Player Profiles (for players who played between 1990 and 1992
Leigh Arnold
Richard Cleveland
Mark Elliott
Chris Haughton
Matt Heasman
Matt Hobson
Ian Harris
Kevin Mason
Alex Moland
Simon Osborn
Marc Reeks
James Savage
Kevin Shergold
Steve Shergold
Bradley Smith
Richard Smith
Matt White
Stuart Winship
Other players
The Raiders coaches
Leigh Arnold
Position - Cornerback
Date of birth - 18/12/1972
Games played - 8
Most Memorable Game vs Crawley 0-24
Despite Bournemouth losing 24-0, Leigh had an inspirational game making several excellent tackles that saved Bournemouth from a heavier defeat. He also showed a cool head, and despite the bickering between several Raiders players he asked others about what he could do to improve. On goal-line stands Leigh was again in top form, not allowing his man to score.
Summary
Leigh played at running back in his first season and earned himself the nickname, "Billy Whizz", due to his turn of speed. After a successful first season with the Raiders he seemed reluctant to play in the 1991 season, due to his A-Level exams. However, he did play again after these and was invaluable at cornerback, shadowing his man and making few or no errors. He played in two games, in the 1991 season (Crawley 0-24 and Eastleigh 8-6), and was solid throughout. Then, cruelly he broke his collar-bone at training and was forced to miss the semi-final against Newmarket. If he had played the result may have been different as the Raiders missed out on a specialist cornerback.
In 1991, Leigh went to Warwick University where he trained for their kitted side.
Photos of Leigh in action:
Position - Quarterback/Safety
Date of birth - 1st February 1972
Games played - 15
Best Game vs. Basildon (34-0)
Rich got the nod as QB in this game and led the Raiders to their first ever win. He completed 21 of 35 passes for 266 yards and 3 TD's (all club records). After the game Richard became the undisputed no.1 QB.
Summary
Richard played in the first ever competitive game against the Bournemouth Bearcats in which he played O-Line. In the second game he threw a TD when meant to be attempting a field-goal! He played in a number of positions after that, including running back and wide receiver culminating in his selection at QB at the beginning of the 1991 season. In his first season Richard was renowned for going off injured after taking a hit. However due to the great strengthening of the O-Line fewer hits were made on him as QB which led to more playing time. In the 1990 season Richard played inside linebacker earning himself a reputation and subsequently got pin-pointed as the player to watch. Such attention to Richard led to big hits being planted on him and leading to his resignation from defence. Richard at the end of the 1991 season moved to safety where to performed his duties adequately. Having won the play-off game with a TD to Steve Shergold a minute from the end, rumour has it that Eric Pearson (League Chairman and referee that day) stated that Richard was the best QB in the south.
Photos of Rich Cleveland in action:
Position - Running Back/Linebacker
Date of birth - 26th January 1973
Games played - 15
Best Game vs. Newmarket (6-33)
Despite running the ball only twice for 0 yards, Mark showed true Raider spirit in the second half at outside linebacker after swapping sides at half-time. Mark inspired the defense with a particularly violent display in the second half making a host of valuable tackles. In his personal battle with Scott Wilson (#34) of Newmarket he came out on top on most occasions.
Summary
Mark was one of the original five who played in the first Bearcat game at King's Park and scored on a 64 yard run (see below) in the 13-0 win at Bournemouth School.
Elliott running against Eastleigh
In February 1987 he joined the double-touch Junior Bobcats and then the Bournemouth Renegades. In January 1990 he set up the Bournemouth Raiders and is only one of three players who has been ever-present for the Raiders. He is all-time leader on rushing yardage for the Raiders and Bournemouth School and also scored the first TD for the Raiders against Basildon in 1991. Mark was selected to play for the South of England allstar team, which he led the team in rushing despite on rushing the ball on a couple of occasions!
Photos of Mark Elliot in action:
Position - Wide Receiver/Cornerback
Date of birth - 14th May 1973
Games played - 5
Best Game vs. Newmarket (6-33)
His most memorable game must have been against Newmarket. Despite not scoring on game day, Chris turned in a fine entertaining performance. He linked up with QB Bradley Smith to pull off a fine sequence of catches getting Bournemouth vital yards and first downs.
Summary
Chris was a late edition to the team and started in his first game at WR against Solent. He had great catching ability. On defence he played at CB, and his first game was against Solent. He turned in a solid performance and despite not being able to keep up with the speed of his opponent, he was a great judge of the ball. In his short career he played on the line, a gruelling task for anyone, and he once again performed well for a novice. Chris was shown to be a great all round player adapting to each new position well.
