Linebackers

Dave Chambers

The first name on the team sheet in every game he played, including the GB Lions between 1985 and 1989. Chambers starred as a dominating linebacker for the Birmingham Bulls taking the 1986 Summerbowl and 1988 Bud Bowl amongst honours. Played in the Bulls 1986 Eurobowl run to the semi-finals. Moved to the London Olympians in 1988, whom he led to the 1988 Bud Bowl final. Also played for the GB Lions from their inception in 1985 through to 1989, though missed out on the 1989 European Championship in Germany through injury.

In 1990, Chambers moved to the Walsall Titans and position to Running Back, helping them to clinch the NCMMA Northern Conference. In 1991 he moved to the Coventry Jaguars, and scored 2 TDs in their 50-28 Division Two title win over Cardiff. Returned to the Bulls as a player and youth team coach in 1994, and took part in the 1994 and 1995 national finals, before moving into coaching with the Bulls for a season (taking them to the 1996 Division Two Bowl game) and then onto the Lancashire Wolverines.

Bob Dean

A ferocious LB for club and country. Bob played for the Streatham/London Olympians in their early days in the mid 80’s through to 1995. He also played for the GB Lions between 1989 and 1995. Competed in some of the early great Britball matches such as Summerbowl I (1985) and Bud Bowl I (1986). Also won a hat-trick of national titles with the club from 1992 to 1994, and two European titles in 93 and 94. He still plays rugby union to a high standard for Streatham-Croydon RUFC having joined the club in the early 80’s and captained the club and first XV for many seasons.



Jason Brisbane

Jason Brisbane began his American football career with the London Blitz.  At 6ft 2ins and just 13 1/2 stone, he was an undersized linebacker but he was able to make up for that lack of size with speed, aggression and what coaches like to refer to as 'a nose for the ball'. He quickly played his way into the Great Britain teams at youth and then senior level and in 2004 he set a team record for the Blitz by recording 22 tackles in a game. He was named the British American Football League's Most Valuable Player in the same year. He has played in 2 Britball finals (2006 and 2007), winning the 2007 national championship making 11 unassisted tackles in the final. In 2007, he showed up at NFL development trials weighing 16 1/2 stone and was duly picked up by the San Diego Chargers. Also played 4 times for the GB Lions, including the successful 2004 European Championship campaign. Returned an interception for a TD in his last runout for the national team against Centre College in 2005. 


Brisbane in San Diego Chargers uniform

Colin Nash

An exceptional fullback from the earliest days of Britball with the Birmingham Bulls, he was team captain of the Bulls that won Summerbowl II against Glasgow in 1986, and also competed in Eurobowl I that same season with the Bulls. Started for GB in their first ever international against France in 1985. Moved to linebacker in 1987, and turned into one of the hardest hitters in the game.

Led the NDMA league in tackles in 1991 with 80 solos, and was ranked second in 1993 with 57 solos. Also featured in the top 10 tackler list in 1994.

Played in all four national titles that the Bulls won from 1986 to 1995, and also for the GB Lions in both the 1989 and 1991 European Championship wins. Retired at the end of the 1995 season the Bulls won their fourth national title.

In an era when British sides were paying large sums of money to import players, Nash competed with the very best of them.



Paul Newey

Newey has just completed his 15th year (as of end of 2008) in Britball and continues to play at the highest level in Britball. Starting his career at the Birmingham Bulls he reached the national final with them in 1994 his rookie season, and then went one better in 1995 when the Bulls defeated the O's to the win the national title. After retiring from the Bulls in the early 2000's, he returned to the game with the Coventry Jets in 2003 where he has helped lead them from Division Two to 3 titles (Division 2 in 2005, Division 1A in 2006 and the national title for the first time in 2008).

He made his debut for the GB Lions in the 1995 friendly against Ireland, and has played in 3 European Championship finals (1997, 2004 and 2005) for the Lions in his collection of 7 caps.


Newey (left) with the Boston Trophy in 2008

John Parker

Parker was a very smart, all-around great linebacker who could read a game and be in the right place at the right time. He played the majority of his career for the Nottingham Hoods, and in 1989 was rewarded for his fine play with a call up for the GB Lions where he was capped 3 times. He played for the Lions in their successful 1989 European Championship campaign.

He left the Hoods in 1990, when he joined the Manchester Spartans where he won a national and european club title in the same season.


Parker (right) in action vs Northants Storm

John Aska

John Aska (left in picture below) was a founding player and Chairman of the London Ravens starting with them in 1983. An outstanding athlete, he represented GB in their opening games from 1985 to 1987, and caught an interception in their first game against France in 1985. Played for the Ravens in Eurobowl II in 1988, and retired shortly afterwards.



Karl Goodwin

Goodwin was a very smart and a great athlete who played the majority of his career at the Portsmouth Warriors. He led the Warriors D to the runners-up spot in the Crown National Division in 1989, and in the same season won 3 caps for the GB Lions catching 3 interceptions (2 vs France in the Euro qualifier for the finals). In the 1989 European Championship final vs Finland, Goodwin returned an interception deep into Finnish territory which the Lions subsequently scored from.

No photo - if you one of Karl then we'd like to put it here.

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