Guildford Heat
Encyclopedia
Guildford Heat is a basketball
club based in Guildford
, England
that currently play in the British Basketball League
. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers
, who folded during the same year. They enjoyed plenty of success in their early history, even appearing in the ULEB Cup
, but have since fallen on hard times both on and off court.
has been home to several elite basketball teams down the years. With the opening of The Spectrum
, the successful Kingston team uprooted, moved in and renamed themselves as the Guildford Kings
in 1992, briefly calling the place home until they folded in 1994, as did the Guildford Pumas before they relocated to Sutton
in 1999. However it was the first major team, the Guildford Pirates
who played in the town from 1975 to 1982 that would come back to figure prominently in the birth of the new club, the Guildford Heat.
, becoming the Bracknell Pirates and later the Thames Valley Tigers
. For many years, the Tigers were one of the front runners of the British basketball scene, winning the league Championship
in 1994, but it was in the new millennium that the successes dried up and for owner John Nike
, the team was too much of a financial burden. In April 2005, he announced that he would no longer be funding the basketball franchise nor his ice hockey
franchise Bracknell Bees
.
Immediately a consortium
of Tigers fans was formed to save the club. Headed by local businessman Mike Davies, they put together a viable package to take over the administration and running of the team. However, Nike failed to reach agreement in time for them to lease the franchise, and the deadline for entry into the British Basketball League for the 2005-2006 season
was reached. The Tigers' BBL membership thus lapsed, but the fans obtained permission from the League to enter a new team in its place, and successful negotiations with The Spectrum
in Guildford led to the birth of the Guildford Heat.
at the Metro Radio Arena, losing in overtime 89-88. The very next night they defeated the Leicester Riders
in the BBL Cup
69-65 at home. Heat’s rookie season saw victories over established teams such as London Towers
, Plymouth Raiders
, Brighton Bears
, and reigning Champions, Chester Jets, amongst others, making the Heat a success and a true phoenix from the flames of the Tigers franchise.
They ended the season with an impressive record of 20-20, finishing 5th in the league and qualifying for the post-season Play-offs, a remarkable achievement for the new team. In the first round of the Play-offs, playing away from home, Heat demolished the London Towers 99-81. However the opposition in the Semi-finals, the all-conquering Newcastle Eagles proved too much and Heat succumbed to a 115-97 defeat. They also made the Semi-final of the BBL Trophy
, but missed out on a final following a nail-biting home defeat at the hands of eventual Runner-up, Leicester.
Daniel Gilbert
from Germany
was a major coup for the Heat during the summer of 2006, proving playcaller Paul James
still has great ability in spotting stars of the future. Guildford kick-started the season with a close away victory against the Scottish Rocks
, 95-91, starting a three-game winning streak in the Championship. Heat also qualified for their first-ever cup final appearance after defeating the Sheffield Sharks
87-81 in the Semi-final of the BBL Cup.
On December 12, 2006, the club announced their first major sponsorship agreement with French
chimney manufacturers Poujoulat, in what was reported as potentially a six-figure deal. As a result of the contract, which was agreed to run through to May 2008, the team was renamed as Poujoulat Heat Guildford to incorporate the sponsor’s name.
Just 18 months since the franchise's foundation, the Guildford Heat picked up their first piece of silverware on January 7, 2007, with an 81-78 win in the BBL Cup final against the Scottish Rocks
. Over 600 Guildford fans travelled up to the National Indoor Arena
, in Birmingham
to see their team clinch the trophy in front of a bumper crowd of 3,785 people.
Despite seemingly looking to run away with the League title, the Heat's season suffered a huge blow when a knee injury to Chad McKnight
against the Sheffield Sharks
on February 3, effectively ruled the American out for the remainder of the campaign. The player was subsequently released, assumingly for the long-term injury. However a month later, The Independent
broke the news that McKnight had been issued with a three-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana, along with former Leicester star Steve Bucknall
, who had also been released by his club. A statement from the club confirmed McKinght was released because of the failed drugs test, though the player denied ever using the banned substance.
The Heat secured the 2006-2007
League title thanks to a highly impressive 114-85 victory over London United
at The Spectrum on April 8. It was the
first League title in the franchise's history at just the second time of asking. The following week the Heat once again played host to London United in the BBL Play-off Quarter-final, with a place at the Finals Weekend
up for grabs. The Heat managed to win the match 71-68 but in the Semi-final, they were defeated 71-78 by the Scottish Rocks, despite being the top seed. For the incredible rise to success, Coach Paul James was awarded by his peers as the Coach of the Season for 2006-07.