Chris Haughton
Position - Fullback/Linebacker
Date of birth - 8th April 1973
Games played - 14
Best Game vs. Basingstoke (0-7)
Despite Bournemouth losing this game, QB Heasman had a fine performance with figures of 8-15-79 yards. The most notable statistic in this game was the interceptions. None. This has never been done by a starting QB for the Raiders which showed what a fine match he had. Although he did not score in this game, Matt had a top notch performance and kept Bournemouth in with a shout for the whole 4 quarters.
Matt Heasman at QB against Solent
Summary
Matt is one of the original three who have been with the team since the very beginning. He started off his American Football career at QB which made him an obvious choice as the Raiders first QB. He had a reasonable year and despite throwing no TD's threw less interceptions average than any other Raiders QB. After the first season he moved to the offensive line to strengthen it during mid-season. After a few games here he moved to fullback, a position that so far no-one had been able to fill. He played excellently, blocking anyone breaking through the offensive line. On defence he has always been an uncompromising character at inside linebacker and has excelled in this position picking off a number of interceptions, the most notable his one hander against Crawley (8-0), and he also gained a few sacks. Matt has always been willing to give his all to the club and also earned a reputation as a hard hitter. He was selected to play for the South of England, but declined to play in the game due to other commitments.
Matt in action at linebacker
Other photos:
Alex Moland
Position - Tackle/Defensive tackle
Date of birth - 18th June 1972
Games played - 13
Alex Moland in action against Solent
Scorpions
Most memorable game vs Eastleigh (8-6)
Alex was fired up for this play-off game which could easily have been his last for this
dedicated individual. He succeeded in raising the spirits to a fever pitch level whilst
making several 'funnies' to the referees. With Eastleigh leading 6-0 with only a few
minutes on the clock and Eastleigh in control of the ball, Alex made a game turning sack
and then proceeded to spiral his arms in a motion similar to that of an Maori Haka (see
below) - Although the sack has probably not been registered with the Raiders statistical
department !!. Alex was also the mainstay of the O-Line that got fired up to the point of
blowing up for the 2 PAT that won the game for the Raiders.
Alex Moland and
his game turning sack
Summary
Alex joined the team at the beginning of the first Raiders season after a previous spell
at the South Coast Sharks, having asked Rich Cleveland at Lansdowne College whether he
could play. Technically it should have been his only season at the club, but due to his
ability the Raiders kept him for another season under the alias of Andrew Long! Alex well
deserved his accolade as Player's player of 1991 and is known as a cult character due to
his high sprits and off-the-cuff humour. He was a valuable member of the squad on offense
where his blocking was always excellent and on defense where his spirit was second to
none. He amassed eight career sacks in his two seasons with the club (although he claims
it was more!). Alex also played well for the South of England team in the Allstar match.
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Matthew Hobson
Position - Guard/Defensive tackle
Date of birth - 2nd May 1973
Games played - 6
Matt Hobson
Most memorable game vs. Eastleigh (8-6)
Matt gave110% commitment in every game which he played for the Raiders, and so deciding on
this fine offensive and defensive linemen's best game was by no means an easy task.
However, after much deliberation it was decided that the Raiders fine 8-6 victory over the
Eastleigh Devils was Matt's finest hour in the silver and black. Matt's run blocking in
this game was phenomenal and this effort ensured that the majority of the Raiders ground
yardage was gained from the left side. Matt also played very well on the defensive line in
this game from where he attained a number of tackles and one sack.
Summary
Matt showed much dedication in his career for the Raiders. He was a fine team leader and
without his presence it may be argued that the Raiders would never have reached the
National Semi-Finals. Matt was sorely missed in the early part of the 1991 season which he
missed due to exams, but when he returned so did the Raiders winning form.
Other photos of Matt Hobson
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Ian Loveless (now Ian Harris)
Position - Guard & defensive tackle
Date of birth - 18th March 1974
Games played - 6
Ian Harris
Best game vs. Eastleigh (8-6)
Ian finally came of age in this game after a weak start with the team. His most memorable
moment must have been the 2 PAT attempt which got the Raiders into the semi-finals. The
Raiders O-Line and Eastleigh's D-Line both got fired up for this play more than any play
between them ever, and Ian Harris was in the thick of it. The noise before the snap was
deafening as both sides tried to psyche each other out, but it is a well known fact that
no-one can grunt as loud as Ian, and on this particular play Ian's bite was as bad as his
bark. Unsurprisingly we scored the two points.
