NEIL EDWARDS has returned to the London Olympians, where he will use his vast experience - including playing semi-professionally in Germany and participating in NFL Europe training camps to coach the club's defensive backs.
After playing as a junior with the Finsbury Park Stallions and London Capitals, Edwards joined the Olympians in the early Nineties and won national titles with the O's, Farnham Knights and Coventry Jets as well as overseas with the Landsberg Express and Stuttgart Scorpions.
He has learnt from some impressive names, including Jeff Reinebold, who last year worked under the Chicago Bears' new head coach, Marc Trestman, as defensive coordinator of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes.
“Before I flew out to NFL Europe camp in 2001, [Olympians head coach Riq Ayub] set up a meeting with me and him and and he told me what was expected of me, what I was going to be facing and broke down things for me,” Edwards said of his time with Reinebold, who is a regular on Sky Sports' NFL coverage and is now special teams coach of the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “He kept an eye on me and told me how I was doing in terms of my progression.”
Now Edwards is back with the South London side and is eager to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of the 13-times champions of Britain.