Following the end of Guildford’s successful double winning season, they also became the first ever BBL team to achieve Sport England
Clubmark Level 4 accreditation of quality. Clubmark is a scheme designed to encourage clubs to reach various levels of national standards in the community development work they deliver. Heat are only the 9th team in the country to have achieved this accreditation, and this in addition to being recently named by England Basketball as the country's 10th biggest academy.
for the 2007-2008 season
, as Britain's sole representatives in European competition, and the first British team to compete in Europe since the Brighton Bears
' appearance in the 2003-04 season
. The Heat were drawn against DKV Joventut of the Spanish ACB
; Germans Alba Berlin
; Turk Telekom
from Ankara, Turkey; BC Šiauliai
of Lithuania and, KK Bosna
of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Guildford Heat won the inaugural pre-season BBL Cup Winners' Cup
with a 176-168 aggregate win over two legs against the Plymouth Raiders. The competitive season started with an 90-83 victory away to the previous season's play-off winners, the Newcastle Eagles
on September 21. The two sides had collected nine of the last ten pieces of BBL silverware between them, so it was just the start the Guildford Heat needed in their bid to retain the League title.
On November 6 the Heat embarked on their biggest adventure yet, when they played in their first ever European game in the ULEB Cup, away to KK Bosna in Sarajevo
just two years after the Heat had been established. Despite the huge anticipation, the Heat lost to the greater experience of KK Bosna, going down 68-84, with big summer signing Carlton Aaron
scoring Heat's first ever points in Europe. This was also to be the last game team captain and point guard Brian Dux
would play before a horrific car accident in the early hours of November 10, which left him in a coma. It took Surrey Police two hours and 20 minutes to attend to the scene of the incident. Frimley Park Hospital
consultants took into consideration the possibility that Dux may have suffered permanent disability. Several weeks later Dux regained consciousness and returned home to the USA with his family. Meanwhile on court, the Heat had their first home game in the ULEB Cup against Spanish giants, DKV Joventut. To comply with ULEB’s regulations, the team had to swap their usual home court for the Guildford Flames
ice hockey arena (also at The Spectrum), which provided the minimum 2,400 capacity venue required. Despite a brave performance, the Heat went down 61-95. Although performances were to improve as the competition went on, the Heat missed the experienced leadership of Brian Dux and finished their ULEB Cup campaign with an 0-10 record.
Domestically, the team maintained a strong assault in the league, hovering near the top of the table for much of the winter period, although they failed in their defence of the BBL Cup at the hands of the Milton Keynes Lions, going down 80-91 in the Semi-final. Coach Paul James let go disappointing centre, Carlton Aaron, and brought in the experienced point-guard E.J. Harrison
for Brian Dux, replacing Aaron with Ajou Deng
, brother of the Chicago Bulls
and Team GB star, Luol Deng
.
On March 2, 2008, the Guildford Heat fought back from a half-time deficit to win the BBL Trophy for the first time in its history, defeating the Newcastle Eagles 86-79 at the Plymouth Pavilions
. The Heat's EJ Harrison picked up the MVP award after scoring 25 points. However, in a crucial crunch game with title challengers, the Newcastle Eagles, the League Title was lost after a thrilling over-time victory for the Eagles. Despite the Heat being 18 points ahead going into the 4th quarter, the game finished 108-101 to the Eagles and Fab Flournoy
's team were crowned champions.
After sweeping aside rookie franchise Everton Tigers
81-72 in the Play-off Quarter-finals, the Heat then secured their place in the final with an emphatic 81-66 win over the Plymouth Raiders at the Finals Weekend, on May 3. The Play-off Final, held on the following day, saw Guildford up against the season’s surprise package, the Milton Keynes Lions, who had just disposed of the Newcastle Eagles in the Semi-final. However it was experience that prevailed and the Heat claimed another trophy with a 100-88 victory, Danny Gilbert posting 27 points and taking the Finals MVP award.
Following on from the season’s achievements, the franchise was again invited into the ULEB Cup for the upcoming season, but the club opted not to be included.
n star Hrvoje Pervan. However it was revealed weeks later that Pervan’s transfer had broken down due to administrative errors. Among those returning from the previous season were Heat Captain, Mike Martin, point-guard, EJ Harrison, and shooting guard, Dean Williams, while Heat fan-favourite Chad McKnight also rejoined the Heat after a one-year stint at the Leicester Riders
. The line-up was completed with the signing of British big man Alan Metcalfe and shooting guard Daniel Sandell.
The new campaign began with the Heat retaining the Cup Winners Cup. They defeated the previous season's BBL Cup winners, the Milton Keynes Lions, over two legs, winning both games 91-89 at the Spectrum and 68-60 at the Bletchley Centre
. The first league game saw the Heat suffer defeat on the road against the Newcastle Eagles, losing a tight affair 81-86. A run of mixed results found the team languishing in mid-table by November, while the team went out of the BBL Cup, beaten over two legs by the Plymouth Raiders in the Semi-finals. The Heat lost both games, going down 73-80 in the first leg at home and 69-74 on the road.
The new year started brightly, and thanks to two victories in two days over London Capital (104-80) and the Milton Keynes Lions (101-99), the Heat booked their place in the Semi-final of the Trophy. However, all wasn’t well behind closed doors, and following the exit of previous Chairman and main sponsor Robert Banks, the club announced on February 12, 2009, that it had gone into administration but with a buyout imminent. The franchise’s assets were purchased by local businessman Alan McClafferty, a Heat fan and volunteer coach in the club’s youth setup.
