Steve started his American Football career as a player with the Wight Rhinos in 1983, but his coaching career proper did not start until his move to the Farnham Knights in 1989. He was appointed as Special teams coach, and coached kicker Phil Alexander through to the World League with the London Monarchs. After moving back to the Rhinos in 1991, he became Head Coach in 1992 reaching the semi-finals. He moved back to Farnham in 1994 to become Offensive Coach with Head Coach Phil Maltby and was in that position for 2 successful seasons including a second Conference championship in their undefeated 8-0-2 season.


Steve (right) holding the 2004 Division One championship trophy
Photo courtesy of Nigel Payne

Interview conducted February 2005

What was the first game of football you watched?

Well it would have been on Channel 4 during the 1982 season – and was certainly a game involving the Washington Redskins who I have followed since then.

The first live game I saw was the Wight Rhinos/Torbay Trojans versus the Southampton Seahawks. I believe that was in 1984 before the Rhinos first season in the UKAFA Newcomers league. The Rhinos were due to provide the Defense and the Trojans the Offense but we had some big guys who ended up playing OLine as well. We all travelled on the ferry from Cowes to Southampton – then got into a bus queue – kit bags and everything and got a double decker red bus to the ground. I still wonder what the other regular passengers thought.

My son Ashley Heath travelled with us on that day and saw his first live game at 6 years old!!

What got you interested in football and ultimately coaching?

Being honest – I was nagged by my older brother to watch a game on TV. I played soccer and had done so for a number of years and I guess I had a typical British attitude to the game back then. Once I started watching and understood the game I was bitten by the bug that gets us all – I’m only sorry that it had not "arrived" here earlier – by then I was 31 and had started the slowing down process.

I trained a lot with the Rhinos but only played in a couple of games – one being our overnight journey to Mounts Bay to play the Buccaneers in 1986. The Rhinos slept in a Church hall and kick off was scheduled for mid-day so that we could get back for the last ferry. Their QB was a fisherman and was stuck out on the tide and they wanted to delay the kick off – we had to play or leave and so the game was played – and they gave us a sound beating even without their QB!

On the playing side, how many years and what positions did you play?

Back then kit was scarce and so while often practised I didn’t invest in kit and so didn’t play. In practice I did a bit of everything but kicking would have been the position for me – unfortunately back then the Rhinos didn’t get into too many kicking situations.

I then went into administration – I ran the club, negotiated our first playing field at Carisbrooke High School in Newport IOW and then Sandown Football Club. I also took an interest in assisting on the sideline but I don’t really count my coaching career to have started until I became Special Teams Coach for the Knights in 1988.

How much has football changed in the UK since you first started coaching – do you think the standard has improved? How would say the London Ravens at their peak get on against your present day champion squad?

I think the overall standard has improved – we don’t get the blow outs now that used to happen back then. Of course there were tremendous individual players around and certainly at the top level their was more passing – but you have to remember that was generally in the form of an import QB/WR combo up against British DB’s who were still learning the game.

The Ravens were a great team – I went to see them play on more than one occasion and have the greatest respect for them and what their organisation did to advance the sport over here. It is so hard however to look at the game in any context where you have no direct relevant comparison. We learnt that when we scouted the Tyrolean Raiders 2 years ago. Most people in this country would have said they were beatable when we saw them beat an Austrian opponent 78- 45 (in 12 minute quarters!!) but the speed when we played them was unbelievable. The Raiders of last year were better still.

That speed factor is the reason I would not like to say how the Ravens of the past would deal with the Knights of the 2004. In terms of individual talent both teams had great individual players and both teams were a good team unit.

What was it like playing/coaching the island, Isle of Wight? What was the pool of players like? Did you have players come from the "mainland" to play?

The Rhinos were a fantastic club/family to be involved with. My own family grew up with the Rhinos as a key factor in our lives and I have some tremendous memories from that time.

Bus trips to away games were true family outings – a day on the mainland and virtually always the last ferry home. I was with the club on two occasions 1984-1988 and then again 1991- 1993 (I was at the Knights in the interim).

The first period we only had players from the Island – the squad size was sometimes as low as 14-kitted players with 22 being the maximum. Even then we had some very good players – Sean Carter went on to play for the B52’s in San Francisco the Bournemouth Bobcats and the GB Lions in Finland. Ivan Ward and Chris Wroath both went to the Bobcats and Shaun Smith was recruited as an Offensive Lineman for Terry Smiths Spartans. Our problem was we didn’t have enough of them – I remember our first proper league game against the Witney Wildcats another good player, Mark Taylor, played both ways in the game and on special teams – it wasn’t until after the game that we realised he hadn’t missed a single play – he slept so well on the way back we left him on the bus for the ferry trip!

A number of Rhino players also travelled to play for the Knights during my first spell with the club – Shaun Smith, Chris Wroath, Ivan Ward, Ian Godfrey, Sean Carter, Simon Hadden, Geoff Dutch – they all made the weekly trip and we picked them up at Guildford station.

We also used to get good crowds at Sandown – quite often myself and a couple of players would kit up and walk along the beach handing out fliers to the holidaymakers on the Saturday – sounds crazy now but it worked!