Summary
Ian's season with the club showed him to be one of the leading characters in the team.
Good for morale and easy going with an infectious laugh. Ian was the least experienced
lineman in the team but he had a big tackle lined up on him every game and he coped
famously.
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Kevin Mason
Position - Cornerback
Date of birth - 20th February 1976
Games played - 7
Best game vs. Crawley (0-24)
Kevin became a true Raider in this game when he retaliated after some dirty play by a
Crawley receiver. Safety Rich Cleveland had to step in to stop Kev losing his cool.
Fortunately it worked and Kev succeeded in breaking up any passes that came his way during
the highly charged second half.
Summary
During his seven games for the Raiders (Kevin was one of only 7 players who were
ever-present in 1991) Kevin improved a great deal from being a quiet fringe player to
becoming one of the more reliable cornerbacks in the side. Safety Rich Cleveland said
after the 24-0 loss to Crawley that Kevin was,
"The best cornerback in the team in terms of technique."
Kevin Mason
Simon Osborn
Position - Guard/defensive tackle
Date of birth - 11th June 1973
Games played - 13
Simon Osborn
Best game vs. Newmarket (6-33)
Simon, despite being subdued as NT, managed to breakthrough on field goal and PAT attempts getting his hand to three attempts and deflecting them wide on each occasion. He also made a couple of tackles at vital moments in the game. Simon received the MVP award in this game due to his friendly nature to all Newmarket players and supporters.
Summary
Simon has been with the team since the beginning and was the first player to catch a pass in a competitive match (vs. Bearcats 12-12). Simon won two awards for the Raiders in the 1991, but everyone was disappointed with his mdoest amount of sacks he actually got playing for the Raiders (3) despite being a tireless worker. At the beginning of the season doubts were raised about his blocking ability but he has fought hard to dispel these doubts. Simon also played for the South of England team where he started on defense.
Other photos of Osborn
Marc Reeks
Position - Tight end/linebacker
Date of birth - 21st August 1973
Games played - 9
Marc Reeks
Best game vs. Basingstoke (0-0)
Deciding on this fine all-rounders best game was a very difficult task. However, it was agreed that the 0-0 tie away to Basingstoke was one of the top games played by this intimidating linebacker. In this game the main highlight for the Raider's was Marc's 13 yard interception return which positioned the Raiders on the Basingstoke one yard line. Unfortunately, due to one of Stu Winship's snaps the Raiders were unable to capitalise.
This game will also be remembered for probably the hardest hit ever by a Raiders player as Marc flattened their tight-end in the first half!
Summary
Marc was one of the most experienced players to join the Raiders after spending the
early part of his career with the Bournemouth Junior Bobcats. Marc's main attributes were
his physical fitness and his 110% effort on every down. Marc's abilities were shown to the
fore when Bournemouth lost 16-0 away to Eastleigh, when only Marc and one other player
could be bothered to chase an Eastleigh player the entire length of the field after an
interception.
Marc may be said to be the forgotten man of the Raiders and many claim that he was unlucky
not to receive an award at the end of the 1991 season. We wish Marc further success in his
playing career and hope that he will not forget his roots and the team that has helped to
make him the player is he - The Bournemouth Junior Bobcats!!
Marc went on from his Raiders career to Warwick University, where he played for their
kitted team.
Position – Defensive End
Date of Birth – 16th April 1973
Games played – 6
Most memorable game Vs Basildon (34-0)
James played well on both offensive and defensive lines where he registered a career and club record of 3.5 sacks. This was quite an exceptional effort as James was not one of the biggest linemen on the side. His aggression never faded even when the Raiders were on cruise control in the second half.
Summary
James specialised position was unknown at the beginning of the 1991 campaign and he made the mistake of communicating this willingness to play anywhere to Mark Elliott. This was a mistake of vast proportions as without hesitation he was awarded positions on both the offensive and defensive lines. However, he played well in both positions earning him the respect of his fellow players, this was shown in his all-star team selection and his award as most improved player.
He also led the team in 1991 with most sacks, and considering this was his rookie
season it was some achievement.
James also made a comeback against Worthing in our friendly match-up in 1992 where he got
1 sack.
