A History of Cambridge American Football Club

INTRODUCTION: American football in Cambridge dates back to August 6th, 1983 when two U.S. Air Force teams, Alconbury Spartans and Zweibrûcken Warriors, contested a charity match in the City. The Spartans won a closely fought battle 13-7 in front of 2,500 fans at Grange Road Rugby Club.

On the same day at London’s Wembley Stadium, the first NFL game to be played in Europe was also taking place. A crowd of 30,000 watched the Minnesota Vikings defeat the St Louis Cardinals 28-10.

The following year, the RAF Wyton Eagles were formed. Using kit borrowed from nearby the Alconbury team, this joint military/civilian team played just three games, including the first ever tied game in British American Football history, a 14-14 tie versus Milton Keynes Bucks. In December 1984, the Eagles held trials in Cambridge, with a view to re-locating to the city. Almost 120 enthusiastic hopefuls braved the winter conditions; the Cambridge County Wildcats were born.

PART ONE: With a squad of around 60 players, in all black kit – paid for by American Head Coach George Zentner – The County 'Cats played their first season in the British American Football Federation (BAFF). Home crowds at Cambridge City FC averaged 600-plus that year as the team captured the 1-A Conference title with an 8-0 regular season record. The chance of a perfect 1985 season ended with an 8-20 loss to the Croydon Coyotes in the playoff semi-final.

In 1986 Cambridge were elected into the top division of the newly formed Budweiser League, putting together a credible 6-4 record in a Conference that included the then undefeated London Ravens. Defeat in the first round of the play-offs by a lower Division club ended Zentner’s time with the club and was the beginning of a long run of poor results.

Cambridge again played in the top flight in 1987, but was unable to win a single game despite some hard fought battles. A tie against the Swindon Steelers offered the only joy in an otherwise dismal season.

PART TWO: Winning ways returned in 1988 after the County Cats dropped down a Division. The club was forced to leave Cambridge City FC after three years there, and decided on Ely Rugby Club as a new home. An 8-2 record was god enough for second place in the East Midlands Conference, but meant travelling to the Glasgow Diamonds in the play-offs. Cambridge lost 24-34 after trailing 26-0 at half time.

1989 saw several changes at the club; moving back to Cambridge (Shelford Rugby Club), the County Cats became the ‘Crunchers’ to tie in with the first major sponsor – Seattle-based Washington State Apple Commission – and the team colours changed from black to red. Cambridge was also one of many teams that year to join the Combined Gridiron League. The reached the play-offs with a 7-3 record but, once again, fell short at the first jurdle, losing 3-27 to the West London Aces.

Bad news greeted the start of the 1990 season. The sponsorship deal was terminated suddenly following a lawsuit against the American Company. The Crunchers became the Wildcats. There was another new home – Sawston Village College, and other new League – the NCMMA. The team battled to a 6-3-1 record and qualified for the play-offs, but is revealed that the club had not paid League fees and another team took their place.

Following an appalling year for the Wildcats, player numbers were low for 1991. The same was true for the nearby Newmarket Hornets and a merger looked set to follow. When it turned out to be a take-over attempt by Newmarket, Cambridge chose to fold rather than lose its identity. Players headed for teams in Peterborough, Northampton and Leicester.

PART THREE: American Football lay dormant at Senior level in the City until early 1993. A few former players decided to re-form the team. It was to be the start of the most exciting period in the clubs history. The ‘new’ club was called the Cambridge Cats and had 42 players – half coming from the 1990 Wildcats. The Cats entered the First Division of the BNGL (the lowest of four levels) and played their home games at Coldham’s Common. The clubs only wish was for a respectable first year back. They reached the play-offs on the back of an 8-1-1 record, scoring more that 40 points in six o those games. A thrilling 54-40 quarter final win over the Redditch Arrows was followed by a heartbreaking 27-31 loss to the Lincoln Saints in the semi-final.

A new home, Histon FC, was established for 1994 and the season turned out to be one of the most successful in the clubs 10 year history. Promoted into the Third Division of the newly re-named BAFA Senior League, an 8-2 record gave the Cats their first Conference Title since 1985. Following two home play-off wins, the season culminated in a 25-14 victory over the Crawley Raiders in the Bowl Game, and Cambridge gained its first every League crown.