We also did a sponsored game for Warners holiday camp. It was ourselves and the Newton GW’s against the visiting Windsor Monarchs. Basically we had not been able to afford a bus to go to Newton Abbott to play our away game to the GW’s – so they paid for the bus to avoid the game being forfeited. The deal was we would pay them back from the proceeds of a sponsored game at the end of the season. Warners became interested and put up the Monarchs free – and provided us with a really good crowd after we did a 5 on 5 fully kitted demonstration on their ball room dance floor on the Saturday night!! We got enough revenue from it to pay off the debt.

What was the best achievement for the Wight Rhinos?

Without doubt that was our undefeated regular season in 1992. I was Head Coach at that point having decided to travel from Guildford for training and games on the Island – something I did for 3 years.

I took with me the knowledge I had gained working with Marc Salazar and Frank Snyder at the Knights. We also had some players from the mainland – mostly Portsmouth who travelled on the ferry with me – plus two great backs Ben Davis and Jason Welch who along with Chris Wroath formed the first Wishbone Offense for the Rhinos.

We were beaten by Bath Gladiators in the Semi-Final having knocked out the Enfield Bullets in the first round. That day the Rhinos played in Columbia Blue – shirts borrowed from the Knights as a close bond had formed between the clubs – perhaps because our philosophy was identical.

Why did you leave the Wight Rhinos?

The first time was because my job with Royal Mail had moved me to Guildford. The Rhinos and the Knights had a close relationship and I naturally chose to join the Knights. I became Special Teams Coach – and had the opportunity to work with some great people from the Greenham Common Airbase.

The second time was because the journey had simply become too much – two speeding fines in the rush to get the ferry to practice finally convinced me to return closer to home.

How did you come to get your first coaching position at the Farnham Knights in 1989?

I had been involved with all of the Admin on the Island but also as a sideline-coaching assistant – I had the bug for coaching and my regular work provided with more than enough administrative issues.

I therefore discussed my involvement with Head Coach Marc Salazar and Asst Head Coach Frank Snyder – they gave me fantastic support and the freedom to take on the Special Teams. Working with them was a fantastic experience. They also mentored other notable Knights British Coaches Mike Reeves, John Archer, Graham Jessett and Rich Foster all of whom have achieved for the Knights and beyond.

You coached Phil Alexander (who went onto play for the London Monarchs). Do you think he could have made it in the NFL?

I have no doubt. But you don’t have to take my word for it. When Phil attended the Chicago Bears mini-camp Mike Ditka told him so and wrote as much on a signed photograph for him.

I "bluffed" our way into Phil’s first NFL try out when the Philadelphia Eagles came to London to play the Browns in the American Bowl. I called the Eagles to get him a try out but they had already left – so I told Phil we had a date with the Player Personnel Director at their practice at Crystal Palace.

Repeating that story we got to the dressing room and the Eagles Personnel Director thought that it would make good PR so took Phil out onto the field – he was quite jovial about it but wasn’t taking it seriously – until the first kick. Then he called up a Center and former 49’ers QB Matt Cavanaugh to hold. At the second day we attended Randall Cunningham was the holder. The Eagles kicker at the time was Luis Zendejas – he wished Phil luck but asked him to stay away from Philly as he needed the money!

It was Luis’s cousin Max Zendejas who Phil beat out in pre-season to become the Monarchs kicker – Max went on to kick for Green Bay and Washington in the NFL.

Explain your PAAFO concept?

The concept is very simple to explain but less easy to achieve. The principle is an over arching organisation that brings together the individual clubs that operate at Senior, College and Youth levels.

We achieved this with the PA Knights, Knights Youth and Surrey Stingers.

Each of the clubs still run their own affairs but come together as PAAFO to utilise sponsorship money for the benefit of all of the member clubs.

For players it provides progression – or the opportunity for it and for the clubs it provides economy of scale and increased purchasing power.

How did Personnel Assurance come to sponsor the Knights?

We were very fortunate to have one of the company Directors as a fervent Knights fan. We had become the Southern Seminoles after a merger with the Basingstoke Cavaliers – basically this supporter offered us a link into sponsorship if we changed the club colours back to the original Knights colours and renamed the club.

The players own our club and always have done – they decided that we should go for it. Later the Stingers changed their colours when they came into PAAFO.

The sponsorship grew from there on and has developed over the past 7 years – we continue to hit the goals set in our Operating Plan. We are extremely grateful to Personal Assurance for the support both in recent good times and for sticking with us in 1999 when we were relegated from Division 1 with a 1-8-1 record.

What led to you becoming Head Coach of the Knights?

I left the Knights in 1990 to go back to the Rhinos – I wanted to move on and become a co-ordinator. I spent one year as Offensive Co-ordinator at the Rhinos before becoming Head Coach.

When I moved back to the Knights I was content to return as Special Teams Coach but resignations and the merger with Basingstoke saw me take on the Offensive Co-ordinator role. I was Asst Head Coach also to Phil Maltby and led the team when he was not able to make games. At the end of the 1995 season Phil decided to retire.

