Reading Renegades
Encyclopedia
The Berkshire Renegades (formerly the Reading Renegades) are an American Football team currently competing in the South West Conference of British American Football League
(BAFL) Division 2. They play their home games at the Bulmershe Court Campus
, University of Reading
but train in Palmer Park Stadium
in Reading
, Berkshire
. First formed in 1985, they competed in the United Kingdom American Football Association, the Budweiser League, the Combined Gridiron League and the British National Gridiron League before folding in 1990. They were reformed in 2005 and entered the BAFL the following year. At the conclusion of the 2009 season the BAFL ceased to operate and the Berkshire Renegades joined the BAFA Community Leagues
.
The following year, the Renegades transferred over to the Budweiser League, where they competed in the Central conference of Division One. They soon got into their stride, recording a hard-fought win away to the Farnham Knights in their second game, and went on to have a consistent season which saw them win six out of their ten matches. They ultimately finished fourth out of eleven teams - however, due to the format of the league at that time, only the top placed team from each group in Division One qualified for the playoffs (which also included the top four teams from the Premier Division conferences along with the Plymouth Admirals
, who finished as the top-performing team in Division Two) and so the Renegades were denied any post-season action. 1987 was to prove a much worse season, with the team failing to register a single win and only a tie gained against Salford-based team the Huskies helping them to avoid a complete washout.
After sitting out the 1988 season, the Renegades returned to senior action in 1989 when they joined the Combined Gridiron League. Placed in the four-team Southern Conference, they had an indifferent season which saw them finish with a 3-3 record, once again missing out on the playoffs.
After just one season in the CGL, the Reading Renegades transferred over to the British National Gridiron League where they competed in the First Division Southern Conference. Unfortunately, this new competition brought no joy and the Renegades finished bottom of the table, recording just one win at home to the Wight Rhinos. The club folded shortly after the season ended.
at the end of 2005.
The team entered the league in the Western Conference of Division Two, a conference which included three of the teams currently competing in the same conference as the Renegades. As an expansion team re-entering the league after 15 years away, they always found the going difficult and lost all ten of their matches, failing to score in four of them and conceding one game to the South Wales Warriors
.
The 2007 season started off positively for the Renegades, including a narrow 6–12 loss to a very strong South Wales Warriors side. The first victory came against the Plymouth Admirals
, with the winning touchdown scored with only 15 seconds remaining to secure a 25–21 win. This was followed up with a narrow 13–12 victory over the Chiltern Cheetahs. Unfortunately after the promising 2-3 start to the season, the team finished a disappointing 2-8.
The 2008 season saw a new Head Coach Phil de Monte take the reins from outgoing Head Coach Russ Seymour. Although the season started out well with a win, the team soon collapsed back to losing ways. Part way through the season Head Coach de Monte tendered his resignation and Offensive Coordinator Paul Gordon stepped up to carry out the Head Coach duties until the end of the season. The team forfeited a fixture to Cornish Sharks
on grounds of safety as they lacked a sufficient number of uninjured players to compete effectively. The season ended on a 6-6 draw against Essex Spartans
.
The 2009 season saw Paul Gordon take on the role of Head Coach full time. The 2009 season was a period of improvement for the Renegades and their final record of 3 wins and 7 losses reflected an improved team. Two wins over Plymouth Admirals
and one over league newcomers Gloucester Banshees ended the season for the team.
The 2010 season and the dissolution of the BAFL meant the Berkshire Renegades joined the BAFA Community Leagues
in Division 2 South West and saw the addition of two new teams as inter-divisional rivals: Watford Cheetahs
and Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
. The 2010 season was a break-out season for the team recording 6 wins and 4 loses and appearing for the first time in the playoffs. The team beat rivals Cornish Sharks at home 20-0 and then beat divisional front-runners Watford Cheetahs
40-3. The first loss of the season came against Hampshire Thrashers in a very close 13-16 loss. 2 more wins followed before a break of almost a month. The break hurt the team and momentum was lost as the team lost the next three matches against Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
, Cornish Sharks
and Hampshire Thrashers. The final game of the season was a 28-13 win over Gloucester Banshees and other results from the league meant that Berkshire retained the tie breakers over their divisional rivals and went into the playoffs for the first time. The first round of the playoffs saw a disappointing performance against a very strong London Olympians
team with the team losing 48-0.
British American Football League
The British American Football League was the United Kingdom's primary American Football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee....
(BAFL) Division 2. They play their home games at the Bulmershe Court Campus
Bulmershe Court
Bulmershe Court is, today, a campus of the University of Reading, situated in what is now the Reading suburb of Woodley, in the English county of Berkshire...
