Great Britain did not compete at the 1993 European Championships, since BAFA had withdrawn from membership of the European Football League (E.F.L.) in protest against the E.F.L. policy requiring national representatives to be Europeans. American Lance Cone (BAFA), Bill Bowsher (a Brit who ran BAFRA - the referees association) and American Ron Weisz (NDMA) ran the 3 main associations at the time.
By 1995 after a long absence, BAFA were looking to field a team in the 1995 European Championships and Great Britain played a preparation game against Ireland.
Great Britain 22-0 Ireland
Friendly at Saffron Lane Sports Stadium, Leicester - 18th March 1995
Scoring:
Mark Cohen scored on a 28 yard pass from Ian Ure 6-0
Joe Greenidge added a 4yd TD reception which was converted by a Kevin Hurst kick 13-0
Dave Samuel sacked Irish QB for safety 15-0
4th Qtr Nigel Fleming 9yd TD run Rex Harrison XP Kick 22-0
David Sweetman
Full squad for game vs. Ireland
QB’s Ian Ure (Sheffield Spartans), Rick Horner (Leeds Cougars), Nigel Mansfield (Cambridge Cats), Mike Hibbert (Trent Valley Warriors)
RB’s Warren Sweetman (Leicester Panthers), Eddie Harry (Leeds Cougars), Tony Scarlett, Collis Seale-McConnie, Richard Dunkley, Nigel Fleming (all London Olympians)
TE's Darren Cooper (London Olympians), Mel Thomas (Leicester Panthers)
WR’s Mark Cohen (Birmingham Bulls), Jon Wlliams (Southern Seminoles), David Sweetman (Leicester Panthers), LeRoy Innes (London Olympians), Joe Greenidge (Thames Valley Chargers)
OL. Dean Locke, Peter Sewell, Ian Head, Patrick Andrews, Phil Williams, Tim Green (all London Olympians), Steven Fox (Leeds Cougars), Mark Lockwood (Southern Seminoles), Shaun Harris (Bristol Aztecs), Peter Higgins (Leicester Panthers), Graham O'Connor (Thames Valley Chargers),
DL Wayne Benstead, Mark Connolly, Tony Thelwell (both Leicester Panthers), Dave Samuels (Thames Valley Chargers), Andy Webb (Birmingham Bulls), Jude Ugwebulam (unallocated), Stephen Healey (London Rockets), Gary Thomas (London Olympians), Danny Berry (Brighton B52's)
LB's Colin Nash, Paul Newey (both Birmingham Bulls), Mark Lawrence (London Rockets), Richard Draper, Martin Fisher, Lawrence Taylor (all Leicester Panthers), Stuart Gaston (Thames Valley Chargers), Bob Dean, Simon Newnham (both London Olympians)
DB's Scott Rowe, Derrick Brown, Joe Jean-Pierre, Simon Jean-Pierre (all London Olympians), Kevin Lewis (Birmingham Bulls), Ahmed Hashim (Nottingham Hoods), Adrian Piggott (Leicester Panthers)
K Kevin Hurst (Leicester Panthers)
RB Tony Scarlett
The GB Lions National team were supposed to play in the 1995 European championships. Their first round tie was to be against the winners of Germany and Ukraine but after a lot of mucking about eventually the tie didn't go ahead as Germany sensationally pulled out at the last minute leaving GB having to play Ukraine on the eve of the Championships away, and if they won then 2 more games in Austria who were hosting the championships all within the space of 8 days. Not surprisingly GB pulled out handing a bye to the semis to Ukraine (who were thrashed 37-0 by Finland).
Read articles about the pullout below
Article 1
Article 2
Article 3
