In the fourth part of our series taking a closer look at 2016’s MFC1 (Midland Football Conference 1) opponents we concentrate on the Peterborough Saxons…
Originally founded as the East Midlands Saxons in 2001 as a way to allow a youth team to continue playing , the team played their first games in Boston, Lincolnshire in the Division 2 North of the BAFL in 2002.
They moved to Spalding in 2003 to expand their catchment area, and picked up their first win on the opening day of the season against the Manchester Titans and eventually finished the campaign with a record of three wins, six defeats and a tie.
After going 0-9 in 2004 the team moved to Peterborough in 2005 and joined the realigned Division Two East but were unable to improve on their best record of three wins until the 2007 season, where seven wins were enough for a first visit to the play-offs which ended in a 14-8 defeat against the Dundee Hurricanes.
The club were renamed the Peterborough Saxons in 2008, and ended in another visit to the play-offs following a successful season which included wins over the Milton Keynes Pathfinders and Bedfordshire Blue Raiders.
They were promoted to Division 1 ahead of the 2009 campaign but found the jump in competition difficult to adjust to, and after losing a number of players, coaches and back office staff withdrew from the league early in the 2011 campaign.
A new committee and coaching staff were formed before the team returned to competition in 2012, and after going unbeaten through the regular season and play-offs lost a thrilling BritBowl final in overtime to the Sheffield Predators.
The Saxons were promoted to the Premiership South for 2013 and posted a record of 2-8 thanks to victories over South Wales Warriors and Ipswich Cardinals.
Head Coach Will White left to join the newly-formed Eagles ahead of 2014 and was replaced by Gary Van Zandt. The Saxons would go 6-4 in the National Division Central and lay the groundwork for what would result in a very successful 2015 for the club.
Following another league reshuffle the Saxons got off to a flyer in the re-shaped third tier of British football in 2015, starting 4-0 following victories over the Humber Warhawks, Lincolnshire Bombers and Leicester Falcons, but lost to the impressive Sandwell Steelers.
In fact the Steelers would be the only team to beat them during the regular season as the Saxons marched on to the Division Two final.
2015 Division Two Finalists
Sun 5th April vs Humber Warhawks WON 54-0
Sun 12th April @ Humber Warhawks WON 73-0
Sun 26th April @ Lincolnshire Bombers WON 21-13
Sun 10th May vs Leicester Falcons WON 30-3
Sun 7th June @ Sandwell Steelers LOST 41-14
Sun 21st June vs Leeds Bobcats WON 40-13
Sun 28th June @ Leeds Bobcats WON 28-16
Sun 5th July @ Leicester Falcons LOST 26-13
Sun 19th July @ Lincolnshire Bombers WON 48-10
Sun August 9th vs Sandwell Steelers LOST 28-24
They travelled to Scotland in the quarter-final of the play-offs who they beat 28-26, and after seeing off Manchester Titans 28-14 in the semi-final met their old nemesis the Steelers in the Division Two final.
The Steelers came out winners again, and both teams were promoted to Division One for the 2016 season.
Contact Details
- Website: www.peterboroughsaxons.com
- Facebook: thepeterboroughsaxons
- Twitter: @SaxonsFootball
Club Colours
The Saxons club colours are blue, white and black. They wear blue helmets with white face cages, blue jerseys and black pants.
Dates for the Diary
Sunday 8th May, Ouse Valley Eagles @ Peterborough Saxons
Sunday 3rd July, Peterborough Saxons @ Ouse Valley Eagles
Home Ground & How to Get There
The Saxons play their home games at Thorney Rugby Club, Ron Jacobs Field, Peterborough PE6 0PB.
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