, University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
but train in Palmer Park Stadium
Palmer Park Stadium
Palmer Park Stadium is located in Palmer Park, Reading. It contains a velodrome and athletics stadium. Set in acres of parkland, the stadium provides a focal point for a variety of indoor and outdoor leisure activities, and is also used by the Berkshire Renegades for training-Velodrome:The...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. First formed in 1985, they competed in the United Kingdom American Football Association, the Budweiser League, the Combined Gridiron League and the British National Gridiron League before folding in 1990. They were reformed in 2005 and entered the BAFL the following year. At the conclusion of the 2009 season the BAFL ceased to operate and the Berkshire Renegades joined the BAFA Community Leagues
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association in 2010 to coordinate contact football and flag football across all age ranges...
.
Original Reading Renegades : 1985 to 1990
After their formation, the Renegades were admitted into the United Kingdom American Football Association in 1985 where they competed in the Eastern Conference. They finished with a 3-5 record, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot to the Dunstable Cowboys.The following year, the Renegades transferred over to the Budweiser League, where they competed in the Central conference of Division One. They soon got into their stride, recording a hard-fought win away to the Farnham Knights in their second game, and went on to have a consistent season which saw them win six out of their ten matches. They ultimately finished fourth out of eleven teams - however, due to the format of the league at that time, only the top placed team from each group in Division One qualified for the playoffs (which also included the top four teams from the Premier Division conferences along with the Plymouth Admirals
Plymouth Admirals
The Plymouth Admirals were an American Football team who competed in the British American Football League up until 2010. They played their home games at the Parkway Sports Club in Ernesettle, Plymouth. Formed in 1984, the Admirals were one of the longest established American football teams in the...
, who finished as the top-performing team in Division Two) and so the Renegades were denied any post-season action. 1987 was to prove a much worse season, with the team failing to register a single win and only a tie gained against Salford-based team the Huskies helping them to avoid a complete washout.
After sitting out the 1988 season, the Renegades returned to senior action in 1989 when they joined the Combined Gridiron League. Placed in the four-team Southern Conference, they had an indifferent season which saw them finish with a 3-3 record, once again missing out on the playoffs.
After just one season in the CGL, the Reading Renegades transferred over to the British National Gridiron League where they competed in the First Division Southern Conference. Unfortunately, this new competition brought no joy and the Renegades finished bottom of the table, recording just one win at home to the Wight Rhinos. The club folded shortly after the season ended.
Current Reading Renegades : 2006 to present
In 2004 the Renegades were restarted by former General Manager Oliver Raffle and a small group of American Football enthusiasts. This core group helped to build the team that is currently in place today after many hours work during 2005 and through the club's successful application to join the BAFLBritish American Football League
The British American Football League was the United Kingdom's primary American Football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee....
at the end of 2005.
The team entered the league in the Western Conference of Division Two, a conference which included three of the teams currently competing in the same conference as the Renegades. As an expansion team re-entering the league after 15 years away, they always found the going difficult and lost all ten of their matches, failing to score in four of them and conceding one game to the South Wales Warriors
South Wales Warriors
The South Wales Warriors are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA National Leagues . The team was formed after the Tiger Bay Warriors had disbanded due to the departure of head coach Rob Mota, along with key staff and players, by the remaining players and...
.
The 2007 season started off positively for the Renegades, including a narrow 6–12 loss to a very strong South Wales Warriors side. The first victory came against the Plymouth Admirals
Plymouth Admirals
The Plymouth Admirals were an American Football team who competed in the British American Football League up until 2010. They played their home games at the Parkway Sports Club in Ernesettle, Plymouth. Formed in 1984, the Admirals were one of the longest established American football teams in the...
, with the winning touchdown scored with only 15 seconds remaining to secure a 25–21 win. This was followed up with a narrow 13–12 victory over the Chiltern Cheetahs. Unfortunately after the promising 2-3 start to the season, the team finished a disappointing 2-8.
The 2008 season saw a new Head Coach Phil de Monte take the reins from outgoing Head Coach Russ Seymour. Although the season started out well with a win, the team soon collapsed back to losing ways. Part way through the season Head Coach de Monte tendered his resignation and Offensive Coordinator Paul Gordon stepped up to carry out the Head Coach duties until the end of the season. The team forfeited a fixture to Cornish Sharks
Cornish Sharks
The Cornish Sharks are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Newquay Sports Centre, in Newquay, Cornwall...
on grounds of safety as they lacked a sufficient number of uninjured players to compete effectively. The season ended on a 6-6 draw against Essex Spartans
Essex Spartans
The Essex Spartans are an American Football team based in Billericay, Essex, England. The team has played under the Spartans name since 1998 following a merger between two local teams and currently play in the BAFA Community Leagues, Division 2 East....
