Rushmoor Knights Explained

Rushmoor Knights
League:BAFA National Leagues
Division:SFC1 Central
Stadium:King George V playing fields
Location:Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire
Colours:Red Helmets
Grey and blue Jerseys
Grey Pants
Coach:Coach Benny
Championships:2004 - National Champions
Division Titles:2000 - Division 1 Champions2007 - Division 1 Champions2015 - Division 1 Champions

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 SFC1 Central of the British American Football Association National Leagues and were the Britbowl champions in 2004.

The team signed former Olympic sprinter Dwain Chambers in 2006[1]

Origins

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.

League Placing and Catchment

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.[2] 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.

Honours

(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.

Coaching Records

Marc Salazar 1985-1988: 26 - 9; .743

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sprinter Dwain Chambers plays for British Champion. European Football League.
  2. http://www.farnhamknights.com/location.html farnhamknights.com
  3. http://www.efaf.de/ European Federation of American Football
  4. http://gridironuk.co.uk/ British American Football League