The Crewe Railroaders were formed in November 1984 by Gary Delaney. On June 2nd 1985 a squad of 29 players travelled to take part in their first ever game - a pre-season friendly against the Leamington Royals in Wythall Park, Solihull, Birmingham. Running Back Phil Oakes scored the first ever Railroaders Touchdown and Gary Delaney kicked the first ever extra point. It was a tough game which they lost 12-50. Gary Delaney broke his arm and was resigned to coaching for the rest of the season. Three weeks later they travelled to take on the Hereford Chargers as members of the United Kingdom American Football Association and became part of history by taking part in the first ever season of American Football in Great Britain. Eight games later the Railroaders were crowned inaugural Central Division Champions with a record of 5-2-1. In the playoffs, they lost in triple overtime to Dunstable Cowboys, a game that will always be remembered for Art Cooke’s Field Goal to win the game that agonizingly hit the cross bar and bounced back onto the field.
For their second season in 1986 the Railroaders joined the British American Football League and faced much tougher opposition and were to face their arch enemies Stoke Spitfires a team they would beat twice during the season. Quarterback Gavin Meredith had a record breaking season as established himself as one of the most feared Quarterbacks in the country. Defensive End Ian Hollinshead created his own piece of history by being the only player selected to play for the United Kingdom not from a top flight team. Despite finishing with a winning record of 7-3-0 they failed to qualify for the playoffs. During the off season the Railroaders began to break up. Key staff member Steve Arrowsmith defected to the Manchester Heroes and took Ian Hollinshead with him.
The 1987 Budweiser League pre-season games were against the Manchester Spartans, Leicester Panthers and Black Country Nailers. A week before the season began Head Coach and founder Gary Delaney walked out on his club and also joined the Manchester Heroes taking a few players with him. The first game of the season saw Crewe lose to their new rivals the Manchester Heroes. The Railroaders were to win only one game all season ironically away at the Heroes finishing 1-9-0 on the season. Crewe did have one highlight, Wide receiver Steve Valentine recorded the first ever 100 yd kick off return for a touchdown.
1988 saw Canadian Chris Rogers join the team. Crewe joined the BNGL and dropped down a division and annihilated their opposition throughout the season. They were crowned champions of the Midland Conference with an outstanding 9-1-0 record. Before the 1989 BNGL season many of the star players had signed for other teams, the loss of Gavin Meredith and Steve Valentine to the Manchester Allstars being the biggest losses.
The Railroaders began a new era under the guidance of Kevin Randle who renamed the team Railroaders ’89. It was a winning season with a 5-4-1 record but the team was struggling for players, numbers had started to dwindle.
1990 was to be the Railroaders final season. It was to be a losing one with a record of 3-7-0. Gary Delaney had returned to the club but was unable to help a team in obvious decline.
In 1991 it was time for a change. Gary Delaney formed a new team – the South Cheshire Refugees. He persuaded some of his old team mates from the Manchester Heroes days to join along with the remnants of the Railroaders. There were even 4 players who flew in from the Isle of Man for games. The Refugees played for three seasons, the first two seasons qualifying for the play-offs. By 1993 the Refugees were struggling to field a team all season, only winning 3 games. 1994 was the first time in 9 years there was to be no American Football played in South Cheshire, it was the end of an era. It was 9 years that many of the players still remember fondly for many different reasons.
Crewe Railroaders
1990 BNGL Premier Division North West Conference 3-7-0
1989 BNGL Premier Division Northern B Conference 5-4-1
1988 BNGL Midlands Conference 9-1-0*
1987 Budweiser League Premier Division Northern Conference 1-9-0
1986 BAFL Anglo Division Northern Conference 7-3-0
1985 UKAFA Central Conference 5-2-1*
South Cheshire Refugees
1993 BNGL Premier Division Midlands Conference 2-7-0
1992 BNGL Premier Division West Midlands Conference 7-3-0* 1991 BNGL First Division Northern Conference 8-2-0*
