BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE OFFICIAL SITE

Sunderland Spartans

The team was known as the Sunderland Wearwolves between 1992 and 1999.

American football at Sunderland was still in its infancy and year after year recruitment of new players was a struggle. After the strain on the clubs'' finances, development, growth and even facilities became too much, a decision was made to pull out of BCAFL.

For a couple of years the situation remained the same, until the coaching staff approached the University and asked if they could attend the 2000 fresher fayre themselves to rebuild the American football team. This was granted and so the coaches set about planning a new team, with a new team name, colours and logo. A committee and team were set up and to work together with the coaches and try and rejoin BCAFL.

In the 2004-2005 season, the Kings were re-entered into BCAFL. After 10 years of struggling and hard fought games the Kings, with a new coach and new funding a name change was decided to take the Sunderland franchise to the next level, and in 2007 the club became the Sunderland Spartans.

The University has more than 16,000 students, including 1,000-plus international students from some 70 countries.

The University was named the ''Best English University for student experience’ by the Times Higher Education Supplement in December 2005.

The University’s roots can be traced back to 1901, when Sunderland Technical College was established as a municipal training college on Green Terrace (the site of the current Priestman Building). Sunderland Polytechnic was established on 1 January 1969, incorporating the Technical College, the School of Art (which was also established in 1901) and the Sunderland Teacher Training College (established in 1908). In 1992 the Polytechnic gained University status.

Lord Puttnam became the university''s first Chancellor in 1998, On 23 May 2008 the University announced that former Olympic athlete Steve Cram had been appointed as Chancellor and would be officially installed at a ceremony on 27 June 2008.