Founded in 1983, the Torbay Trojans joined the UKAFA in the Western League with the Cardiff Tigers, Gloucester Boars and the Swindon Steelers. It was a mixed season with the Trojans being beaten in their opening game 37 – 12 by Swindon, but they bounced back to defeat Cardiff 6 – 0 and Gloucester 20 – 12, but fell 62 – 28 to the Wrekin Giants. The Trojans moved into the big time with the Budweiser League and dominated their opening game against the Eastbourne Crusaders 41 – 13. They followed up with a win against the Cardiff Tigers, defeating them 27 – 21. The next to fall were the Basingstoke Cavaliers 68 – 12 and they beached the South Coast Sharks 27 – 0. Taunton were the next team to fall to the dominating Trojans 40 – 18, but their streak ended when they were picked to the punch in their promotional match by the Bristol Bombers 26 -28, when the Trojans coach resigned. The Trojans moved to Torquay United’s ground, Plainmoor, for the South Western American Football League, where they carried on their winning ways, defeating the Newton Abbott GW’s 26 – 13 in the opener and they didn’t let up as they were crowned the first South Western League Champions as they romped through to a perfect season of twelve wins and went on to beat an All Star team at the end of the season 42-45.
The Trojans date back to the inaugural gridiron season of 1984, when they played (and lost) their first game. In their early days did very well in their chosen leagues which included the UKAFA, Budweiser Division One and Premier Division, SWAFL and then BNGL. At the end of the 1992 season, the club disbanded, but they made a reappearance in 1997 in the BSL where they played for a further two seasons. The club disbanded for a second time in May 1999, just as the 1999 season was about to start blaming a lack of player numbers, increased work commitments while a club spokesmen claimed C4 decision not to show the NFL the past season was an influence.
2012 Reformation
The Torbay Trojans reformed in 2012 after several ex-players made the decision to get together and throw a football around Paignton Green in memory of former player Dave “The Silent One” Brokenshire, who sadly took his own life.
What started as a social gathering to remember a friend quickly grew, with the children of former players along with members of the public who took an interest in the sport by pure chance quickly grew into an amateur American Football club. Ex-player Shaun Richardson became head coach and started the Trojans’ journey back into the national leagues.
The reformed Trojans quickly regained entry into the national league by 2014 after meeting associate club criteria through friendly matches against teams such as the FXU Tridents, Bournemouth Bobcats, Solent Thrashers and Portsmouth Dreadnoughts as well as hosting an exhibition tournament on Paignton Green, featuring the Cornish Sharks and Plymouth Extreme.
Since re-joining the league, Torbay have participated in the Second Division within the BAFA Southwestern Football Conference (BAFANL SFC II West), having successful campaigns in both the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, making playoff appearances against the Portsmouth Dreadnoughts and London Blitz B.