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The Bournemouth Bobcats were formed in 1986 as a result of the change of name of the Poole Sharks. The Sharks had played in the 1984 and 1985 seasons at the Poole Stadium with large crowds in attendance. The Bobcats moved to the Kings Park Athletic Stadium, and crowds there averaged over 1,000 for their entire existence. The 1986 season saw the Bobcats enter the Budweiser League and compete in the Channel Premier Division, which was a division below the top flight in this country. Don Anderson was appointed as Head Coach, and in the process they became the first UK team to appoint a professional coach. They struggled against some more established clubs, such as the London Olympians and the Brighton B-52s and finished with a 3-7 record. Come 1987 and the scene was set for the Bobcats to really make their mark on the British scene. In a tough Southern Conference, early season defeats by the Kent Rams and the Brighton B-52s seemed to put paid to their play-off chances. However, mid-season run of wins pushed the Bobcats into playoff contention. The scene was set for a last weekend match-up against their deadly rivals the Brighton B-52s at the Kings Park Athletic Stadium. The attendance that day is unknown, but exceeded 2000. The winner won the Southern Conference, the loser would not make the play-offs. In a superb end-to-end match, and the scores tied at 13 late in the 4th quarter, QB Jon Gill marched the Bobcats into field goal position. Paul Cooper made no mistake and won the match for the Bobcats 16-13. As a result of their 8-2 regular season record, the Bobcats were forced to go on the road and into unknown terrority. They went to Dunstable to face the Cowboys and returned with a 30-14 victory in the quarter-finals. The Heathrow Jets were swept aside in the semi-finals 28-8, again on the road, to set up a Budweiser Division One Bowl date with the undefeated Leeds Cougars. Everyone was predicting a comfortable Leeds victory, but the Bobcats led by running backs Laurance Dinham and Chalkie Elliott wiped the floor with the Cougars in a 43-6 win. The Bobcats were therefore promoted to the elite of British American Football in just their second season. In 1988 they would rub shoulders with the likes of the London Ravens, Birmingham Bulls et al. Pre-season match-ups were made with the Cheltenham Chieftans who were brushed aside 64-0, and against the Birmingham Bulls who (as they are now) were one of the best teams in the country. The Bobcats unbelievably led 24-14 in the 3rd quarter against the Bulls, but then cruelly Laurance Dinham broke his leg and left him out for much of the season. The Bulls came back to win a thrilling contest 27-24. Worse for the Bobcats was that their main offensive weapon was now lost just as the season was about to start. As a result, their results in the big time were none too pleasing: London O's - lost 14-20 Their record read played 10, lost 10. The Bobcats did not give up however, and they put on a gutsy display at the end of the season and duly won their first game of the season - 29-22 at home to Thames Valley Chargers, with British QB Jon Gill throwing for 3 touchdowns! The following week, they travelled to Chelmsford Cherokee and defeated them 22-21 with a touchdown on the last play of the match. The 1989 season was just as miserable. Placed in the Budweiser South Eastern Conference, and again matched with the likes of the London Olympians and the London Ravens, the Bobcats finished with a 1-9 record and last in their division. The picture below is of the Bournemouth Bobcats (in Red) vs. London Olympians home game of that season. The 1990 season saw a change of League. The NDMA (National Division Managements Association) took over and two conferences were formed in the top league - north and south. There was plenty of money being thrown around and clubs were looking for quick success - not the least the Bobcats. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that many clubs went bust? The Bobcats signed 3 American players, one of which would turn out to be one of the stars of the league in 1990 - QB Albert Higgs. The man was superb, a scrambling QB who could make something out of nothing - aka Randall Cunningham. What kind of money he was on is unknown! He led the Bobcats to a 7-3 record and second place in the Southern Conference beating teams such as the London Olympians on the way. The Bobcats had a real chance of winning the British title this season, but controversy surrounds their quarter-final matchup against Glasgow Lions at Bournemouth. Somewhat mysteriously, Albert Higgs did not play in the game. He turned up with his hand in a cast, which he was not wearing later that evening! The statement was that he had injured his hand in a nightclub fight the previous night. Whatever the real reason his absence was a major blow to the Bobcats who were soundly beaten 38-0 by the Lions that day. In 1991, the Bobcats recorded a 6-4 record, but just missed out on the play-offs. That season turned out to be the Bobcats last as they folded soon after. The real reasons are unclear, but internal fighting and money problems seem to be the reason behind it (as what affected so many clubs at the time). The bulk of the squad moved to play for the Bournemouth Bulldogs in 1992. The Bulldogs won the Division One Bowl in 1994, but folded in 1995. Bournemouth has been without a Senior Kitted American Football team ever since. Although American Football lives on through the Bournemouth Raiders Senior Flag American Football team (www.bournemouthraiders.co.uk) |