Back on the court, the Heat renewed their rivalry with the Plymouth Raiders in the Trophy Semi-final. The Heat triumphed in the two-leg match-up, winning both games for a comfortable 187-161 aggregate victory. This sent the Heat to the Trophy Final, which was played at Heat’s home court, the Spectrum, on March 15, where they met the Newcastle Eagles. Despite a 30-point haul from Keonta Howell, the Heat went down 71-83, suffering under a 44-29 second-half onslaught from the Eagles.
Just days after securing a place in the Play-offs, with a 74-65 win at home against the Milton Keynes Lions, club Managing Director Alan McClafferty announced that coach Paul James would not have his contract renewed at the end of the season. The Heat finished the regular season in 4th place with a 21-12 record, qualifying for the Play-off Quarter-final with home court advantage. Drawn against the Plymouth Raiders, which marked the eighth time the two teams had met that season, the Heat suffered a disappointing end to the season, going down 81-89. A lone high-note was that American Keonta Howell was voted into the BBL All-Star first team after coming 3rd in the voting for the MVP award.
as player/coach on 8 July and subsequently brought back Mike Davies as General Manager. The fans were also pleased when the Heat announced that Captain Mike Martin
was back and had signed a three-year contract to play for the Heat. However, other players decided to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Heat stalwart Dean Williams
went to the Essex Pirates
, where he was joined by Alan Metcafle, while point-guard EJ Harrison joined the Milton Keynes Lions
. With back-up point-guard and long-time Heat player, Jon May, joining the EBL outfit Reading Rockets
, Chad McKnight had a rebuilding job on his hands.
The club brought in several new faces, including BBL veteran Julius Joseph
and up-and-coming young England star, Tayo Ogedengbe. McKnight also brought in two Americans in explosive point-guard Aaron Drakeford and swing man Kenny Langhorne (who replaced Keonta Howell who decided not to return to the Heat after two years there). Key man off the bench the season before, Daniel Sandell, also rejoined the club.
The new-look team opened their season with an easy 95-65 victory away to London Capital, and compiled a six game unbeaten run at home with wins against such teams as the Everton Tigers, Newcastle Eagles and Milton Keynes Lions. However, the team's form on the road left something to be desired and after the opening win against London Capital, the Heat lost their next five games away from Guildford. Things got worse in December, when the Heat lost their 100% home record, losing 83-97 to the table-topping Sheffield Sharks. This was the start of a six-game losing streak, halted by a New Year's Day win against the Essex Pirates and finally a triumph on the road, a 74-72 win against the Leicester Riders in the BBL Trophy.
By now the team was struggling with injury. Daniel Sandell had been sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury. The victory against the Riders marked his comeback and was a personal triumph as he came off the bench to turn the game around with some deadly three-point shooting. However, other team members, including Aaron Drakeford and Kenny Langhorne, were carrying injuries and being asked to play big minutes due to a short bench. Worse still, Heat Captain Mike Martin injured his knee and was eventually forced to shut down for the season, making just three appearances after January. In his absence, Julius Joseph stepped up his game and carried the team on several occasions, going on to be the team's top scorer for the season with 17.6 points per game. Player-coach Chad McKnight also stepped up his game, hitting 30 points or more in three consecutive games, including a career-high 39 points.
The Heat won against London Capital on 10 January, meaning that they had got 2010 off to a good start with a three-game winning streak. However, they won just twice more in 18 games as they plummeted down the table to finish a lowly 11th, the first time in club history that they had failed to qualify for the play-offs.
On December 14, it had been officially announced that the 2009-10 season would be Heat's last at the Spectrum, with the franchise moving to the brand-new Surrey Sports Park for the 2010-11 season. On court it was all change too as the club announced that Chad McKnight would not return as player-coach, Creon Raftopoulous stepping in as head coach for the new 2010-11 season.
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Ajou Deng
Tony Dorsey
Brian Dux
Daniel Gilbert
E.J. Harrison Keonta Howell James Jones Perry Lawson
Dave Mallon Dan Wardrope Roderick Wellington
Dean Williams
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
club based in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
that currently play in the British Basketball League
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
, who folded during the same year. They enjoyed plenty of success in their early history, even appearing in the ULEB Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
, but have since fallen on hard times both on and off court.
Basketball in Guildford
The town of GuildfordGuildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
has been home to several elite basketball teams down the years. With the opening of The Spectrum
Guildford Spectrum
Guildford Spectrum is a leisure complex in Guildford, Surrey, England. Owned by Guildford Borough Council, it was opened on 28 February 1993 at a cost of £28 million. It is the home of ice hockey team the Guildford Flames, and other sports clubs...
, the successful Kingston team uprooted, moved in and renamed themselves as the Guildford Kings
Guildford Kings
Guildford Kings was a successful British basketball franchise, most prominent in the British Basketball League during the early 1990s. They ceased operations at the end of the 1993-94 season....
in 1992, briefly calling the place home until they folded in 1994, as did the Guildford Pumas before they relocated to Sutton
Sutton, London
Sutton is a large suburban town in southwest London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Sutton. It is located south-southwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. The town was connected to central London by...
in 1999. However it was the first major team, the Guildford Pirates
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
who played in the town from 1975 to 1982 that would come back to figure prominently in the birth of the new club, the Guildford Heat.
