The London Warriors are a British American Football club with a cabinet full of trophies, stars now playing in the States and philosophy of turning out not just good players but good people.

Formerly based in Thornton Heath  the club  which trains out of Selhurst was founded in 2005 with initially just a Junior Tackle team. In a short time it has grown to have six teams spanning the ages of eight to adults.

In the past six year’s the men’s team have won five National Championships and recently hosted the Uppsala 86ers from Sweden for a pre-season friendly.

Successful alumni include  Tigie Sankoh, Tigie who used to play for the Warriors and is currently signed to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL and Efe Obada, who is playing for the Carolina Panthers in the same American League.

The Warriors women’s team was founded in 2014 and has gone from strength to strength. 

Since winning the national championship in flag football (5v5) in 2015 the women’s team has moved on to playing division one 7v7 full tackle football and came second nationally this year. The Warriors programme looks to teach the game across all levels and many joining having never played or watched American Football before. 

The club aims to develop players to a high standard, while also teaching discipline and responsibility so that they can be great players and people on and off the field. 

Head Coach Tony Allen said: “The aim of the program is to develop players to a high standard of understanding of the sport. To teach discipline and responsibility as it pertains to the game, how to deal with wins and losses and how those skills learnt from those situations can also apply in life. Our aim is to turn out good players but most of all good people.”

Practice is held every Sunday for the Cadet’s (eight to 12-year’s-old) starting at 9.30am, with Youth Flag (13 to 16 years), Youth Tackle (14 to 16 years) and Junior Tackle (16 to 19 years).

Teams train from 10.30am-12pm and the men’s team trains every Sunday at 12pm and Wednesday evening from 8pm-9.30pm with the women’s team training during the autumn and winter every Saturday and Wednesday. 

The tackle teams season has already begun with Junior’s winning 24-6 in their most recent game against the Wembley Stallions and the Men’s team winning 46-15 in a match against staunchest rivals the London Blitz.