Mets v NYPD, 1990

Team Notes: The team was formed in September 1986 by Dave George & Mark Hoare, who both shared the same dream & love for American Football. In 1987 the Mets joined the 'Capital League' and finished the season with 5 wins & 5 defeats. In 1988 joined the newly formed 'British Gridiron Football league' or BGFL & recorded 3 wins & 5 defeats. The Mets were formally accepted into the MPAA. 1989 started tragically, when on their opening game of the season against the Watford Scorpions, Dave George, founder club secretary & player collapsed on the pitch & died shortly afterwards in hospital. The season saw the team finish with 4 wins & 6 losses. 1990 saw the realisation of Dave's dream, of playing an American police side, when on the 28th of April they played the NYPD at Imber Court. Although finally defeated 46-0, lessons were learnt & lasting friendships made with the prospect of the return match in New York to look forward to. The season finished with 5 wins & 5 defeats. In 1991 Rosie Watts was appointed as Head Coach and in New York the Mets were beaten 33-0 by the NYPD. There was a glimmer of hope when they almost scored a touchdown on a kick-off return. With all the excitement of the 'away game' the domestic season suffered with the team slumping to 2 wins & 8 defeats. 1992 saw the team with 3 wins 5 defeats & 2 ties, the highlight of the year was when they defeated the US Airbase at High Wycombe on their 4th & last meeting 26-0, this meant they kept the trophy. In 1993 Tom Smith was Head Coach & the team posted it's first winning season going 7 wins 3 losses in the 1st Division & also reaching the first round of the playoffs for the first time. 1994 started off with a match against the Tampa Bay Guardians at the National Stadium at Crystal Palace in January. Although losing 22-0 the team showed considerable promise, making the Guardians work hard for every yard. Unfortunately this was not reflected in the domestic league with 2 wins & 8 losses, though because of injuries & work commitments 3 games had to be forfeited. 1995 saw the return match against the Guardians in Tampa Bay in March played at the University of Southern Florida. It was played at 2pm on a sunny 80° Sunday with the humidity at 90%. The team after a long hard battle succumbed to a 42 - 2 defeat. On their return the team was only able to compete in three regular season games before suspending the remainder of our fixtures. In 1996 a reformed Mets took to the field with new kit and finished 2 - 8 an improvement of the previously disappointing 1995 season. In 1997, and now in Division 2, Midlands Conference, the team was pitted against some old adversaries. And continuing on last year's momentum the team saw further improvement to finish the season with 4 wins, 5 losses and 1 tied match. 1998 saw the start of a fresh campaign and the beginning of greater achievements. New Head Coach Brian Smallworth, with returning Coach Bob Shaw along with Manager AIf Kendry saw the team become a "Class Act" when it became the 1998 Division Two South East Conference Champions with a 7-1-1 record. The team progressed into the play-offs where it won in the quarter finals against the Tiger Bay Warriors 13-12 reaching the semi-finals for the first time in it's history where it met the Southern Sundevils to lose by the narrowest of margins 6-10. In 1999 with Warren Keen, Joe St Louis and Adam Earle playing for them won the Div.1 Eastern Conference, but were knocked out of the playoffs by Nottingham. A lack of linemen meant that they were forced to withdraw from the BSL in the early stages of their 2003 campaign.

Head Coaches

1990 - Kevin Campbell replaced by Roosevelt Watts