Tigers demise, Heat rise
In 1982, the Pirates moved to nearby BracknellBracknell
Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Reading, southwest of Windsor and west of central London...
, becoming the Bracknell Pirates and later the Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers
Thames Valley Tigers was a British basketball team competing in the British Basketball League until 2005, when funding was ceased and the franchise folded. Based in Bracknell, Berkshire, the team's fans setup a new team to replace the Tigers and just a month later the Guildford Heat was born...
. For many years, the Tigers were one of the front runners of the British basketball scene, winning the league Championship
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
in 1994, but it was in the new millennium that the successes dried up and for owner John Nike
John Nike
John Nike OBE is a Bracknell-based leisure and hotels entrepreneur.He used to own the Thames Valley Tigers basketball team. With his family, he is worth £92 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2006....
, the team was too much of a financial burden. In April 2005, he announced that he would no longer be funding the basketball franchise nor his ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
franchise Bracknell Bees
Bracknell Bees
The Bracknell Bees are an ice hockey team from Bracknell, Berkshire, UK.-Early years:The Bracknell Bees were formed in 1987, under the ownership of John Nike OBE. Bees began life in the Heineken League Division Two, under the leadership of former Durham Wasps and Nottingham Panthers forward, Jamie...
.
Immediately a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of Tigers fans was formed to save the club. Headed by local businessman Mike Davies, they put together a viable package to take over the administration and running of the team. However, Nike failed to reach agreement in time for them to lease the franchise, and the deadline for entry into the British Basketball League for the 2005-2006 season
British Basketball League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005 through to April 11, 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.Eleven teams took...
was reached. The Tigers' BBL membership thus lapsed, but the fans obtained permission from the League to enter a new team in its place, and successful negotiations with The Spectrum
Guildford Spectrum
Guildford Spectrum is a leisure complex in Guildford, Surrey, England. Owned by Guildford Borough Council, it was opened on 28 February 1993 at a cost of £28 million. It is the home of ice hockey team the Guildford Flames, and other sports clubs...
in Guildford led to the birth of the Guildford Heat.
Phoenix from the flames
The Heat played their first ever league game on October 1, 2005 against the Newcastle EaglesNewcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
at the Metro Radio Arena, losing in overtime 89-88. The very next night they defeated the Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
in the BBL Cup
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
69-65 at home. Heat’s rookie season saw victories over established teams such as London Towers
London Towers
London Towers was a professional basketball team based in London, England. They were one of the most successful and recognised British sports teams of the 1990s, collecting many titles in the British Basketball League as well as regularly competing in European competitions such as the Euroleague...
, Plymouth Raiders
Plymouth Raiders
The Plymouth Raiders, officially called UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders for sponsorship reasons, is South-west England's leading basketball team. Based in the city of Plymouth, they play their home games at the Pavilions arena and have competed in the top-tier British Basketball League since 2004...
, Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Basketball League until 2006 when the franchise folded...
, and reigning Champions, Chester Jets, amongst others, making the Heat a success and a true phoenix from the flames of the Tigers franchise.
They ended the season with an impressive record of 20-20, finishing 5th in the league and qualifying for the post-season Play-offs, a remarkable achievement for the new team. In the first round of the Play-offs, playing away from home, Heat demolished the London Towers 99-81. However the opposition in the Semi-finals, the all-conquering Newcastle Eagles proved too much and Heat succumbed to a 115-97 defeat. They also made the Semi-final of the BBL Trophy
BBL Trophy
The BBL Trophy is one of three cup competitions operated by the British Basketball League. The competition begins with a regional group format and comprises the BBL clubs divided into four regional qualifying groups of three...
, but missed out on a final following a nail-biting home defeat at the hands of eventual Runner-up, Leicester.
2006-07 season
The arrival of American swingmanSwingman
A Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard positions, and, in essence, swing between the shooting guard and small forward positions." Swingmen males are often between 6'5" and 6'8" .John Havlicek, who played for the Boston Celtics in...
Daniel Gilbert
Daniel Gilbert
Daniel Todd Gilbert is Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He is a social psychologist who is known for his research on affective forecasting, with a special emphasis on cognitive biases such as the impact bias...
from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was a major coup for the Heat during the summer of 2006, proving playcaller Paul James
Paul James (basketball)
Paul James is a former professional basketball player and current head coach of British Basketball League team Worcester Wolves....
still has great ability in spotting stars of the future. Guildford kick-started the season with a close away victory against the Scottish Rocks
Scottish Rocks
The Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
, 95-91, starting a three-game winning streak in the Championship. Heat also qualified for their first-ever cup final appearance after defeating the Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield...
87-81 in the Semi-final of the BBL Cup.
