The Gloucester Centurions were an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
team based in
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east o ...
. They competed in the National South League of the
BAFA National Leagues
The BAFANL (BAFA National Leagues) are the primary American football domestic League competition in Great Britain. The League is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate contact football within England, Scotland and Wales. ...
.
History
1985-1993
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
has been played in
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east o ...
since its début in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
. The first league team to play in the area was the Gloucester Boars, who played in the 1985 United Kingdom American Football Association. The team progressed to the Budweiser League and played as the Cotswold Bears during 1986 and 1987. They won the SW conference; on the way they played at
Kingsholm Stadium
Kingsholm Stadium is a rugby union stadium located in the Kingsholm area of Gloucester, England, and is the home stadium of Gloucester Rugby. The stadium has a capacity of 16,115. It is sometimes nicknamed 'Castle Grim', after the estate where ...
, (the home of
Gloucester Rugby) against the Cardiff Tigers in front of a crowd of 3000.
The Bears folded at the end of the 1987 season. A new team was set up at Plock Court, Gloucester playing under the name of the Severn Vale Royals. The Royals took part in the British National Gridiron League during the 1989 to 1993 seasons, reaching a Bowl Final in their rookie year, but losing out to their bitter rivals, the Cheltenham Chieftains. The Severn Vale Royals closed at the end of the 1993 season and the team was replaced the following year by the West Country Phoenix. But less than a year later, the Phoenix disappeared. Several youth teams emerged during the mid-1990s but without any real success. However, in 2007 American football returned to Gloucester.
2007-2008
In early 2007 a team called the Gloucester Banshees set up in the city of Gloucester. Many of the Banshees staff were involved in previous teams, such as the Severn Vale Royals, West Country Phoenix, Cheltenham Chieftains, Cotswold Bears and the Gloucester Boars. After a 10-month feasibility study (to see if the interest was still there for American football), training began in early February 2008. The Banshees' first fully kitted game was with Premiership "giants"
Bristol Aztecs
The Bristol Academy Aztecs are an American football team based in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They operate from the Stok ...
. This game was a one-sided affair with the Aztecs posting 50 points without reply. But, the Banshees were soon to taste their first win, when they beat a full-strength
Reading Renegades
the Berkshire Renegades (formerly the Reading Renegades) are an American Football team currently competing in the Division 2 South British American Football League. play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire. First f ...
. A late-season game with Division One
Oxford Saints
Oxford Saints American Football Club is a British American football club that competes in the BAFANL (British American Football Association National League). Currently the team competes at senior level (adult mixed team for 18+) and operate ...
ended with victory going to the Saints but the Banshees had successfully completed their Associate campaign and awaited the deliberations of the assessor from League HQ.
Going on the strength of superb facilities that included a full-sized 100-yard playing field, the
British American Football League promoted the Banshees to full league membership in November 2008. The Banshees drafted players from the now-defunct Hereford Chargers in preparation for their first season as full members of the
British American Football League.
2009
The Banshees were placed into Division 2 Southwest conference and scheduled to meet the
Cornish Sharks
The 'Cornwall Monarchs' are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall. They were formed in 2005 as the Cornish Sharks and In their f ...
,
Berkshire Renegades
the Berkshire Renegades (formerly the Reading Renegades) are an American Football team currently competing in the Division 2 South British American Football League. play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire. First f ...
,
Plymouth Admirals
The Plymouth Admirals were an American Football team who competed in the British American Football League (BAFL) up until 2010. They played their home games at the Parkway Sports Club in Ernesettle, Plymouth. Formed in 1984, the Admirals were on ...
