East Kilbride Pirates seniors to play in NFC 1 North

November 3rd, 2018

Meet our opposition for 2019! Conference alignments have been announced for the 2019 British American Football Association National Leagues season for Premier and Division 1 adult contact teams.

As expected, the Pirates senior team drops down from NFC Premier North to NFC 1 North. They join Gateshead Senators, Glasgow Tigers, Northumberland Vikings, Yorkshire Academy Rams and the newly promoted Aberdeen Roughnecks.

Provisional 2019 adult contact schedules have also been issued under embargo to all Premier Division and Division 1 teams. The schedules will be openly released once approved, which will be before Christmas this year.

Meanwhile, the Pirates seniors start preparations today with the first of two organised team activity sessions ahead of returning in the New Year to hit the ground running with a rookie try out event on Sunday 6 January.

Pirates senior team Head Coach Jamie McLaughlin is looking forward to the season ahead, commenting: “It’s great to get an early idea of our schedule and opponents for next year, and I’m really excited to have something to aim for as we move forward.”

Meet the opposition!

NFC 1 North includes some familiar faces and some new challenges for the Pirates.

ABERDEEN ROUGHNECKS

Previous Meetings: None                                                             Win/Loss/Tie Record: N/a

Last Meeting: N/a                                                                            Biggest Win: N/a

While these teams have never met outside of a shared practice and controlled scrimmage in 2014, the Pirates had a long history with Aberdeen’s previous team, the Granite City Oilers. Those teams met on 10 occasions between 1988 and 1995. The first of those remains the Pirates heaviest ever defeat, losing by a colossal 110-0. The last meeting was in August 1995 with the Oilers winning 35-6 in an SGA playoff game at Brancumhall.

Overall Record: 2-8-1, the tie being a “void” game in 95.

GATESHEAD SENATORS

Previous Meetings: 26                                                    Win/Loss/Tie Record: 19-7-0

Last Meeting: 20/04/2014                                             Biggest Win: 72-0

First met in a pre-season friendly before the 1997 Season, then took up formal hostilities in 1999. While the Pirates hold the upper hand (although the record does include two awarded ties), Gateshead did go on a 5-game winning streak between 2005 and 2007.

GLASGOW TIGERS

Previous Meetings: None                                                             Win/Loss/Tie Record: N/a

Last Meeting: N/a                                                                            Biggest Win: N/a

As with Aberdeen, these sides have never met, but again there is history with an earlier incarnation of the Tigers. For years they played as Strathclyde Sheriffs and the Pirates regularly came up against them back in the day. 14 contests between 1986 and 1998 saw EK hold a 9-5-0 record. The last game in 1998 was a 62-0 win for the Pirates

NORTHUMBERLAND VIKINGS

Previous Meetings: None                                                             Win/Loss/Tie Record: N/a

Last Meeting: N/a                                                                            Biggest Win: N/a

Totally new opposition for the Pirates. The only contact was a controlled scrimmage in 2014.

YORKSHIRE ACADEMY RAMS

Previous Meetings: 21                                                    Win/Loss/Tie Record: 21-0-0

Last Meeting: 05/07/2015                                             Biggest Win: 84-0

Recently renamed to the Yorkshire Academy Rams, the Rams were regular combatants in the 21st century and have yet to get the better of East Kilbride. 20 games played and 20 defeats plus 1 awarded fixture makes grim reading for the Rams. No doubt they’ll be keen to get that elusive W in 2019.

Thanks to Bill Campbell

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