The Sheffield Giants are an American football team based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues NFC 1 South, the second level of British American football. They were formed in 2008 as the Sheffield Predators but re-branded to the Giants in 2016 in a nod to the Steel City Giants who folded in the 1980s. In 2012 they were crowned Division Two Bowl Champions after defeating the Peterborough Saxons at the Don Valley Stadium.
History
There have been a number of teams in and around the Sheffield area since the inception of American football in Britain.[1] The Steel City Giants were formed in the 1980s but soon folded in the same era. Until 2008, The Sheffield Tomahawks junior side were the only operating club in the City before The Predators were formed and after finishing their associate period, entered the BAFANL in 2010.[2][3] The Predators first season in Britball ended with a 0-10 record and finishing bottom of the National Central 2.[4]
In 2014, the Predators announced a partnership with Structure Sport and Fitness Ltd, a gym in Sheffield, worth over £4000 annually.[6]
In 2016, the club was rebranded as the Sheffield Giants after an online voting poll by supporters and the British American Football.[7] The name change came following the teams decision to boost the appeal of the club, citing that the name "The Predators" was a negative name for attracting players from schools and universities[8]
Logos & Uniforms
The Predators logo was a stylised lion, the team played in gold jerseys with a black trim, and black game pants. The Giants rebrand in 2017 incorporated a full kit rebrand to black helmet, sky blue jerseys and black pants.
Home field
The Sheffield Giants play their home games at the Sport Sheffield Norton Sports Park complex on Warminster Road in Sheffield. The University of Sheffield American Football Team also play their home games at Norton.
Youth Team
As well as the adult contact team, the Sheffield Giants also operate both flag football and youth contact teams, the latter is known as the 'Sheffield Giants Academy'.
The Academy began in 2018 with a U16 contact team and has now grown to over 100 players at ages 7 to 19. They are currently recruiting for the non-contact U11, U14 and U17 'flag' teams, along with the U16 and U19 contact teams. All youth teams are inclusive and are mixed gender.
There are two Sheffield Giants flag football teams, a Women's team and a mixed team.
Coaching staff
Role
Name
Head Coach
Matt Flynn
Offensive Coordinator
Adam Lilley
Defensive Coordinator
Linebackers
Anthony Marsden
Special Teams Coordinator
Linebackers
Dave Rowley
Offense
Running Backs Coach
James Tannter
Offensive Line coach
Oliver Monaghan
Quarterbacks Coach
Jacob Hardy
Wide Receivers Coach
Martyn Lee
Offensive General Assistant
Summer Morris
Defense
Defensive Line Coach
Fernando Carvalho
Assistant Defensive Line Coach
Liam Albert
Defensive Backs Coach
Sam Calvert
Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
Matthew Sherridan
Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
Mikey Guinness
Special Teams
Assistant Special Teams Coach
Shaun Hird
Assistant Special Teams Coach
Aaron Mcwhir
Other
General Assistant
Ellie Johnson
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Kieran Burke (Team Hallam)
Head Physio
Dominic Moon (Pure Physio)
Statistician
Jack Dyson
Placement Studen
Harvey Evans
Roster
Quarterbacks
6: Ewan Chisholm
12: Josh Adamson
14: Daniel Mayers
Running backs
24: Scott Roberts
28: Harry O'Neill
31: Anthony Slingsby
34: Sam Evans
Receivers
3: Jason Sanders
5: Jon Taylor
8: Elliott Marris
11: Kieren Singh
17: Jamie Dean
32: Josh Allen
48: John Halliwell
80: Phil Skinner
82: Dan Magee
83: Luke Goodwin
84: Tom Dolan
86: Martyn Lee
87: Ryan Taylor
88: Paul Weston
89: Matthew Webb
Offensive line
54: Rob Bane
58: Si Byrne
59: Adam Lilley
61: Oliver Monaghan
66: Miles Wright
72: Daniel Tipper
73: Benjamin Dixon
75: Pete Draper
77: John Gilmartin
Defensive line
7: Ben Hopkinson
42: Fernando Carvalho
57: Adam Tordoff
65: Nathan Lenthall
68: Kade Chriwa
69: Brad Weaver
92: Martin Dorn
95: Jordan Harding
97: Stephen Connolly
98: Oliver Richards
99: Dan Salt
Linebackers
2: Anthony Marsden
10: Kieran Nelson
19: Jack Ramsden
43: Alex Briggs
44: Russell Waddell
45: Phillip Jarrett
52: Henrique Borges
53: Ben Fenwick
56: Adam Berry
93: Connor Charles
Defensive backs
9: Joseph Higginbotham
13: Nathan Gatchalian
16: Andrew Kenyon
18: Simon Ross
20: Adam Westwood
21: Lucas Klumb
22: Matt Hawker
23: Ash Burgess
25: James Tanner
26: Jack Dyson
29: Matthew Sherridan
33: Lewis James
Kickers
4: Kyle Tranter
Team Records
Complete records for the club under all three identities. 1986 to 1989 as Steel City Giants, 2010 to 2016 as Sheffield Predators and 2016 to present day for Sheffield Giants .[9]