,
Hampshire Thrashers
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire is ...
on a home and away basis with 2 cross conference games, home to the
Shropshire Revolution and away to the
Staffordshire Surge to make up the 10 games season. Head Coach Maurice Myers lead a squad consisting mainly of rookies supplemented by American quarterback Derek Yenerall to an impressive 3-1-6 (W-T-L) record in their first full league season, highlights including an early season 21-all draw at conference favourites
Hampshire Thrashers
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire is ...
and a win at
Plymouth Admirals
The Plymouth Admirals were an American Football team who competed in the British American Football League (BAFL) up until 2010. They played their home games at the Parkway Sports Club in Ernesettle, Plymouth. Formed in 1984, the Admirals were on ...
.
2010
With Coach Myers still at the helm the Banshees approached the season with confidence that they could improve upon the previous year, however the early season loss of American quarterback Yenerall and dominant nose tackle Marcus Campbell to the nearby Premiership giants
Bristol Aztecs
The Bristol Academy Aztecs are an American football team based in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They operate from the Stok ...
was a major setback. The Banshees did manage an impressive 34–0 victory over the
Cornish Sharks
The 'Cornwall Monarchs' are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall. They were formed in 2005 as the Cornish Sharks and In their f ...
early on but that was to be the only highlight of the season as after that the loss of key offensive linemen Iain Vanes (career ending knee injury) and Karl Friston (joined Bristol Aztecs) decimated the offence even further. Despite creditable performances away to
Watford Cheetahs
The Hertfordshire Cheetahs (formerly the Watford Cheetahs and Chiltern Cheetahs) are an American football team based in Watford, including a senior kitted team (contact) competing in the BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL), Under 16 and under 19 kitt ...
and
Milton Keynes Pathfinders
The Ouse Valley Eagles are a British American Football team based in Bedford, United Kingdom. They play their home games at the Bedford Athletic Rugby Club. They are a member of the BAFA National Leagues Division 2, playing in the southern fo ...
the Banshees ended the season with a 1-9 (W-L) record.
2011
At the start of the 2011 season, the club members elected a new committee at the annual AGM. Three games into the season both the head coach and administrator resigned due to an internal dispute with regards to player selection. The Banshees appointed Colin Branagh to fulfill the vacant head coach position. A tough schedule including perennial title favourites
Cornish Sharks
The 'Cornwall Monarchs' are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall. They were formed in 2005 as the Cornish Sharks and In their f ...
,
Berkshire Renegades
the Berkshire Renegades (formerly the Reading Renegades) are an American Football team currently competing in the Division 2 South British American Football League. play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire. First f ...
,
Bournemouth Bobcats, Bristol Apache and Welsh powerhouse
South Wales Warriors
The South Wales Warriors are a British American Football team based in Llanharan, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. They play in SFC 1 West for the 2022 season. The team was formed in 2001 after the Tiger Bay Warriors had disbanded due to the departur ...
saw the Banshees finish the season with an 0-1-9 (W-T-L) record.
Shortly after the end of the season, head coach Branagh tendered his resignation and subsequently took up the general manager's role at
Leicester Falcons. As part of an entire club restructure a submission for renaming the team was made to and accepted by BAFANL, and from 2012 onwards the team has been called Gloucester Centurions.
2012
The 2012 season saw the Centurions scheduled against
Oxford Saints
Oxford Saints American Football Club is a British American football club that competes in the BAFANL (British American Football Association National League). Currently the team competes at senior level (adult mixed team for 18+) and operate ...
,
Bournemouth Bobcats,
Cornish Sharks
The 'Cornwall Monarchs' are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall. They were formed in 2005 as the Cornish Sharks and In their f ...
and Bristol Apache. They ended the season with two wins, six losses and two draws.
Team colours
The Gloucester Centurions play in a purple home kit with silver trim and their alternative is the old Banshees second strip (white with red trims).
Media
The Banshees were featured on
BBC Radio Gloucestershire and
The West Country Tonight.
References
External links
Gloucester Centurions WebsiteGloucester Centurions on FacebookGloucester Centurions on Twitter
{{British American Football
BAFA National League teams
American football teams in England
Sport in Gloucester
2007 establishments in England
2015 disestablishments in England
American football teams established in 2007