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| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2004 |
| Based in | Edinburgh, Scotland (1995–2000, 2002) Glasgow, Scotland (1998–2004) |
| Home field | Murrayfield Stadium (1995–2000, 2002) Hampden Park (1998–2004) |
| League | World League of American Football (NFL Europe) |
| Colors | Navy, Royal Blue, Silver, White |
| Franchise record | Regular Season: 43–57–0 Postseason: 1–1 |
| World Bowls (1) |
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The Scottish Claymores, known in shorthand as Scotland, were an American football team based in Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football (later renamed NFL Europe) between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow. In ten seasons of NFL Europe play, the Claymores reached the World Bowl on two occasions, with victory in World Bowl '96 but defeat in World Bowl 2000. Their name derives from that of the Claymore, a double-edged sword historically used in Scottish clan warfare. One notable player was Gavin Hastings, a Scottish rugby international who was used as a place kicker in 1996.
The Claymores experienced several notable swings in fortune during their ten years. Their World Bowl-winning season of 1996 was the league's first worst-to-first turnaround: having finished 1995 with a 2–8 record and no wins at home, the 1996 Claymores went 7–3 in the regular season and won all their home games. Equally remarkable was the contrast between their first home games of the 2003 and 2004 seasons. In week 1 of the 2003 season, the Claymores defeated the Berlin Thunder 62–31 – the highest scoring game in NFL Europe history – but in 2004 their home opener was a 3–0 defeat at the hands of the Amsterdam Admirals, tying the record for the league's lowest-scoring game.