue Raiders
The Bedfordshire Blue Raiders are an American Football team competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They entered the league in 2008 as one of five expansion teams, and play their home games at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium.-History:The Blue Raiders were formed in...
, which was played at nearby RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
in front of over 1000 spectators. The Saxons won the inaugural Tri-Base Bowl 35–3 to secure their place in the playoffs for the second year running. Despite earning a home draw for their wild-card playoff match, they were narrowly beaten 6–9 by the visiting Cornish Sharks
Cornish Sharks
The Cornish Sharks are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Newquay Sports Centre, in Newquay, Cornwall...
due to a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
scored with just four seconds left.
Unfortunately, after a difficult offseason with many departures, just a few weeks into the 2011 Season, both the long term GM and the HC left the Team due to various reasons. An Intrim GM was put in place with the aim to continue the season, but due to safety concerns with dwindling numbers, the team was forced to withdraw from competition for the 2011 season. This is not the end of the Saxons, as they will be back in 2012 playing in Division 2. A new Head Coach was announced in the form of William White, who brought a vision, passion and excitement that Team Saxons knew he was the man to lead them forward.
Senior team season records
| Season | Division | Wins | Losses | Ties Tie (draw) To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as... |
PF | PA | Final Position | Playoff Playoff The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S... Record |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | BSL Division Two South | 0 | 7 | 3 | 44 | 211 | 6 / 6 | – | – | |
| 2003 | BSL Division Two North | 3 | 6 | 1 | 99 | 205 | 8 / 11 | – | – | |
| 2004 | BSL Division Two North | 0 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 260 | 6 / 6 | – | – | |
| 2005 | BAFL Division Two Central | 3 | 7 | 0 | 96 | 282 | 3 / 4 | – | – | |
| 2006 | BAFL Division Two East | 3 | 7 | 0 | 146 | 204 | 4 / 4 | – | – | |
| 2007 | BAFL Division Two Central | 7 | 3 | 0 | 236 | 72 | 2 / 5 | Lost 8–14 to Dundee Hurricanes Dundee Hurricanes The Dundee Hurricanes are an American football team based in Dundee, Scotland. They are members of Division 1 North of the BAFA Community Leagues after winning promotion through the 2007 BAFL Division 2 playoffs... in quarter-finals. |
– | |
| 2008 | BAFL Division Two East | 8 | 2 | 0 | 379 | 44 | 2 / 5 | Lost 6–9 to Cornish Sharks Cornish Sharks The Cornish Sharks are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Newquay Sports Centre, in Newquay, Cornwall... in wild-card playoff. |
Team renamed Peterborough Saxons prior to start of season. Promoted to Division 1. |
|
| 2009 | BAFL Division One South East | 3 | 7 | 0 | 165 | 259 | 5 / 6 | — | — | |
| 2010 | BAFL Division One South East | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 / 6 | — | — |
Roster
| Peterborough Saxons 2012 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... s
Running Backs Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Fullbacks Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Wide Receivers Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Tight Ends Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
|
Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
|
Cornerback Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... s Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... s
Safeties
|
||||
Coaching staff 2012
- Head Coach: William White
- Defensive Co-Ordinator: tbc
- Offensive Co-Ordinator: tbc
- Intrim General Manager: Ryan Toone