| Rushmoor Knights | |
| Location: | Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire |
| Stadium: | King George V playing fields |
| League: | BAFA National Leagues |
| Division: | Premiership South |
| League Champs: | One (2004) |
| Div Champs: | Three (2000, 2007, 2015) |
| Coach: | Coach Paul "Benny" Wakeford |
| Colours: | Scarlet Red, Columbia Blue, Grey, White |
| H Pattern H: | _af |
| H Pattern B: | _af_whitenumbers |
| H Pattern S: | _af |
| H Helmet: | FF2400 |
| H Leftarm: | 808080 |
| H Body: | 808080 |
| H Rightarm: | 808080 |
| H Pants: | 808080 |
| H Socks: | FF2400 |
| H Title: | Home kit |
| T Pattern H: | _af |
| T Pattern S: | _af |
| T Helmet: | FF2400 |
| T Leftarm: | B9D9EB |
| T Body: | 414042 |
| T Rightarm: | B9D9EB |
| T Pants: | 414042 |
| T Socks: | B9D9EB |
| T Title: | Alternate kit |
| Record: | 974–340–43 (.734) |
The Rushmoor Knights American Football Club (formerly Southern Seminoles, Personal Assurance Knights/PA Knights, Delonghi Knights, Farnham Knights) are a British American football club based in Rushmoor, Hampshire. The Club has three teams; the Rushmoor Knights (20+), the Rushmoor Knights U19 (16 - 19) and the Rushmoor Knights U16 (14 - 16). The Knights play in the Premiership South of the British American Football Association National Leagues and were the Britbowl champions in 2004.
The team was founded as the Farnham Knights in 1985, under Head Coach Marc Salazar, who was an American service member, serving in the United States Air Force, at RAF Greenham Common. The team played their first friendly in 1985 as the Farnham Knights against the Thames Valley Chargers. The franchise joined the Budweiser League, Div 1, for the league's inaugural season in 1986 and went on to a successful 5 - 5 season. Their second season, 1987, saw the Knights complete their conference schedule undefeated to win their first conference title.
During 1994 the Farnham Knights merged with the Hampshire Cavaliers and were renamed the Southern Seminoles. Personal Assurance stepped in during 1997 to sponsor the side which led to the return of the Knights moniker, the Personal Assurance Knights. In 2007, MH Football Shop took over the main sponsorship of the club, to rename them the Farnham MH Knights.
In 2008, a new main sponsor, Fast Lane, stepped in with a two-year deal. The team were then known as the Farnham Fast Lane Knights.
As the only club in the Blackwater Valley the Knights have drawn players from across Surrey and Hampshire, within are Woking, Guildford, Farnborough, Aldershot, Bracknell and Basingstoke. All games were played at Farnham Rugby Club from 2013, the first season in the club's history that it has been based in the town of Farnham itself after only playing 1 game at Farnham Rugby Club's old ground in Wrecclesham.[1] They have since moved to King George V playing fields in Farnborough back in the borough of Rushmoor, leading to the re-naming.
Farnham Knights rebranded to the Rushmoor Knights ahead of the 2021 BAFANL season.
(1) Prior to 2011, the term "Youth" was used for 16 to 19 year olds. Since 2011, Youth is for 14 to 17 year olds and Juniors is for 16 to 19 year olds.
| 1980s | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Season | League | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| Marc Salazar | 1985 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Marc Salazar | 1986 | Budweiser League | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Marc Salazar | 1987 | Budweiser League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to the Ashton Oilers in the postseason. | |
| Marc Salazar | 1988 | NGL (Premiership) | 5 | 5 | 0 | .000 | 3rd | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Frank Snyder | 1989 | CGL (Premiership) | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to the Rockingham Rebels in the postseason. | |
| 1990s | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Season | League | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| Mike Hassett | 1990 | BNGL (Premiership) | 3 | 6 | 1 | .350 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| John Archer | 1991 | BNGL (Premiership) | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | — | |
| Richard Foster | 1992 | BNGL (Premiership) | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Colts 30-26 in the BNGL Championship. | |
| Mike Reeves | 1993 | BNGL (Premiership) | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to the Bournemouth Buccanears in the Semi-finals. | |
| Phil Maltby | 1994 | BNGL (Premiership) | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Merged with the Hampshire Cavaliers, and played as a Southern Seminoles. | |
| Phil Maltby | 1995 | BNGL (Premiership) | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Played as the Southern Seminoles | |
| Steve Rains | 1997 | BNGL (Premiership) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | Renamed to the Farnham Knights | |
| Steve Rains | 1998 | BNGL (Premiership) | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 1999 | BNGL (Premiership) | 1 | 8 | 1 | .150 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Relegated to Division 2. | |
| 2000s | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Season | League | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| Steve Rains | 2000 | Division 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | — | 3 | 0 | .000 | Won the Division 2 National Championship vs Ipswich Cardinals 41-7. Promoted to Premiership. | |
