Bristol Packers
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Packers was a British
American football
team which existed during the late 1980s and early 1990s in the city of Bristol
, England
. They played the majority of their home games at Cribbs Causeway, the home of Clifton Rugby Football Club
, and also played some home games at Whitchurch
Sports Stadium, St Bernadette's Rugby Club and Keynsham
Rugby Club. The team folded
at the end of the 1991 season after failing to record a single win that year, and suffered the death of a player on the field.
Ronnie Barnes during a game with the London Ravens. His shirt number, #33, has been retired by all American football teams in Bristol in his honour.
The team's overall record in league and playoff
games was 26-27-1.
This period of the late 1980s and early 1990s was the peak of popularity of American football in the United Kingdom
, and in Bristol in particular. Over this time a total of six teams played in Bristol, each competing with the others for spectators and players, making it difficult for any of the teams to thrive. The six teams were the Packers and Bombers, as well as the Bristol Pirates and Bristol Blackhawks
which both folded in the early 90s. The Bristol Aztecs
and Bristol Bullets have lasted into the 21st century, and are both still active, along with the formation of the Bristol Barracuda who entered the BUAFL in 2007-2008 season.
There was a Bristol Packers club shop in the St Pauls
area of Bristol, which sold club merchandise.
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team which existed during the late 1980s and early 1990s in the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They played the majority of their home games at Cribbs Causeway, the home of Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club
Clifton Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club founded in Clifton, Bristol, England. Over the years the club's home games have been played in a variety of locations in northern Bristol, though never in Clifton itself; since 1976 they have been based at the southern end of Cribbs Causeway.Clifton...
, and also played some home games at Whitchurch
Whitchurch, Bristol
Whitchurch is a village in north Somerset, England and an adjoining suburb of south eastern Bristol, bounded by Hartcliffe to the west and Hengrove and Knowle to the north. The suburb was initially developed during the 1930s....
Sports Stadium, St Bernadette's Rugby Club and Keynsham
Keynsham
Keynsham is a town and civil parish between Bristol and Bath in Somerset, south-west England. It has a population of 15,533.It was listed in the Domesday Book as Cainesham, which is believed to mean the home of Saint Keyne....
Rugby Club. The team folded
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
at the end of the 1991 season after failing to record a single win that year, and suffered the death of a player on the field.
History
The team were formed after the Bristol Bombers folded in 1986. The Packers ended their first season in 1987 with a 10-0 record in the Budweiser League Division One South-Western Conference, taking the conference championship. Their first season was to be the highlight of the team's existence, and a rapid decline culminated in the team ending its fifth, and final, season without a single win. The Packers ended their brief existence after the 1991 season when the club folded. This final season was also marred by the death on the field of FullbackFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Ronnie Barnes during a game with the London Ravens. His shirt number, #33, has been retired by all American football teams in Bristol in his honour.
The team's overall record in league and playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
games was 26-27-1.
This period of the late 1980s and early 1990s was the peak of popularity of American football in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and in Bristol in particular. Over this time a total of six teams played in Bristol, each competing with the others for spectators and players, making it difficult for any of the teams to thrive. The six teams were the Packers and Bombers, as well as the Bristol Pirates and Bristol Blackhawks
Bristol Blackhawks
The Bristol Blackhawks were an American football team which existed during the late 1980s and early 1990s in the city of Bristol, England. The team was founded by Phil "Camo Spud" Cook.-External links:*...
which both folded in the early 90s. The Bristol Aztecs
Bristol Aztecs
The Bristol Aztecs are a British American football team based inBristol, England, at the Filton WISE sports academy of Filton College, Bristol, which is also the base for a number of other sports teams such as Bristol Academy woman's soccer team.- Overview :...
and Bristol Bullets have lasted into the 21st century, and are both still active, along with the formation of the Bristol Barracuda who entered the BUAFL in 2007-2008 season.
There was a Bristol Packers club shop in the St Pauls
St Pauls, Bristol
St Pauls is an inner suburb of Bristol, England, situated just north east of the city centre and west of the M32. It is bounded by the A38, the B4051 and the A4032 roads...
area of Bristol, which sold club merchandise.
Colours
The team played in green and gold uniforms, the same colours as their namesakes the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
League record
| Season | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Budweiser League Division 1, South-Western Conference | 10-0 |
| 1988 | Budweiser League Premier Division, South-Western Conference | 8-2 |
| 1989 | Budweiser League South-Western Conference | 2-8 |
| 1990 | NDMA Southern Conference | 4-6 |
| 1991 | NDMA First Division, Southern Conference | 0-9-1 |