On December 12, 2006, the club announced their first major sponsorship agreement with French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
chimney manufacturers Poujoulat, in what was reported as potentially a six-figure deal. As a result of the contract, which was agreed to run through to May 2008, the team was renamed as Poujoulat Heat Guildford to incorporate the sponsor’s name.
Scottish Rocks
The Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
. Over 600 Guildford fans travelled up to the National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
, in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to see their team clinch the trophy in front of a bumper crowd of 3,785 people.
Despite seemingly looking to run away with the League title, the Heat's season suffered a huge blow when a knee injury to Chad McKnight
Chad McKnight
Chad McKnight is an American professional basketball player, who has signed as the Player-Coach for the 2009-10 British Basketball League season with the Guildford Heat....
against the Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks
Sheffield Sharks, officially named One Health Sheffield Sharks due to sponsorship, is a professional basketball team from the city of Sheffield, England. Sharks currently play in the British Basketball League and play their home fixtures at English Institute of Sport - Sheffield...
on February 3, effectively ruled the American out for the remainder of the campaign. The player was subsequently released, assumingly for the long-term injury. However a month later, The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
broke the news that McKnight had been issued with a three-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana, along with former Leicester star Steve Bucknall
Steve Bucknall
Steven Lee Bucknall is a retired English professional basketball player, and former head coach of British Basketball League expansion franchise London Capital....
, who had also been released by his club. A statement from the club confirmed McKinght was released because of the failed drugs test, though the player denied ever using the banned substance.
The Heat secured the 2006-2007
British Basketball League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks....
League title thanks to a highly impressive 114-85 victory over London United
London United
London United is basketball team from London, England, currently competing in English Basketball League Division 2. In 2006 they were elected into the professional British Basketball League to replace the London Towers as the sole representatives for the capital city...
at The Spectrum on April 8. It was the
first League title in the franchise's history at just the second time of asking. The following week the Heat once again played host to London United in the BBL Play-off Quarter-final, with a place at the Finals Weekend
BBL Finals Weekend
The Finals Weekend is the British Basketball League season showpiece finale, where the Playoff finals of the BBL, English Basketball League and Women's EBL take place. For the 2006-07 season the Finals Weekend will be played on 28 April and 29 April 2007 at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle upon...
up for grabs. The Heat managed to win the match 71-68 but in the Semi-final, they were defeated 71-78 by the Scottish Rocks, despite being the top seed. For the incredible rise to success, Coach Paul James was awarded by his peers as the Coach of the Season for 2006-07.
Following the end of Guildford’s successful double winning season, they also became the first ever BBL team to achieve Sport England
Sport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Clubmark Level 4 accreditation of quality. Clubmark is a scheme designed to encourage clubs to reach various levels of national standards in the community development work they deliver. Heat are only the 9th team in the country to have achieved this accreditation, and this in addition to being recently named by England Basketball as the country's 10th biggest academy.
2007-08 season
Following on from the successes of the previous season, the Heat were admitted into the ULEB CupULEB Cup
Eurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
for the 2007-2008 season
British Basketball League 2007-08
The 2007-08 season, the 21st since the establishment of the British Basketball League, commenced on September 9, 2007, when the Plymouth Raiders succumbed to the Guildford Heat in the inaugural Cup Winners' Cup competition...
, as Britain's sole representatives in European competition, and the first British team to compete in Europe since the Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears
Brighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Basketball League until 2006 when the franchise folded...
' appearance in the 2003-04 season
British Basketball League 2003-04
The 2003-04 season was the 17th campaign in the history of the British Basketball League.-Teams:-Notable occurrences:*Due to uncertainty rearding the future of Aston Events Centre, the Birmingham Bullets were forced to relocate to a new home venue...
. The Heat were drawn against DKV Joventut of the Spanish ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
; Germans Alba Berlin
ALBA Berlin
-Depth Chart:* Denotes injured player.-Championships:*German Championships: 8 *German Cups: 6 *Korać Cups: 1 -Notable players:- Season by season :-External links:...
; Turk Telekom
Türk Telekom
Türk Telekom is the formerly state owned Turkish telecommunications company. Türk Telekom was being separated from the Post Office in 1995. In November 2005 it was privatized to Oger Telecom....
from Ankara, Turkey; BC Šiauliai
BC Šiauliai
BC „Šiauliai“ is the professional basketball club of Šiauliai, Lithuania. The club competes in the Lithuanian Basketball League, Baltic Basketball League and ULEB Eurocup. It has won the 3rd place award in the LKL a record 9 times.-Club History:The team was head coached by Antanas Sireika for...
of Lithuania and, KK Bosna
KK Bosna
KK Bosna is a basketball club in Sarajevo the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club is part of the University Sport Society USD Bosna...
of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Guildford Heat won the inaugural pre-season BBL Cup Winners' Cup
BBL Cup Winners' Cup
The Cup Winners' Cup was a peripheral cup competition of the British Basketball League. It was a pre-season tournament competed over two legs, one home and one away, between the winners of BBL Cup and BBL Trophy from the previous season. Each leg was staged prior to the beginning of the regular...
with a 176-168 aggregate win over two legs against the Plymouth Raiders. The competitive season started with an 90-83 victory away to the previous season's play-off winners, the Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle Eagles is a British Basketball League team from Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2010 they have played all home games at the 3,000 capacity Sport Central arena at Northumbria University in the city...
on September 21. The two sides had collected nine of the last ten pieces of BBL silverware between them, so it was just the start the Guildford Heat needed in their bid to retain the League title.
