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 club had two very successful seasons winning the Division 1 title with a 10-0 record and gained promotion to the National Division for the following season.

The Senators gained new players when the area's only other team, the Trojans, folded. In the National Division the team had a 4-6 record and gained the respect of many of the country's top sides.

In 1988 the Senators moved across the Tyne to Gateshead International Stadium. With this move the club also changed its name to the Gateshead International Senators, cementing the links with the stadium and giving them the nickname the GI's.

New players came from around the region, including many from the Tyneside Tigers, who were experiencing difficulties. In 1995, the end of the Stockton Gators led to further influx of new and experienced players, ready for the 1996 campaign.

The Club Today

The team has players from Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Washington, Darlington, Teesside and Durham, making the Senators a truly North East team.

1999 of course proved the most successful in the team's history, going all the way and winning the Division 1 title.

In 2000, 2001 and 2002, the Senators again reached the playoffs, but could not go all the way again. The team moved to Division 2 for 2003 because of player retirements and the need to rebuild but this sparked a rebirth, and the team went 10-0 in 2003 and reached the semi-final. The Senators were promptly returned to Div 1 and remain one of the UK's top clubs, and always a serious contender, reaching the playoffs in every subsequent season until 2007 and now after league reorganisation, remain in the top flight, playing in the Premier Division. Despite their poor record in 2007, the club retains its place in the Premier Division for 2008.

Historic Results

2007 BAFL Premier 3-6-1 2006 BAFL Division 1 North 8-2* 2005 BAFL Division 1 North 8-2* 2004 BAFL Division 1 North 6-2-1* 2003 BAFL Division 2 North 10-0* 2002 BAFL Division 1 North 5-5* 2001 BAFL Division 1 North 5-3* 2000 BAFL Division 1 North 5-3*

"*made playoffs"

Youth Team

The Senators offer a full youth programme, including fully kitted football catering for age groups 16 to 19. The Youth team are have won the past 2 Northern Conference titles (2007 & 2008) they have gone on to represent the north of Britain vs the london warriors at Doncaster keepmoat stadium.

The Senators are providing a training scheme for flag football and there are training sessions at Gateshead Stadium and schools within the local area.

Youth Head Coach David Wilson can be contacted via email at [e-mail]

The Youth kitted team plays in the BAFA (British American Fottball Association) Youth League.

Flag football is a fast growing, non contact variant of American football, long popular in the USA, and gaining in popularity in the UK. It means that young people can learn all about the game in safety.

ee also

*British American Football League

External links

* [http://www.gateshead-senators.co.uk/ Gateshead Senators Official Site]
* [http://www.gridironuk.co.uk/ British American Football League Official Site]
* [http://www.byafa.org/ British Youth American Football Association]