BAFA is delighted to announce the inductees for the British American Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Celebrating the rich heritage of excellence within the British game.
As ever, the inductees have been selected by a committee comprising of respected figures within the British game. Former player and Britball archivist Dave Tidswell, who chaired the nominations committee said: “We had an open nomination process – and faced the very difficult task of whittling down the names to eight inductees. The process itself highlights the vast array of talented and impassioned individuals who are connected to the sport we all love. Everyone whose name was put forward deserves commendation.”
This is the fourth year of inductions which were established to pay homage to the rich history of the sport of American Football in Great Britain. The class of 2024 will join 47 esteemed names who have been inducted since 2021. The eight people who form the Class of 2024 are:
John Parker – Player
A dominant linebacker and leader who had the Football smarts to read offences and was always around the ball. He started his career in the early eighties with the Milton Keynes Bucks before playing for the Nottingham Hoods and then becoming a key member of the Manchester Spartans British and European Club Champion teams. Later in his career he was with the Milton Keynes Pioneers as a player and defensive coach. He was the first defensive captain for the GB Lions as they beat France in 1985 and continued to lead the Lions from his middle linebacker position as they won the 1989 European Championships. In 1990 he was a British Champion with the Spartans when they defeated the Northants Storm in Coca-Cola Bowl I and became a European champion when Manchester beat the Legano Frogs . He won his final title in 1994 with the Pioneers when they took the Division Two title.
Wayne Hardman – Administrator
1985 he co-ordinated the hosting of the City of San Francisco College team, and despite a heavy defeat in that game, he successfully pulled off a landmark event when the B52s travelled to California for the re-match, which was played at the 49ers Candlestick Park. He was also a key operator at a national level, driving multiple initiatives including securing the leagues sponsorship deal with Budweiser. He was the first to bring in “import players” an example which other teams were quick to follow. He was part of the coaching staff on the GB Lions European Championship winning team of 1989 as well as handling all the administrative duties for the tournament. Wayne passed away in October 2022 but his impact on British American Football in its formative years was immense and his induction in the hall will be a fitting testament to his legacy.
Mark Williams – Player
A founding member of the Birmingham Bulls and an elite level two-way athlete. You could be fooled, given his slight frame that he would not deliver the big hits, you couldn’t be more wrong, he would hit you like a train! A fierce competitor, he was Initially prominent as a running back and would later transition to playing as a defensive back and kick returner. An ever present in the GB Lions European Championship winning sides of 1989 and 1991, he was also an inspirational leader on three of the Bulls British Championship winning teams. After he finished his playing career he moved into coaching, leading and inspiring the next generation of players.
Mark Cohen – Player
A physically imposing presence at wide receiver who combined soft hands and a relentless will to win, he was a nightmare for cornerbacks to cover. A multi-British champion he also featured for the GB Lions and at the time became the leader in international caps with twelve. He was also part of the London Monarchs national players group. In 2006 he, along with a group of talented and experienced players joined the Coventry Jets in the second tier of British Football. They swept the table going undefeated and gained promotion to the top level. Two years later he was integral to them becoming the British Champions. He holds the all-time British records for most career receptions and receiving yards along with the most touchdowns in a career and in a single season.
Tony “Tiggy” Bell – Player
In the late nineteen eighties and throughout the nineties British American Football was blessed with numerous great running backs, one of the very best was Tony “Tiggy” Bell. He first started playing for the Bradford Dolphins but soon moved to a higher level of competition with the Leeds Cougars where he was the crown jewel of their offence. He played for the Cougars for eight seasons and achieved national prominence. He combined speed and power with elusiveness to leave would be tacklers grabbing at thin air. In 1996 he signed for the Leicester Panthers and helped secure them the British Championship before retiring from the game.
Les Jackson – Player
In the early days of British American Football there was no more intimidating sight than Defensive Lineman Les Jackson of the Thames Valley Chargers. At six foot seven and over three hundred pounds of chiselled muscle, Les would sometimes win the battle in the trenches even before the ball was snapped! He leveraged his physical tools to become a terror in offensive backfields around the league and had great speed and agility. In 1990 he was part of the all-conquering Manchester Spartans who won both the British and European Club Championships. It was no surprise when in 1991 he was selected to play in the professional ranks for the New York/New Jersey Knights in the NFL funded, World League of American Football. A member of the GB Lions European Championship winning teams, he was also a British Champion with the London Olympians. After he stopped playing, he moved into coaching and is currently the defensive line coach with the Munich Ravens of the European League of Football.
Ariel Mofondo – Player
A prodigious footballing talent from a young age, he started his playing career at the age of just fourteen with the London Capitals. He was a standout with the London Blitz before moving to the London Cobras junior side which ultimately became the London Warriors. Operating as a hybrid linebacker/safety his talent for reading offences meant he could blow up plays and take over a game. He spent some time with the Algau Comets in the German Football League, before returning to the Warriors where he was a team captain and key to a number of their British Championship wins. A cornerstone for the GB Lions defence for a number of years, his Football Intelligence set him apart and he was a captain who led by example.
Dave Samuel – Player
A gifted defensive lineman with great technique and power, teams would need to scheme against him or suffer the consequences. He formed a dynamic one two punch for the Thames Valley Chargers with fellow class of 2024 Inductee Les Jackson. A standout for the GB Lions European Championship winning side of 1989 he became a British Champion with the Manchester Spartans in 1990, before moving to the London Olympians where he captured further British and European titles. After he stopped playing, he became a charismatic coach in the University League.
