The Crewe Railroaders are an American football team based in Crewe, Cheshire, England, founded in 1984. They play in NFC 2 West of the BAFA National Leagues and resumed playing competitive games in 2012, having reformed in 2010 after folding in 1990. The team is the subject of a 2016 film called Gridiron UK, the screenplay of which was written by team founder, coach and player Gary Delaney. History The Crewe Railroaders were formed in November 1984 by Gary Delaney. 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 on 2 June 1985, losing 13-50. Running Back Phil Oakes scored the first ever Railroaders Touchdown and Gary Delaney kicked the first ever extra point. 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 BAFL 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 chosen 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 the club he founded and also joined the Manchester Heroes taking a few players with him. The first game