| Steve Rains | 2001 | Premiership | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 2002 | Premiership | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | — | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to London Olympians in the Championship. | |
| Steve Rains | 2003 | Premiership | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 2004 | Premiership | 9 | 0 | 1 | .955 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | Won the National Championship vs London Olympians 28-14. Qualified for the EFAF Cup. 1-2 in EFAF Play. | |
| Steve Rains | 2005 | Premiership | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | — | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to London Olympians in Division 1 Championship 22-21. Qualified for the EFAF Cup. 1-1 in EFAF Play. | |
| Steve Rains | 2006 | Premiership | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Qualified for the EFAF Cup. 1-2 in EFAF Play. Relegated due to league reorganisation. | |
| Steve Rains | 2007 | Division 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | — | 2 | 0 | 1.00 | Won the Division 1 National Championship vs Ipswich Cardinals 47-7.[4] | |
| Ian Ellis | 2008 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Ian Ellis | 2009 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010s | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Season | League | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| Ian Ellis | 2010 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Ian Ellis | 2011 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| 2012 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Team withdrew from play for the 2012 Season. | ||
| Shaun Gray | 2013 | Division 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 2014 | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | — | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 2015 | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | .855 | — | 2 | 0 | 1.00 | — | |
| Steve Rains | 2016 | Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4th | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Tango Lockwood | 2017 | Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Tango Lockwood | 2018 | Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | |
| Tango Lockwood | 2019 | Premiership | 1 | 9 | 0 | .100 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Relegated to Division 1 for 2020 Season | |
| 2020s | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Season | League | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |
| Pete Fields | 2020 | Division 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | 0 | 0 | .000 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19. | |
| Pete Fields | 2021 | Division 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 2nd | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Solent Thrashers in Division 1 Championship 34-14. | |
| Pete Fields | 2022 | Division 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | 3rd | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Hertfordshire Cheetahs in Divisional Round 21-12. | |
| Paul Wakeford | 2023 | Division 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 5th | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to London Olympians in Wildcard Round 24-21. | |
| Paul Wakeford | 2024 | Division 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 | 1st | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to Nottingham Caesars in Division 1 Championship 49-9. Earned promotion to the Premiership for the 2025 season. | |
The Rushmoor Knights honor their most influential players, coaches, and contributors through their Hall of Fame.
| Name | Time at Rushmoor | Position | Inducted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Playing | ||||
| John Burrow | Executive Sponsor | 2016 | ||
| David Ferebee | 2016 | |||
| Roger Hart | 2016 | |||
| Clive Jacobs | 2016 | |||
| Mark "Tango" Lockwood | Head Coach | 2016 | ||
| Terry Milward | 2016 | |||
| Marc Salazar | 1985-1988 | Knights co-founder, First Head Coach | 2016 | |
| Frank Snyder | Head Coach | 2016 | ||
| Andy Soltysiak | 2016 | |||
| Linda Soltysiak | 2016 | |||
| Steve Rains | 1997-2016 | Head Coach | 2016 | |
| Youth/Junior | ||||
| Graham Jessett | 2016 | |||
| Christine Reeves | 2016 | |||
| John Williams Snr | 2016 | |||
| Players | ||||
| Phil Alexander | 2016 | |||
| Adedayo Ashaye | 2016 | |||
| Bill Baker | 2016 | |||
| Paul "Bubba" Biscombe | 2016 | |||
| Dave Carpenter | 1992-Present | Offensive Lineman | 2016 | |
| Jay Cashman | 2016 | |||
| Harvey Culver | 2016 | |||
| Mick Clancy | 2016 | |||
| Gary Edwards | 2016 | |||
| Kingsley Ejiogu | 2016 | |||
| Pete "Too Tall" Fields | 2016 | |||
| Alan Finlay | 2016 | |||
| Rich Foster | 2016 | |||
| Gareth Davies | 2016 | |||
| Steve Harrison | 2016 | |||
| Ashley Heath | Quarterback | 2016 | ||
| Adam Heirons | 2016 | |||
| Stephen Hollingdale | 2016 | |||
| Troy Lee | 2016 | |||
| Kenny Lettman | 2016 | |||
| Jez McLees | 2016 | |||
| Chris McIver | 2016 | |||
| Peter Oliver | 2016 | |||
| Michael Reeves | 2016 | |||
| Duncan Reynolds | 2016 | |||
| Cameron Saylor | 2016 | |||
| Paul Setterfield | 2016 | |||
| Joe St. Louis | 2016 | |||
| Tony Stitt | Running Back | 2016 | ||
| Keith Theobald | Running Back | 2016 | ||
| Stuart Timms | 2016 | |||
| Paul Wakeford | 2016 | |||
| Paul Westwood | 2016 | |||
| Stephen Whittaker | 2016 | |||
| Jon Williams Jr. | 2016 | |||
| Jon Wyse | 2003-2004, 2007 | Running Back | 2016 | |
Olympic sprinter Dwain Chambers, 2006.[5]