Other photos of James Savage
Position – Wide Receiver/Cornerback
Date of Birth – 2nd June 1976
Games played – 7
Best game vs. Crawley 8-0
This was Bournemouth’s best game and a game that Kevin excelled in. Playing at cornerback he shadowed his man excellently making no errors. His fine performance was capped off with two interceptions which had he not intercepted would have given Crawley great field position from which to score. He returned both interceptions for valuable yards, which got Bournemouth out of their third of the pitch.
Summary
Kevin was unfortunate enough to be the younger brother of child protégé Steve Shergold! He had not only to prove his worth to the team, but also to his "superstar" brother. In all the games he played in he had an immediate disadvantage, his size. This showed, notably against Newmarket when in the second half he lined up against 6ft 3in John Mensah. Despite being a foot smaller than his opponent, Kevin did his job adequately even though the more experienced safeties in the side had trouble with John. Kev had a great season with the Raiders in 1991, and he was hotly tipped to be Most Improved Player ,only losing out to James Savage.
Kevin also made a comeback for the Raiders in their friendly match against Worthing in 1992 where he played at wide receiver and caught a touchdown pass from Luke Sanders to seal the victory.
Kevin currently plays for the Southern Sundevils in the BAFA league as a wide-receiver.
Position – Wide Receiver/Safety
Date of Birth – 3rd November 1973
Games played – 11
Best game vs. Eastleigh 8-6
Steve’s most memorable game was when the Raiders defeated their archrivals Eastleigh 8-6 in their dramatic play-off game. Although he did not obtain his best stats, he did score Bournemouth’s touchdown and the two-point attempt that won the game. This score took place in the last few moments of the game and Steve said that the last five minutes of that match is what he plays American Football for.
Steve Shergold
Summary
Steve was the backbone of the team on offense. Although not catching many passes in 1990 (6 catches for 45 yards), in 1991 he was in a class of his own. In his first match of 1991 he scored the Raiders first ever touchdown, going in from 47 yards on a short pass from Cleveland against Eastleigh. In the second game of the season he brought the Raiders their first ever victory. He excelled pulling off 11 catches for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns, and running in a 21-yard reverse for a touchdown against Basildon. As the season progressed so did Steve adding to his tally of points and yards. Steve has vastly superior yardage over the other Raiders receivers.
On defense Steve played at safety and pulled off nine interceptions (a Raiders record). Because of his ability he also played as punt/kick returnee and occasionally as kicker. Steve has always had positions that are in the limelight. If he did well he was rewarded, if he played badly it was noticed. Most of the time he played well and this earned him the accolade as BOURNEMOUTH RAIDERS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 1991 and a place in the South of England side.
When the team folded at the end of the 1991 season, Eastleigh were quick to snap him up for their first season as a fully kitted side. Steve progressed from there to Birmingham University where he played three seasons with the College side and also got selected for the Great British Bulldogs Student side.
He made the all-star team in 1994 and 1995 and got elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999. He currently plays for the Southern Sundevils in the BSL Div.2 as wide-receiver.
Other photos of Steve Shergold
Position – Quarterback/Linebacker
Date of Birth – 26th July 1973
Games played – 14
Best game vs. Newmarket 6-33
Bradley was chosen ahead of Rich Cleveland to lead them into their most important game ever. Figures of 181 yards passing speak for themselves and even in the faces of adversity he was still able to muster substantial drives. Bradley perfected the Raiders passing style and would have attained greater yards passing if he had started more games at QB.
Brad Smith on the run
Summary
Bradley progressed supremely from a player whose position was unknown at the beginning of the 1990 season to starting QB at the end of the 1991 season. Quite a leap! Bradley was one of the few newcomers to the sport, when he returned from Liverpool in 1988 to join the Raiders in the first season.
At QB he was unorthodox but effective. In his first game at QB (vs. Eastleigh 8-6) he was dropped after the first half but did enough to secure his position, starting QB for the Newmarket game. He played this game out at QB, thus emphasising his improvement at the position in his first season. On defense he gained 10.5 sacks at defensive end, a great effort, and it was surprising to see him move to inside linebacker in the 1991 season. However, he again adapted to the switch and performed well. He has played in the South of England game, playing several downs as the teams QB.
Position – Wide receiver/Cornerback
Date of Birth – 8th September 1972
Games played – 7
Best game vs. Crawley (8-0)
Richard’s most memorable game has to be Bournemouth’s 8-0 win over Crawley (their only defeat of the regular season), this is because he scored the touchdown for Bournemouth. During the game Richard picked up passes to gain Bournemouth vital yards. His overall performance in the game was not outstanding but he was eminent as he caught the winning throw.