On November 6 the Heat embarked on their biggest adventure yet, when they played in their first ever European game in the ULEB Cup, away to KK Bosna in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
just two years after the Heat had been established. Despite the huge anticipation, the Heat lost to the greater experience of KK Bosna, going down 68-84, with big summer signing Carlton Aaron
Carlton Aaron
Carlton Aaron is an American professional basketball player who most recently was signed to the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
scoring Heat's first ever points in Europe. This was also to be the last game team captain and point guard Brian Dux
Brian Dux
Brian Dux Brian Dux Brian Dux (born April 7, 1981 in Orchard Park, New York, is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.- College career :...
would play before a horrific car accident in the early hours of November 10, which left him in a coma. It took Surrey Police two hours and 20 minutes to attend to the scene of the incident. Frimley Park Hospital
Frimley Park Hospital
Frimley Park Hospital is a large, 720-bed NHS hospital in Frimley, Surrey, part of the Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.It opened in 1974 to provide a full range of district general hospital services for North East Hampshire and West Surrey, a catchment population of about 365,000...
consultants took into consideration the possibility that Dux may have suffered permanent disability. Several weeks later Dux regained consciousness and returned home to the USA with his family. Meanwhile on court, the Heat had their first home game in the ULEB Cup against Spanish giants, DKV Joventut. To comply with ULEB’s regulations, the team had to swap their usual home court for the Guildford Flames
Guildford Flames
The Guildford Flames are an ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and their home ice is the Guildford Spectrum.Founded in October 1992, the team played for many years in the British National League...
ice hockey arena (also at The Spectrum), which provided the minimum 2,400 capacity venue required. Despite a brave performance, the Heat went down 61-95. Although performances were to improve as the competition went on, the Heat missed the experienced leadership of Brian Dux and finished their ULEB Cup campaign with an 0-10 record.
Domestically, the team maintained a strong assault in the league, hovering near the top of the table for much of the winter period, although they failed in their defence of the BBL Cup at the hands of the Milton Keynes Lions, going down 80-91 in the Semi-final. Coach Paul James let go disappointing centre, Carlton Aaron, and brought in the experienced point-guard E.J. Harrison
E.J. Harrison (basketball)
E.J. Harrison is an American professional basketball player for the Glasgow Rocks of the British Basketball League.He played collegiately at Western Connecticut State University for two seasons before transferring to the University of Connecticut...
for Brian Dux, replacing Aaron with Ajou Deng
Ajou Deng
Ajou Ajou Deng is a British-South Sudanese professional basketball player. He is the son of Aldo Deng, a former Sudanese politician and is the brother of Luol Deng, an NBA player who is also his teammate on Great Britain's national team....
, brother of the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Team GB star, Luol Deng
Luol Deng
Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...
.
On March 2, 2008, the Guildford Heat fought back from a half-time deficit to win the BBL Trophy for the first time in its history, defeating the Newcastle Eagles 86-79 at the Plymouth Pavilions
Plymouth Pavilions
Plymouth Pavilions is an entertainment and sports complex in Plymouth, Devon, England. It has a Fun Pool, Ice Rink, Live Cafe and arena. The arena is used for corporate hire and as an entertainment venue....
. The Heat's EJ Harrison picked up the MVP award after scoring 25 points. However, in a crucial crunch game with title challengers, the Newcastle Eagles, the League Title was lost after a thrilling over-time victory for the Eagles. Despite the Heat being 18 points ahead going into the 4th quarter, the game finished 108-101 to the Eagles and Fab Flournoy
Fabulous Flournoy
Fabulous Flournoy is a player and the head coach for basketball team Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League....
's team were crowned champions.
After sweeping aside rookie franchise Everton Tigers
Everton Tigers
The Mersey Tigers are a professional basketball team based in the city of Liverpool, in England. The club was established in 2007 as a start-up franchise of the British Basketball League, the country's elite competition...
81-72 in the Play-off Quarter-finals, the Heat then secured their place in the final with an emphatic 81-66 win over the Plymouth Raiders at the Finals Weekend, on May 3. The Play-off Final, held on the following day, saw Guildford up against the season’s surprise package, the Milton Keynes Lions, who had just disposed of the Newcastle Eagles in the Semi-final. However it was experience that prevailed and the Heat claimed another trophy with a 100-88 victory, Danny Gilbert posting 27 points and taking the Finals MVP award.
Following on from the season’s achievements, the franchise was again invited into the ULEB Cup for the upcoming season, but the club opted not to be included.