.
The 2009 season saw Paul Gordon take on the role of Head Coach full time. The 2009 season was a period of improvement for the Renegades and their final record of 3 wins and 7 losses reflected an improved team. Two wins over Plymouth Admirals
Plymouth Admirals
The Plymouth Admirals were an American Football team who competed in the British American Football League up until 2010. They played their home games at the Parkway Sports Club in Ernesettle, Plymouth. Formed in 1984, the Admirals were one of the longest established American football teams in the...
and one over league newcomers Gloucester Banshees ended the season for the team.
The 2010 season and the dissolution of the BAFL meant the Berkshire Renegades joined the BAFA Community Leagues
BAFA Community Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues are the primary American football competition in England, Scotland and Wales. They were formed by the British American Football Association in 2010 to coordinate contact football and flag football across all age ranges...
in Division 2 South West and saw the addition of two new teams as inter-divisional rivals: Watford Cheetahs
Watford Cheetahs
The Watford Cheetahs are an American football team, based in Watford competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Fullerians Rugby Club...
and Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
The Milton Keynes City Pathfinders are an American Football team based in Milton Keynes, England, competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Emerson Valley Sports Pavillion in Milton Keynes, which they share with Milton Keynes Rugby Club...
. The 2010 season was a break-out season for the team recording 6 wins and 4 loses and appearing for the first time in the playoffs. The team beat rivals Cornish Sharks at home 20-0 and then beat divisional front-runners Watford Cheetahs
Watford Cheetahs
The Watford Cheetahs are an American football team, based in Watford competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues , with their home games played at Fullerians Rugby Club...
40-3. The first loss of the season came against Hampshire Thrashers in a very close 13-16 loss. 2 more wins followed before a break of almost a month. The break hurt the team and momentum was lost as the team lost the next three matches against Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
Milton Keynes City Pathfinders
The Milton Keynes City Pathfinders are an American Football team based in Milton Keynes, England, competing in Division 2 East of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Emerson Valley Sports Pavillion in Milton Keynes, which they share with Milton Keynes Rugby Club...
, Cornish Sharks
Cornish Sharks
The Cornish Sharks are an American Football team currently competing in Division 2 West of the BAFA Community Leagues . They play their home games at the Newquay Sports Centre, in Newquay, Cornwall...
and Hampshire Thrashers. The final game of the season was a 28-13 win over Gloucester Banshees and other results from the league meant that Berkshire retained the tie breakers over their divisional rivals and went into the playoffs for the first time. The first round of the playoffs saw a disappointing performance against a very strong London Olympians
London Olympians
The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club...
team with the team losing 48-0.
Team Season Records
| Season | Division | W | L | T | PF | PA | Final Position | Playoff Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | UKAFA Eastern | 3 | 5 | 0 | - | - | 3 / 4 | — | — |
| 1986 | Budweiser League, Division One Central | 6 | 4 | 0 | 248 | 216 | 4 / 11 | — | — |
| 1987 | Budweiser League Premier Division Central | 0 | 9 | 1 | 32 | 373 | 6 / 6 | — | — |
| 1988 | DID NOT COMPETE | ||||||||
| 1989 | CGL, First Division South | 3 | 3 | 0 | 124 | 76 | 3 / 4 | — | — |
| 1990 | BNGL, First Division South | 1 | 9 | 0 | 60 | 161 | 5 / 5 | — | — |
| 1991 to 2005 | DID NOT COMPETE | ||||||||
| 2006 | BAFL Division Two West | 0 | 10 | 0 | 31 | 312 | 5 / 5 | — | — |
| 2007 | BAFL Division Two South West | 2 | 8 | 0 | 80 | 305 | 5 / 5 | — | — |
| 2008 | BAFL Division Two South West | 1 | 8 | 1 | 88 | 283 | 5 / 5 | — | Includes one defeat by forfeit |
| 2009 | BAFL Division Two South West | 3 | 7 | 0 | 142 | 289 | 4 / 5 | — | Team name changed to Berkshire Renegades prior to start of season. |
| 2010 | BAFACL Division Two South West | 6 | 4 | 0 | 198 | 102 | 2 / 5 | — | Team name lost 0-48 against London Olympians in first round of playoffs. |
| 2011 | BAFACL Division Two South West | 9 | 1 | 0 | 262 | 114 | 1 / 6 | — | Team name lost 2-14 against Shropshire Revolution in first round of playoffs. |
Roster
| Berkshire Renegades Current Roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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