Rich Smith
Summary
Rich only played for Bournemouth for one season, however during this season he became a popular and refreshing new player. Rich scored one touchdown and also caught 2 two-point conversions.
As a new player he showed great catching ability as well as a fair bit of pace. If he had learned to be more pattern disciplined and had more balls thrown in his direction he could have become a prolific scorer. However, most of the passes were thrown to Steve Shergold, but when the rare pass did come towards him he made no errors. A few more points to his tally and more field-time could have led to an offensive player of the year award.
Position – Safety
Date of Birth – 12th April 1974
Games played – 5
Best game vs. Crawley (8-0)
Matt’s most memorable game was when Bournemouth clashed with Crawley. He played well throughout and this performance was topped off when he intercepted the ball and ran it back to Crawley’s 4 yard line from where Bournemouth scored to win the game 8-0.
Matt White
Summary
Matt was drafted by Mark Elliott in the winter of 1990/91. In his first training session it was evident that he possessed a certain amount of raw talent that needed to be channelled. Matt adapted quickly to the Riaders coaching concepts and replaced veteran safety Mark Constant at the beginning of the season. Despite the fact he had less plays than most players, Matt can feEl justified in fulfilling the expectations that coach Elliott had of him.
Position – Centre/Defensive End
Date of Birth – 4th June 1973
Games played – 12
Stu Winship
Best game vs. Eastleigh (8-6)
Stuart, in this game was solid throughout making several tackles and gaining two sacks. His most memorable moment arose when the Eastleigh kicker had the ball snapped over his head and it scampered to the two yard line where he recovered the ball only to be pounced upon by the alert Winship putting the Raiders in great field position from which they scored.
Summary
Stuart started his career at right tackle against the Bearcats and slowly progressed to the more demanding and unglamerous position of center. Despite being small for his position Stuart battled hard to protect his quarterback. In his two seasons for the Raiders he amassed an all-time club record of 18 sacks and was one of the most consistent defensive players throughout both seasons.
His one moment of glory was against Basildon where he recovered a fumble and ran into the endzone, only to see another team-mate flagged for a clip disallowing his TD! He was awarded the ‘Mine’s an Autumn Gold’ trophy in 1991 and was been selected to play for the South of England team.
Other photos of Stuart Winship
Richard Baker
Games played 1
When Richard first turned up to a training session he put the fear of god into Mark Elliott and Alex Moland who thought he was going to pick a fight with everyone! His size and athleticism made him a popular and effective Raiders player and was sadly missed when he left the team due to a lack of commitment.
Charles Battey - Games played 2
Charles played on the offensive line and played 2 games in the 1991 season (Eastleigh 6-17 and Basildon 34-0). He also got two sacks, but left the team due to a lack of commitment.
Simon Branch - Games played 1
Simon turned up to the Raiders first ever game and impressed no-one despite high hopes by the Raiders management.
James Constant - Games played 1
Another one game player, however this time a useful and willing linemen, despite asking Mark Elliott whether to pass or rush block on each play so the Devils could hear!
Mark Constant -Games played 10
Mark left the team early in 1991 after three years with the club. During his career he established himself as a fine safety with reliable hands whilst catching 11 receptions and is second on the clubs all-time list for interceptions with 6. He left a promising career with the club to pursue a job commitment.
Mickey Dunn -Games played 1
Mick played one game, in Eastleigh’s 14-4 victory in 1990. The ex-Junior Bobcat player soon made his mark for the Raiders with hard-hitting blocks and penetrating runs which Eastleigh found hard to get to grips with. He also got one sack in that game.
Matt Francis - Games played 1
Matt played one game for the Raiders but never showed the commitment to be a regular team member, which he could have been with a bit more effort.
Paul Harrison - Games played 3
Paul turned up to the first few training sessions in 1990 and then disappeared for a year and a half! He came back mid-season of 1991 and played 4 games in total, but never made any impact in the games he played in.
Pete Larcombe - Games played 1
The young ex-Bearcat had few plays in his only game, the 0-9 loss to Eastleigh in 1990, but when he did get field time he excelled catching one interception. Age contributed to him being cut by the team.
John Goult - Games played 1
John played for the Raiders in just one game, the 12-0 defeat by Solent in 1990. He played centre, in the absence of Stuart Winship, a position he had become accustomed to after his fine performances for Bournemouth School in the same position against the Bournemouth Bearcats. He also played defensive end in this game and quickly formed a hard hitting tandem with Alex Moland. Always gave 100% effort.