2008-09 season
The Heat started off the 2008-2009 pre-season with the announcement of signing former Heat favourite Kabir Abu, as well as American Keonta Howell and CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n star Hrvoje Pervan. However it was revealed weeks later that Pervan’s transfer had broken down due to administrative errors. Among those returning from the previous season were Heat Captain, Mike Martin, point-guard, EJ Harrison, and shooting guard, Dean Williams, while Heat fan-favourite Chad McKnight also rejoined the Heat after a one-year stint at the Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders
The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League...
. The line-up was completed with the signing of British big man Alan Metcalfe and shooting guard Daniel Sandell.
The new campaign began with the Heat retaining the Cup Winners Cup. They defeated the previous season's BBL Cup winners, the Milton Keynes Lions, over two legs, winning both games 91-89 at the Spectrum and 68-60 at the Bletchley Centre
Bletchley Centre
The Bletchley Leisure Centre is an indoor leisure facility in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England.The new Bletchley Leisure Centre opened in 2009 replacing the original centre next door to it....
. The first league game saw the Heat suffer defeat on the road against the Newcastle Eagles, losing a tight affair 81-86. A run of mixed results found the team languishing in mid-table by November, while the team went out of the BBL Cup, beaten over two legs by the Plymouth Raiders in the Semi-finals. The Heat lost both games, going down 73-80 in the first leg at home and 69-74 on the road.
The new year started brightly, and thanks to two victories in two days over London Capital (104-80) and the Milton Keynes Lions (101-99), the Heat booked their place in the Semi-final of the Trophy. However, all wasn’t well behind closed doors, and following the exit of previous Chairman and main sponsor Robert Banks, the club announced on February 12, 2009, that it had gone into administration but with a buyout imminent. The franchise’s assets were purchased by local businessman Alan McClafferty, a Heat fan and volunteer coach in the club’s youth setup.
Back on the court, the Heat renewed their rivalry with the Plymouth Raiders in the Trophy Semi-final. The Heat triumphed in the two-leg match-up, winning both games for a comfortable 187-161 aggregate victory. This sent the Heat to the Trophy Final, which was played at Heat’s home court, the Spectrum, on March 15, where they met the Newcastle Eagles. Despite a 30-point haul from Keonta Howell, the Heat went down 71-83, suffering under a 44-29 second-half onslaught from the Eagles.
Just days after securing a place in the Play-offs, with a 74-65 win at home against the Milton Keynes Lions, club Managing Director Alan McClafferty announced that coach Paul James would not have his contract renewed at the end of the season. The Heat finished the regular season in 4th place with a 21-12 record, qualifying for the Play-off Quarter-final with home court advantage. Drawn against the Plymouth Raiders, which marked the eighth time the two teams had met that season, the Heat suffered a disappointing end to the season, going down 81-89. A lone high-note was that American Keonta Howell was voted into the BBL All-Star first team after coming 3rd in the voting for the MVP award.
2009-10 season
After Paul James’ departure as coach of the first team, the club quickly appointed Chad McKnightChad McKnight
Chad McKnight is an American professional basketball player, who has signed as the Player-Coach for the 2009-10 British Basketball League season with the Guildford Heat....
as player/coach on 8 July and subsequently brought back Mike Davies as General Manager. The fans were also pleased when the Heat announced that Captain Mike Martin
Mike Martin (basketball)
Mike Martin is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
was back and had signed a three-year contract to play for the Heat. However, other players decided to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Heat stalwart Dean Williams
Dean Williams (basketball)
Dean Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
went to the Essex Pirates
Essex Pirates
Essex Pirates is currently inactive British Basketball League team from Southend-on-Sea, in the county of Essex. They were founded in 2009 and play their home games at the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre...
, where he was joined by Alan Metcafle, while point-guard EJ Harrison joined the Milton Keynes Lions
Milton Keynes Lions
The Milton Keynes Lions, officially called Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions due to sponsorship, is a basketball team which represents Milton Keynes in the British Basketball League, the top level men's basketball league in the United Kingdom. The franchise’s only trophy success to-date is the BBL...
. With back-up point-guard and long-time Heat player, Jon May, joining the EBL outfit Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets is a basketball club based in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. Currently Reading Rockets play in the English Basketball League Division 1. Reading Rockets work with around 1,000 young players every week in Berkshire...
, Chad McKnight had a rebuilding job on his hands.
The club brought in several new faces, including BBL veteran Julius Joseph
Julius Joseph (basketball)
Julius Joseph is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
and up-and-coming young England star, Tayo Ogedengbe. McKnight also brought in two Americans in explosive point-guard Aaron Drakeford and swing man Kenny Langhorne (who replaced Keonta Howell who decided not to return to the Heat after two years there). Key man off the bench the season before, Daniel Sandell, also rejoined the club.
The new-look team opened their season with an easy 95-65 victory away to London Capital, and compiled a six game unbeaten run at home with wins against such teams as the Everton Tigers, Newcastle Eagles and Milton Keynes Lions. However, the team's form on the road left something to be desired and after the opening win against London Capital, the Heat lost their next five games away from Guildford. Things got worse in December, when the Heat lost their 100% home record, losing 83-97 to the table-topping Sheffield Sharks. This was the start of a six-game losing streak, halted by a New Year's Day win against the Essex Pirates and finally a triumph on the road, a 74-72 win against the Leicester Riders in the BBL Trophy.
