American Football League (UK) 1985

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Final Standings

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*Division Champions

+Wildcard Qualifiers for Playoffs

$Tyneside Trojans declined to field a team in the Playoffs. Glasgow Lions took their place in the Playoffs.

^Wessex Wildcats were formed in Week 10 by the merger of Southampton Wolverines and Dorset Broncos. The Wildcats took the record of Southampton Wolverines going forward. Dorset Broncos record and results expunged.

~Dorset Broncos (1-5) and Southampton Wolverines (0-4) merged to form Wessex Wildcats after Week 10.

>Newcastle Browns did not complete their fixtures – three games outstanding.

%Locomotive Derby (AAFC) and Rockingham Rebels (BAFF) left AFL (UK) before season started for Regional Leagues.

£ Edinburgh Blue Eagles v Fylde Falcons not played.

AFL (UK) Playoffs 1985

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Summer Bowl I

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About AFL (UK)

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The American Football League of 1985 – usually shortened to the acronym AFL (UK) – was the second season of the first-ever fully British-based Gridiron Football League in Britain featuring primarily British-born players. The sport gained a wide following in the mid-to-late 1980s after being introduced to British audiences by the Channel 4 TV station. The 1985 season was the first full season of AFL (UK) with set scuedules and playoffs culminating in the Summerbowl, played at Villa Park, Birmingham (home of Aston Villa FC) in front of 7,100 paying fans. 36 teams started this season, with two teams merging mid-way through the season.

The success of the league led in 1986 to the USA Drinks giant, Budweiser, getting involved, starting its’ own league with a large sponsorship input. This led to a split in the AFL (UK) with most Southern-based teams joining the new Budweiser League with its’ professional approach and most Northern-based teams and some Midlands and Southern teams remaining in the AFL (UK) – re-named BAFL British American Football League – for 1986.

About American Football

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American Football is a North American version of Football, dating back over 100 years and resembling Rugby more than Soccer but played with 11 players on each team on the field at any one time (as in Soccer rather than Rugby). There is unlimited substitution in the Stateside-version of the game and Offense (Attack) and Defense have two entirely separate squads within each team – when the attacking teams’ Offense is on the field the opposing teams Defense is also on the field and vice-versa.

Scoring is by primarily by running or passing the ball into the opposing teams’ Endzone (a 15-yard area at either end of the 100-yard field) to score a Touchdown – worth 7 points – although despite the name and unlike in Rugby when scoring a Try this does not have to be touched down for the score to count – the ball just has to pass the ‘plane’ of the Endzone cleanly – in other words with the scoring players both feet in bounds and in clear possession of the ball). A TD is converted by the choice of either kicking the ball through the uprights (posts) for 1 point or by passing or running it successfully into the endzone for 2 points (this is in addition to the 6 points for the Touchdown (TD).

If a Touchdown appears unlikely during the attacking teams’ ‘Drive’ they can opt to kick a Field Goal worth 3 points. A ‘Drive’ is the cumulated plays of a teams’ single possession, and ends with either a score or a turnover – a change of possession such a pass being intercepted or the ball being ‘fumbled’ (dropped) and being recovered by the opposition. If a team is not within scoring range it may opt to ‘punt’ the ball – kick it back into the opposing teams’ end to gain better field position – and in doing so handing possession back to the opposition.

A third way of scoring is by a Safety – usually a defensive score whereby the ball carrier is tackled in his own Endzone. A Safety is Worth 2 Points.

Each game is 60 minutes long – divided into 4 quarters of 15 minutes – although unlike Rugby, Soccer or GAA there is no running clock, with the clock being stopped every time the ball is ‘dead’ – in other words goes out of the playing area or in other cases such as a score, incomplete pass or change of possession. Each game thus lasts up to 3 hours 30 minutes or sometimes more.

The National Football League (NFL) in USA is the Major Professional League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football programmes are also very big in USA.

References

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Bibliography

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[1] Gridiron UK “Crafty Cockneys” October 1985, pg. 15-16. Published by Southern Newspapers PLC, Christchurch, Dorset. Executive Ed: Bob Goddard.  Reports: Ross Biddiscombe, Steve Downton, Jon Chandler, Bev Wills, Eugene Maynard, Graham Trott, Alan Beastall, Ian Christy, Bob Armstrong, Chris Tofalos, Janine Kilroe, Wayne Paulo and Mike Allen. 

[2] Gridiron UK “British Fixtures” April 1985, pg. 23. Published by Southern Newspapers PLC, Christchurch, Dorset. Executive Ed: Bob Goddard.  

About this document

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Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Published: 3 October 2025. Last Updated: 3 October 2025

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2025

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.

About Eirball

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Eirball is an Archive of Irish, North American and World Sports Results and Statistics, with a focus primarily on the sports’ respective leagues in Ireland and Irish-born players abroad. It is the work of Enda Mulcahy. Eirball.ie is the Gridiron Football (American Football) subsite of the Eirball.sport main landing site.