THE full contact team with Carnegie American Football Club are set to kick-off their season this weekend – but they’re not touching down in the National League.

The Dunfermline Kings, one of six teams that play under the Carnegie banner, had hoped to secure a place in the British American Football Association (BAFA) national leagues for this year.

After originally forming in 2013, they competed in BAFA’s National Flag Football League, a non-contact version of the sport, and in 2015, they made history by becoming the first Scottish club to field more than one team in the leagues.

Last year, they formed the Kings to create a side for those wishing to play the full-contact version of the sport and hoped to be accepted into BAFA’s National Football Conference (NFC) 2 North League, which last year featured Glasgow Tigers, Dundee Hurricanes, Aberdeen Roughnecks, Northumberland Lightning, Carlisle Sentinels and Newcastle Vikings, after playing a series of ‘associate’ games.

But despite appealing against an initial rejection, the club weren’t granted a place in the league and communications manager Stuart Anderson, who plays for Carnegie Renegades flag football team, commented: “We didn’t get in this year and we’re still waiting for feedback. The guys are disappointed and there is a lot of frustration but this year the Kings are looking to play 10 or more games – all friendlies – and go back into the associate process.

“We’re playing the Dumfries Hunters on Sunday, who we beat in our last game and who did make it in, so we have a point to prove. It will give the guys another year of experience and a chance to get funding and our pitch absolutely right so there are no reasons why we can’t get in. The guys are confident they can throw a few surprises.”