Great Britain Bulldogs Official Website

The following is a partial history of the Bulldogs taken from existing BSAFA records. We are looking to collect stories, photos and much more about the team's history from as many people as possible, so please send us in your ideas and notes to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

BCAFL Select "All Stars" 1993

In 1993 a travelling university all-star team was formed under the direction of Damian Bayford, the head coach at the University of Leeds. This team included several non-British players and defeated three German college teams whilst on tour.

GB Bulldogs 1994

Following the end of the 1993-94 BCAFL season, the Bulldogs were formed as the first official Great Britain student team with a recognised affiliation from the British Collegiate American Football League.  Organised by general manager Nick Baldwin and head coach Beau Riffenburgh, the team won all six games it played, one against a travelling American all-star team, two against BAFA Senior League Division-Three teams, and three against German teams. The scores were:

GB Bulldogs 14  Oregon All-Stars 8
GB Bulldogs 28  Derbyshire Braves 6
GB Bulldogs 26  Oxford Saints 10
GB Bulldogs   8  Berlin Stars 0
GB Bulldogs 42  German National Student Team 0
GB Bulldogs 37  North of Germany All-Stars 9

The game against the German National Student Team was the championship game of the first-ever European Student Championships, an event suggested by representatives of the National Football League. The Bulldogs received a trophy, donated by the NFL, recognising them as the European Student Champions.

Individual trophies were awarded to the following players for their play with the 1994 Bulldogs:
MVP Oregon All-Star Game: Tyrone White, Leeds
MVP Offense European Championship Game: Jay Spring, Southampton
MVP Defense European Championship Game: Ian Lipscomb, Cardiff
Co- MVP Offense 1994 Bulldogs season: Jon Wyse, Staffordshire
Co- MVP Offense 1994 Bulldogs season: Julian Horne, Oxford
Co- MVP Defense 1994 Bulldogs season: Tyrone White, Leeds
Co- MVP Defense 1994 Bulldogs season: Andy Wilson, Cambridge

GB Bulldogs 1995

In 1995 the Bulldogs again represented BCAFL against a variety of opponents. They played five games, again defeating the Oregon All-Star team, a BAFA Senior League Division-Two team, and the defending Irish senior league national champions, the Dublin Tornadoes. The Bulldogs' first two losses ever came to the BAFA Senior League Division-One Leicester Panthers and the BAFA Senior League Division-Two national champions, the Cambridge Cats. The scores were:

GB Bulldogs 16  Oregon All-Stars 6
GB Bulldogs 21  Gateshead Senators 6
GB Bulldogs 10  Leicester Panthers 14
GB Bulldogs 68  Dublin Tornadoes 8
GB Bulldogs 14  Cambridge Cats 26

The following players were recognised for their contributions to the 1995 Bulldogs:
MVP Offense 1995 Bulldogs season: Matt Ingram, East Anglia
MVP Defense 1995 Bulldogs season: Ahmed Hashim, Leicester
Co-Players' Player: Ahmed Hashim, Leicester
Co-Players' Player: Matt Ingram, East Anglia

GB Bulldogs 1996

In 1996 the Bulldogs had an abbreviated season consisting of only two games, against the Oregon All-Star team and against the Cambridge Cats, now a BAFA Senior League Division-One team. The scores were:

GB Bulldogs 20  Oregon All-Stars 38
GB Bulldogs 34  Cambridge Cats 27

The victory over the Cambridge Cats was the first ever by a BCAFL team over a BAFA Senior League Division-One team. Two awards were given at the end of the Bulldogs' 1996 season:
MVP Oregon All-Star Game: Andy Ennis, East Anglia
MVP Cambridge Cats game: Marsh Mokhtari, Newcastle

GB Bulldogs 1998

In 1998, the Bulldogs toured Holland and Germany and played the second European Championship.

By their continued success at such a high level, the Bulldogs have clearly shown that they are one of the best sides in all of British American football, able to compete with the top senior teams in the country.