For the 1986 season, the Pirates merged with the nearby Rutherglen Ironhogs,[4] producing a suitably sized squad to take part in the British American Football League (Anglo Conference).

Things started brightly under head coach, Steve Gulley, a player with the club, as a 13–0 win was recorded over the Clydesdale Colts in the first kitted game.

This was the first ever fatality in American Football in Britain, and if any good can come from such a set of circumstances, then the tightening up of player insurance and ambulance cover which followed was one such benefit.

Dunoon based QB, Graeme Henry took over and steered the team to a record of 4–4 in a season shortened by other Clubs failing to fulfill their fixtures.

A loss at Dundee was overturned by League officials and the game awarded to East Kilbride after the Whalers were found guilty of fielding ineligible players.

This left a very inexperienced squad, and despite the late addition of a number of players from the Clydesdale Colts, who were "taking a year out" (but never returned) during 1996, a disappointing Season followed.

The inclusion of both their playing ability and coaching knowledge was a huge benefit to the Pirates who proceeded to go throughout the 1997 Season unbeaten to capture their first Scottish Title.

(SGA Bowl IV at Loch Inch, Glasgow) 1999 saw the Pirates return to the British Senior League, where only they and the Strathclyde Sheriffs represented Scotland.

An affiliation was also put in place with Clyde Valley Hawks youth team to hopefully ensure a flow of players into the club in future years.

Losses in the two opening away games left a mountain to climb, and while the team did qualify for the play-offs with a 6–4 record, it would have been foolhardy to send a small and inexperienced squad to face the London Olympians (formerly the O's).

A quarter-final win after the long journey to Finsbury Park, London would have set up a much anticipated semi-final against Gateshead but despite a brave performance, The Pirates were defeated.

In the second game, frustrations continued as the Pirates moved the ball well against the Bulls but failed to capitalise on good field positions, eventually throwing two interceptions which led to touchdowns.

In the third game, after a flight to Bristol, continuous rain meant fumbles were the order of the day and the Pirates Offense were stagnant and failed again to put any points on the board.

The fourth game at Crystal Palace against defending British Champions, the London Olympians was called off due to a lack of an ambulance.

In game 6, a tough visit to Aldershot Army Stadium to play the Farnham Knights resulted in a heavy defeat, again highlighting the gulf between some teams in the Premier Division.

Their first real challenge of the season came in game 5, where they managed a two-point victory over the Yorkshire Rams; however they found another gear the following week, recording a 17-point win over the same opposition in the return leg.

In the final game of the regular season, the Pirates visited old rivals the Gateshead Senators and fell to a 7–6 loss after a dismal offensive performance.

In the playoffs they won a close battle with Division 1 newcomers the Leicester Falcons, before securing their place in a second successive final with a victory over the Ipswich Cardinals.

In the final, held at Worcester Warriors Sixways Stadium, they fell to a very strong performance from the team they beat in the previous years semi-final, the Tamworth Phoenix.

Two weeks after the conclusion of the season, the Pirates launched their first Youth and Junior team setup since 1998 and Chairman Matthew Davies announced that he would step down in January, after three and a half years leading the club.

The quest for the Division 1 North title began again in 2011 and with the exception of an away loss to the Doncaster Mustangs, where starting QB Ryan Hunter was unavailable and his replacement Neil Baptie had his collarbone broken by a jarring hit early on, the Pirates sailed through the regular season with a 9–1 record.

The playoffs saw a home game against the Yorkshire Rams where EK, followed by a visit to old rivals the Birmingham Bulls, who the Pirates dispatched with a 47–27 scoreline to book their third consecutive finals place.

The second half was a closer affair, but the Falcons never looked close to making up the ground, eventually succumbing by a scoreline of 62–23 and handing the Pirates their first ever National Championship.

The strong results continued (despite forfeits from Yorkshire Rams and Doncaster Mustangs) and the Pirates were 8–0, going into the final game of the regular season, away to Tamworth Phoenix.

The game was streamed online and hundreds of viewers saw EKP win a nailbiter 14–7 and claim their fifth conference title in a row, along with home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

2015 saw the Pirates lose two regular season games for the first time since 2008, to Lancashire Wolverines and Tamworth Phoenix, but they turned both results around in the second meetings and managed to do so with a good enough points difference to claim the #1 spot in the North for the seventh year running.

[6] Following a disappointing start to the 2018 campaign including a historic loss against Scottish rivals the Edinburgh Wolves, the team parted ways with head coach Ross Templeton after the third game of the season, replacing him with former vetern player and junior offensive coordinator Jamie McLaughlin.

In 2016, the Pirates youth team continued to extend their dominance by finishing as overall Scottish Champions, knocking the Highland Wildcats off the top spot for the first time in over five years and qualifying for u17s British Finals in Sheffield on Saturday 3 September.

[10] The game was streamed by BBC Sport,[11] and despite strong hopes the Scots were shut out 26–0 against a fast and physical London Blitz junior team.

The call for players met with a positive local response and the team competed in the British American Football Association's Opal Series flag competition for women.