2012, The old North East league was dead, despite one last hurrah in 2011 as a combined team it had passed into the annals of history. Truth be told the league had been dying for years, too few players, too many teams. For the sports enthusiasts of the North East the nearest teams were in Scotland or Yorkshire.

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Against this backdrop, 3 men, Ian Baxter, formerly of the Durham Saints, Anthony Nolan and Shaun Bulmer, both formerly of the Gateshead Miners, attended a sports networking meeting in Newcastle, seeking a sporting future and a place to play their beloved sport again. The number of pints and wings consumed is lost, the date is not, May 3rd 2012. Somewhere, amongst drinks glasses and chicken bones a plan formed. Since there was not opportunity to play in the North East, they would create one. A new team, representative of the whole region which could draw on the player pool left behind.

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19 days later the new team, christened the "Tyne Tees Tigers" took to the training track for the first time and a mere 8 weeks later on July 25th took to the field for its first competitive match against the CNE barbarians. The match report for that historic first match can be found HERE.

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In the following months across both 2012 and 2013 the Tigers played social games, mainly against teams in the AFL Central and North West league with the ultimate aim of being accepted into the league as an equal. This dream was realised on 5th July 2014 when the Tigers, coached by founding member Ian Baxter, took to the field at North Shields Rugby Club against reigning premiers Leeds Minotaurs resulting in a historic debut victory 15.15.105 to 10.15.75.

 

In 2016 the Tigers joined the Gosforth Sports Association and moved to a new permanent home in Gosforth where they now both train and play. This move has borne fruit with the Tigers winning their first ever league silverware winning the AFLCNE plate competition defeating the Sheffield Thunder by 99 points to 90, match report HERE.