NDMA Standings and Playoffs 1991
NDMA Division One Standings 1991
| NDMA Division One 1991 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT |
| Northern Conference | |||||||
| * Birmingham Bulls | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 461 | 127 | 0.900 |
| * Nottingham Hoods | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 474 | 145 | 0.900 |
| * Glasgow Lions | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 481 | 236 | 0.900 |
| * Leicester Panthers | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 277 | 218 | 0.500 |
| Leeds Cougars | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 168 | 400 | 0.500 |
| Manchester Spartans | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 151 | 354 | 0.200 |
| Blackpool Falcons | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 170 | 306 | 0.200 |
| Gateshead Senators | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 245 | 464 | 0.200 |
| Southern Conference | |||||||
| * London Olympians | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 432 | 76 | 1.000 |
| * Northants Storm | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 393 | 254 | 0.800 |
| * Essex Gladiators | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 268 | 219 | 0.700 |
| (R-D) Bournemouth Bobcat | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 353 | 227 | 0.600 |
| * Thames Valley Chargers | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 119 | 271 | 0.500 |
| Brighton B-52’s | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 145 | 255 | 0.300 |
| (R-D) London Ravens | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 104 | 249 | 0.250 |
| (R) Solent Warriors | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 26 | 377 | 0.100 |
| (R-D) Bristol Packers | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 49 | 192 | 0.050 |
NDMA Division One Playoffs 1991
| Quarter-Finals, | Sunday 14 July 1991 | ||
| London Olympians | 72 | Thames Valley Chargers | 0 |
| Northants Storm | 44 | Glasgow Lions | 12 |
| Birmingham Bulls | 32 | Leicester Panthers | 18 |
| Nottingham Hoods | 61 | Essex Gladiators | 10 |
| Semi-Finals, | Sunday 21 July 1991 | ||
| Birmingham Bulls | 37 | Nottingham Hoods | 24 |
| London Olympians | 34 | Northants Storm | 12 |
| NDMA Coke Bowl II | Sunday 4 August 1991 | ||
| Birmingham Bulls | 39 | London Olympians | 38 |
Notes
NDMA is an orphaned acronym for National Division Management Agency
NDMA created a new NDMA Super League for 1992 featuring top 12 teams from 1991.
* Qualify for Playoff Quarter-Finals
(R) Relegated to new NDMA Division One for 1992,
(D) Disbanded after season
(Name or Division Changes for 1992 in Brackets after Team Record)
Report
1991 was the eighth season of organised Gridiron Football in Britain featuring British-based teams and British-born players. It was also the second season of the NDMA, and the Coke Bowl, after Budweiser pulled sponsorship for the Budweiser League and Coca-Cola replaced them.
Birmingham Bulls won their third BritBowl, as the Bowl Games were unofficially known, by defeating London Olympians for the second time in four years in the Finale by a single point, 39-38. The Bulls had also previously defeated Glasgow Lions 23-2 in Summer Bowl II (1986) and lost to Manchester Spartans 21-14 in Bud Bowl IV (1989).
For the Olympians it was a heart-breaking fourth loss in four Bowl appearances, having lost twice to the London Ravens (45-7 in Summer Bowl I in 1985 and 20-12 in Bud Bowl I in 1986) as well as the previous 30-6 defeat to the Bulls in Brit Bowl III in 1988.
Defending Champions Manchester Spartans failed to make it three titles in a row as they slumped to a 2-8 record. 1990’s runners-up Northants Storm finished the season 8-2 but lost out in the Semi-Finals by 34-12 to the Olympians.
In all it was a disappointing season despite the close end to the Bowl Game, as a number of long-term top Britball teams disbanded after the season: London Ravens, champions and undefeated 1984 to 1987, folded after a dismal 2-7-1 record by their standards, and Bristol Packers and Bournemouth Bobcat both disbanded leaving no team in top Division in the South West for 1992.
The NDMA created a new Super League for 1992 featuring the top 12 teams from 1991, with another 12 teams making up the second level. For the Olympians, despite defeat again, it was to be the start of a new era of dominance, as the Streatham-based team emerged from the Ravens’ shadow to dominate British Gridiron Football for the next 15 years.
REFERENCES
Newspapers
[1] Anon. (1991) “Results – Tables – Fixtures” First Down. July 13, 1991. pg. 20. Mediawatch Ltd. Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK.
[2] Anon. (1991) “Results – Tables – Fixtures” First Down. July 20, 1991. pg. 20-21. Mediawatch Ltd. Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK.
[3] Anon. (1991) “Results – Tables – Fixtures” First Down. July 27, 1991. pg. 21. Mediawatch Ltd. Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK.
[4] (1991) “Coke Bowl: Spider Man’s A Super Hero” First Down. August 10, 1991. pg. 21. Mediawatch Ltd. Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England, UK.
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 2 March 2024
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2024
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.
