Former Gridball Teams

Formed in 1948, the Bolton Rifles represented much of south Lancashire when they joined the elite Championship in 1953. They spent the next four years in the top flight without ever progressing beyond the First Round. Failure to qualify in their fifth campaign in 1957 led them to hand in the towel at the end of the season. The Bolton Gridball Federation handed over control of their franchise to neighbours, Lancashire, who incorporated Bolton's Persian blue colours into their own and changed their name from Hotpots to Hotshots.The Rifles became a junior team in the expanded Lancashire Gridball Federation but have rarely challenged outside the regional game.