The 1995 season was one of the toughest campaigns in the clubs history. Promotion to Division Two put the Cats in the Northern Conference. They finished with an 8-2 record and, after a semi-final victory over the Lancashire Wolverines (the clubs had already played each other three times in the regular season), met the Plymouth Admirals in the final. Cambridge came back from 13-0 down in the third quarter to win 28-13 and take their second League Title in as many seasons.

PART FOUR: 1996 was the year when the Cats bubble finally burst and they paid the price for their success. After guiding their club to the top level of British American Football for the first time since 1987, many top players decided to retire. To make matters worse, the Head Coach and several players walked out after only a couple of games. Cambridge’s abysmal season ended abruptly when they could not afford to play the final two home games. Two awarded losses meant they finished with a 2-8 record.

Following that disastrous season, Cambridge was fortunate enough to remain in Division One for 1997, where they were placed in the South East/Midlands Conference. The lack of success meant they club was forced to leave Histon FC and they moved north to Cottenham Village College. The Cats 4-6 record was enough to stay in the top flight for another year.

The Cats found yet another new home, Cambridge Rugby Club, for 1998, but could not find success. The team slumped to a 2-8 record. One of the few highlights was the ‘Mud and Puddle Bowl’ against the Redbridge Fire. No field markings were visible when a Cats player ‘swam’ for the game’s only touchdown!

Moral at the club was at an all-time low. With player numbers rapidly dwindling, the Cats withdrew from the League just three weeks before the 1999 season was due to begin. There would be no more Senior level football in the City until 2002.

PART FIVE: The club reformed in 2002 under their present name of the Cambridgeshire Cats, coached by Chris Wallis, and they entered the Division Two South of the BSL, where they qualified for the playoffs at the first attempt by finishing third out of nine teams, before losing to the Plymouth Admirals in the quarter-final.

2003 saw them perform even better, recording a perfect 10-0 regular season record and finishing top of the South East Conference. They were drawn at home to the Southern Sundevils in their quarter-final, and needed two periods of overtime before eventually beating them 9–6. However, they lost their semi-final at home to the Bristol Aztecs.

They were awarded promotion to the new Division 1A, where they finished third in their group and earned a wild-card playoff slot only to lose once again to the Aztecs, this time by a single point. 2005 saw them struggle with player moves and two changes at Head Coach. Winning only one game and scoring just 40 points, they were bottom of the South conference, resulting in them being relegated to Division Two.

2006 saw them surge back to success under Head Coach Rick Bice, finishing with a 5-4-1 record, barely missing out on the playoffs. In 2007, further success saw them qualify for the playoffs after finishing second in the South East conference with a 7-3 record before losing away to the South Wales Warriors 13-7 in the quarter-final.

In 2008, the Cats were moved into the Eastern Conference and recorded their strongest showing since 2003, finishing top with a 9-1 record and achieving an automatic spot in the playoff quarter-finals by virtue of one of South Wales Warriors nine wins coming by way of forfeit. They met the Warriors at home and beat them 21–12 to set up an away semi-final at the London Cobras, a team who had won their group with a perfect 10-0 record and conceded just nine points all season. The strength of their London opponents proved too much, with the Cobras winning 32–0.

2009 saw a change in leadership as Coach Rick Bice handed the Head Coaching reigns over to Bob Shaw. Coach Shaw then introduced a number of new coaches to the team. This proved to continue the good work of Bice and the Cats again qualified for the play-offs in second place with a 7-3 record. The quarter final saw the Cats overcome the varsity challenge of the Oxford Saints with a good 25-13 win, setting up another semi-final against their London nemesis from the semi-final the year before. Once again the London team proved too strong in a rough house game and the Cats lost 6-22 (London eventually going on to win the Bowl and go up to the Premier Division).

Coach Shaw returned to command the helm in the 2010 season and the Cats have stamped their authority on the Division, only losing one game in the first 5 of the season (a game they handed to their opponents (Saxons) in the first 3 quarters, almost tying the match late on in the 4^th). Completing the season with further wins against the Mavericks, Exiles, Cardinals, Gladiators and returning the favour to the Saxons at RAF Alconbury. The Cats competed this season with a 9-1 record and booked their place in the play-offs for the fourth year running. A home win against the Oxford Saints set up an away semi-final tie with the Tamworth Phoenix. A young team that has gone from strength to strength (2 finals in 3 years) and they proved to be too much for the Cats. Some telling injuries within the Cats star players and some excellent play from Tamworth ended the Cats year.