By now the team was struggling with injury. Daniel Sandell had been sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury. The victory against the Riders marked his comeback and was a personal triumph as he came off the bench to turn the game around with some deadly three-point shooting. However, other team members, including Aaron Drakeford and Kenny Langhorne, were carrying injuries and being asked to play big minutes due to a short bench. Worse still, Heat Captain Mike Martin injured his knee and was eventually forced to shut down for the season, making just three appearances after January. In his absence, Julius Joseph stepped up his game and carried the team on several occasions, going on to be the team's top scorer for the season with 17.6 points per game. Player-coach Chad McKnight also stepped up his game, hitting 30 points or more in three consecutive games, including a career-high 39 points.
The Heat won against London Capital on 10 January, meaning that they had got 2010 off to a good start with a three-game winning streak. However, they won just twice more in 18 games as they plummeted down the table to finish a lowly 11th, the first time in club history that they had failed to qualify for the play-offs.
On December 14, it had been officially announced that the 2009-10 season would be Heat's last at the Spectrum, with the franchise moving to the brand-new Surrey Sports Park for the 2010-11 season. On court it was all change too as the club announced that Chad McKnight would not return as player-coach, Creon Raftopoulous stepping in as head coach for the new 2010-11 season.
Home arenas
- The SpectrumGuildford SpectrumGuildford Spectrum is a leisure complex in Guildford, Surrey, England. Owned by Guildford Borough Council, it was opened on 28 February 1993 at a cost of £28 million. It is the home of ice hockey team the Guildford Flames, and other sports clubs...
(2005-2010) - Surrey Sports Park (2010-present)
Season-by-season records
| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pld. | W | L | Pts. | Play Offs | Trophy | Cup | ULEB Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guildford Heat | ||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|5th | 40 | 20 | 20 | 40 | Semi-final | Semi-final | Quarter-final | n/a |
| 2006–2007 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
1st | 36 | 29 | 7 | 58 | Semi-final | 1st Round | Winners | n/a |
| 2007–2008 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
2nd | 33 | 24 | 9 | 48 | Winners | Winners | Semi-final | 1st Round |
| 2008–2009 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|4th | 33 | 21 | 12 | 42 | Quarter-final | Runner-up | Semi-final | n/a |
| 2009–2010 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|11th | 36 | 11 | 25 | 22 | DNQ | Semi-final | 1st Round | n/a |
| 2010–2011 | BBL British Basketball League The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy.... |
|7th | 33 | 17 | 16 | 34 | Quarter-final | Runner-up | 1st Round | n/a |
- DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.
Cup
- BBL Cup Winners: 2006/07 1
- BBL Cup Winners' Cup Winners: 2007/08; 2008/09 2
Current roster
The following information is established according to the official websites of the team (www.guildfordheat.com) and Britain's top professional league, the BBLBritish Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
(www.bbl.org.uk).
Notable former players
Carlton AaronCarlton Aaron
Carlton Aaron is an American professional basketball player who most recently was signed to the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
Ajou Deng
Ajou Deng
Ajou Ajou Deng is a British-South Sudanese professional basketball player. He is the son of Aldo Deng, a former Sudanese politician and is the brother of Luol Deng, an NBA player who is also his teammate on Great Britain's national team....
Tony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey
Tony Dorsey is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.-Biography:...
Brian Dux
Brian Dux
Brian Dux Brian Dux Brian Dux (born April 7, 1981 in Orchard Park, New York, is an American professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League.- College career :...
Daniel Gilbert
Daniel Gilbert
Daniel Todd Gilbert is Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He is a social psychologist who is known for his research on affective forecasting, with a special emphasis on cognitive biases such as the impact bias...
E.J. Harrison Keonta Howell James Jones Perry Lawson
Perry Lawson
Perry Lawson is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for Mersey Tigers in the British Basketball League....
Dave Mallon Dan Wardrope Roderick Wellington
Roderick Wellington
Roderick Wellington is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Leicester Riders in the British Basketball League....
Dean Williams
Dean Williams (basketball)
Dean Williams is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
Head coaches
As of June 4, 2011| Name | From | To | Regular Season | Play-offs | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | ||||
| Paul James Paul James (basketball) Paul James is a former professional basketball player and current head coach of British Basketball League team Worcester Wolves.... |
2005 | 2009 | 94 | 48 | 5 | 3 | |
 Chad McKnightChad McKnight Chad McKnight is an American professional basketball player, who has signed as the Player-Coach for the 2009-10 British Basketball League season with the Guildford Heat.... |
2009 | 2010 | 12 | 27 | 0 | 0 | Player/coach |
 Creon Raftopoulos |
2010 | Present | 17 | 16 | 0 | 2 | |
External links
- Official Guildford Heat website
- Guildford Heat on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Guildford Heat on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...