John Goult: hard-hitting
Bobby Lee - Games played 2
Bobby had a brief spell with the club in 1990 and during that time established himself in the position of wide receiver and cornerback. This was highlighted when he obtained 2 votes for the Raiders all-star team (the same amount of votes as more experienced members of the team).
Bobby Lee
Andrew Long - Games played 1
Andrew played in the Raiders first ever game (vs. Eastleigh 0-9) at the position of cornerback having played in all three of the matches against the Bournemouth Bearcats. In the last Bearcats match at Meyrick Park (6-0) he scored the School’s only touchdown on a spectacular 74 yard catch and run.
Michael Smith - Games played 2
Played in two games and put himself around quite a bit getting one sack and a recovered fumble against Eastleigh at the beginning of the 1991 season.
Jeremy Webb - Games played 5
Jeremy started off his career as cornerback and soon became a bit player. He tried to establish himself as a quarterback with complicated plays, but after this failed he left the team.
Paul Whickham - Games played 6
Paul played as quarterback for a couple of games, but never fully realised his potential. He had a good throwing arm but poor vision for his receivers, thus he was dropped as QB and moved to safety where he fulfilled reasonable expectations.
Luke Sanders - Games played 1
Luke played one game for the Raiders, and that was against Worthing in 1992. He put in a solid display at quarterback, despite the poor conditions, and threw 1 touchdown pass to Kevin Shergold which clinched the game for the Raiders.
Richard Wilson
Richard played against Worhting, although this was not his first experience of American Football. He regularly played at lunch-times at school and played in two matches against the Bournemouth Bearcats. Cricketing commitments meant that he did not play for the Raiders in 1990 and 1991.
Robert Winkley
Robert played one game for the Raiders against Worthing in 1992. He played a variety of positions, but his inexperience of the game showed.
No-one quite knows how Bene ever came to play for the Raiders, but we were certainly short of players for the game against Worthing in 1992, and he was obviously asked by someone to play for us. Ben struggled to make an impact, but his presence was much required on the pitch.
Michael Head
Mike imposed himself on the Raiders due to his ability to draft in Matt Francis to help out on a dwindling line in the early part of the 1990 season. Mike gained much notoriety due to his infamous clip board waving (notably when Bradley Smith thought he had scored the Raiders first touchdown). Mike left the team following back-to-back defeats by Eastleigh (0-16) and Basingstoke (0-7).
Mike Head: clip board waving!
Bejam Naraghi
Bejam gained much notoriety due to his hideous trainer/boots and the perpetual saying of the phrase,
"At the Bobcats".
Bejam coached the Raiders for one game and was amazed at the exuberant celebrations that followed the Raiders first ever offensive points. Many players could not get to grips with Bejam’s off-beat coaching style. Bejam was due to travel with the Raiders up to Basildon, scene of the Raiders first ever win, however he didn’t turn up and that was the last we saw of him.
Craig Roberts
Craig Roberts joined Bournemouth as a coach early in their second season. He soon became friendly with most players, notably Osborn and Smith. Soon, not unsurprisingly, Osborn was given more responsibility on defense and Smith was made QB! The coach denies any bias.
His own fully kitted career over due to an injury, he wanted to be part of a team again and subsequently joined the Raiders. Soon he had devised a passing tree (the Raiders first) and the 53 counter-trap (the Raiders most successful play). With these new plays and audibles he became popular with nearly all the players and those who still disliked him he bought off with free rollneck Raiders tops (thanks!). Although Mark Elliott was headcoach/manager and did get Bournemouth up and running to their victories Craig must also be thanked. Without the two of them we wouldn’t have reached the semi-finals.
Craig Roberts
Mark Elliott
Mark was the Raiders first ever coach and had to endure a Raiders winless streak for the whole of 1990, but did manage to scrap a 0-0 tie away to Basingstoke. Mark did say before the 1990 season began that,
"Our aim is to gain respect this year and win the Bowl next year". He was almost exactly correct, as he succeeded in some quality drafting in the off-season which led to the team becoming more competitive in the 1991 season. Mark coached the Raiders to a 34-0 drubbing of Basildon, the Raiders first ever win and it was just after this that Craig Roberts took over the coaching of the team. It must also be remembered that Mark earned us 5 forfeit wins, most notably the one against Eastleigh that got us into the play-offs.
Mark Elliott in thoughtful mood