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Greenwich Mariners

The Greenwich Mariners were founded in 2003 by John Mellett and Martin Boffey, who was to become the club’s first head coach. The Mariners name was chosen due to Greenwich’s historical links with maritime trade and naval exploration.

Following the club’s foundation, the Mariners were granted Associate Membership status to the BCAFL and played two qualification games- the first against a Kent Select Team, comprised of players from Kent Exiles and the KCU Falcons in November 2003. A second game against the UEA Pirates was played in February 2004. Despite the Mariners losing both games, they were voted in to the BCAFL as full members at the September 2004 AGM.

The club''''''''''''''''s first season in the BCAFL saw the club finish with a 3-4 record with two victories against the APU Phantoms and a thrilling road victory against the Leicester Lightning. At the end of the club''''''''''''''''s inaugural BCAFL season, several squad members were elected to the BCAFL All College Team- Linebacker Robert Stewart and Offensive Tackle Alex Roberts made the first team and Defensive Linemen Steve Clements and James Kingston made the second team. Martin Boffey stood down at the end of the season and was replaced by defensive co-ordinator Matt Coppinger as the new head coach. Coppinger quickly put together a talented coaching staff comprising of former College Bowl Winners, Great Britain Internationals and former NCAA and BCAFL players and coaches.

The 2005-06 season started in slow fashion with an ugly 4-0 win versus APU Phantoms and then a poor loss to division rivals Essex. However, the Mariners showed their team spirit and bounced back to beat Kent 26-0 and then turnover Essex 35-6 in the years best performance. After the Christmas break, the Mariners again started slowly with a 27-0 loss to powerhouse Hertfordshire. Again the team clawed their way back with victories against UEA 12-0, APU 34-0 and Brighton 30-2. The Mariners won the competitive South East Division in only their 2nd year and made the playoffs. An experienced Bristol side travelled to Crystal Palace Stadium and put together a gritty performance to run out winners 22-6.

The 2006-07 season represented the Mariners toughest challenge. 4 fixtures would be against Conference playoff teams such as Herts, Essex, Birmingham and Southampton. The Mariners started strongly with a 23-0 shutout of the Kent Falcons followed by a dominant 51-12 showing against Royal Holloway. A close contest against Birmingham 27-21 showed how much the Mariners had progressed in 3 years, running the former College Bowl champions close. The game took a lot out of the team and the on form Essex Blades, who were to go unbeaten, took advantage narrowly winning 13-0. Things were about to get harder as the current College Bowl Champions the Southampton Stags rolled into town. The Mariners went down 28-0 at the half, but managed to keep the Stags out of the endzone in the second half of the game to finish 28-3. The Mariners bounced back in the new year beating Surrey 49-20 and ARU 19-0. Herts ended the Mariners playoff dreams with a clinical 30-0 win in the final week.

The 2007-08 season saw the Mariners bring home an 5-3 record and another playoff bid. Along the way the Mariners took apart opponents such as UEA, ARU and Kent. The team also split with Essex, each team winning the away fixture. Perennial league powerhouse Herts found it a difficult road this year as Greenwich has great young talent to build around for the next few seasons. What had recently been a mismatch, this year turned into what could look like in the future as a true rivalry. Though Herts took both games, each contest went down to the wire and the second only being separated by one score. As the Mariners ended the playoffs, they ran into top seed Southampton. Greenwich were no match for the eventual National Champions and bowed out in the first round.

The University of Greenwich offers the best of both worlds, city and country. As a student you would be on the doorstep of London, but we also offer the cream of Kent - rolling hills, pub-to-pub walks, seaside resorts and Canterbury Cathedral - not far away.

Education is about breadth as well as depth ... about places and people, sights and heritage as well as books and keyboards ... so let us tell you a little about how we were born and grew up to have three campuses.

The university traces its roots to 1890, when Britain’s second polytechnic was opened near the Thames at Woolwich to teach practical and commercial skills to London workers. An innovator from the start, the polytechnic pioneered the country’s first part-time day-release and sandwich courses.

Over the years a range of specialist organisations have joined the institution, giving it the diverse strengths it has today in subjects such as teacher training, architecture, engineering and history. The name Thames Polytechnic was adopted in 1970 and university status awarded in 1992.

The university is proud of its diverse student body. People from more than 100 countries choose to study at Greenwich, part of an international student community of 4,000. Services for students with disabilities or who have dyslexia give support to more than 1,000. Many of our black and other ethnic-minority students participate in a mentoring scheme which pairs them with highfliers in the City and elsewhere. Students benefit from a research environment where staff share their expertise and specialist facilities.

At Greenwich we set high standards for teaching quality and provide professional training opportunities for all lecturers. We also measure students’ views on our services through our annual student satisfaction survey, and if shortcomings are found we address them.