As I have said the players own our club – they elected me as Head Coach with the Seminoles in 1996 and have since re-elected me each year – including this one – as Head Coach of the Knights.

Did you have a "5 year plan" with the Knights in your quest to win Britbowl Division One?

Yes we did and it started well in 1997 with an undefeated regular season but disappointment in the play offs. Promotion brought its issues and after two years struggling at the top level we were relegated.

That’s when we refreshed the plan – decided a new strategy and delivered PAAFO and the Division 2 National Championship. We have then progressed since then to the triumph last year. I read lots of stuff about getting to the top being easy – believe me it was not.

Staying at the top more difficult? – We shall see but I will bet it will not be easy either.

What have been the main highlights in your time of coaching the Knights?

Seeing Phil signed by the London Monarchs

Taking a struggling Seminole team into a new era as the Knights and going undefeated through the 1997 season.

The 2000 Division 2 Championship win – when nobody gave us a chance of winning

Making the 2002 Championship Final – getting there sooner than we though possible (winning at East Kilbride was not easy)

Taking Britball back into Europe in the EFAF Cup – just being involved in that stadium in Innsbruck was a fantastic experience

Then last season – the Championship and a European Final.

Realising that we are only the 6^th club in the history of the sport in this country to carry the title National Champions.

That I guess is a predictable list – the one thing that stands above anything else however is just being a part of the club. We have, and have had, some fantastic people both on and off the field and I am proud and privileged to have worked with them and to be able to call them all my friends.

After winning the Division Two title in 2000, how big a step was it to jump into Division One?

It was very difficult. People will recognise that when a team hits a peak like that some players want to step off and finish their careers "at the top" – we lost a lot of players to that feeling. We were fortunate however that misfortune in Brighton led to an influx of former Thunder players and we picked up one or two other people who liked what they saw developing in Guildford – so we managed and continued to move forward.

2003 saw your team come within a few seconds of defeating the O’s at home. After they came back how difficult was that to raise your troops for the 2004 season?

That was very very tough. It spilled over to the play off game with Ipswich that we lost in overtime. I think that the loss of Ashley as a leader on the field through injury in the O’s game hurt us both in that game and the one that followed – no one person was responsible we all felt it as a team and didn’t perform.

That was the difficult part – for 2004 however recruitment during the off season and the realisation that we had come close before and so close on that occasion put a steel of determination into the team that carried into a season where we beat them 3 times.

2004 brought you the first Division One championship for the Knights - your proudest moment in football to date?

Yes it has to be. I have been fortunate to have many proud moments at the Rhinos, Knights and with Team England but seeing the joy that brought for our sponsors, supporters and players was unforgettable.

How did you get involved with Team England in 1998, and what were some of the highlights of your time coaching them?

Basically I started as a Taxi diver for them! In 1998 Ashley Heath, who is my son, wanted to try out for the team – back then he was a Wide Receiver (Not many people remember that he did not switch to QB until 2001). I drove him up to Nottingham for the tryouts.

When I got there the Special Teams Coach had not shown up so Robin and Kurt Smeby asked me to stand in – which I did. I stayed on the staff and Robin decided to promote me to Offensive Co-ordinator for 1999.

Then in 2000 he had to stand down and he nominated me to take on the Head Coaching job – I was proud to do that. We had some very good times with the team – going to Ireland and winning was a great trip. Going to Scotland and losing was also fun – but without the result – and taught me a lot about the logistics of moving a team around that we have since employed with our European adventures.

What is your favourite team in the NFL?

The Redskins – it’s a sign of my age and the length of time I have been involved with the sport.

But I really love College Football and my trips out to Florida and latterly California for coaching experience have been tremendous. I visited the University of Miami and UCF in Orlando in 2001 and 2003 and in December I spent some time at USC in Los Angeles. The Coaches at those schools have been so helpful and hopefully I can continue to learn from such experiencesin the future.

It’s a shame the Claymores have gone too – I did the one week Coaching Experience opportunity with them and Steve McCusker and the guys really helped those of us who took that opportunity to make the most of it.

What is the most satisfying win in your career?

What a tough question.

1992 Wight Rhinos 14-12 over our arch rival South Coast Raiders after being 12-0 behind with 4 minutes to go ranks up there

Sneaking past the Oxford Saints in the 2000 Semi-Final was a great game – Roger Hedges rightly said it was one of the best and most exciting games he had ever seen. It was particularly sweet for us as it helped dispel the memories of or Semi-Final loss to Bristol in 1997.

So too does the 2000 Division 2 Championship win over Ipswich – we were so well prepared and executed perfectly that day

Beating Zurich Renegades by the required 7 points to make the EFAF Cup final last year was tremendous.

The first win against the O’s last year was obviously significant – the second one gave us great satisfaction regarding our Defensive play – but it has to be the Final last year. We played well and won what was a very tough battle in which both teams gave their all.

Have you ever been keen to coach the GB Lions or put your name forward to coach them? Is that something that interests you in the future?

Yes I am a patriot and enjoyed Coaching the England National team. Last year Coach Ayub very kindly offered me the opportunity to join the GB Staff after I had Head Coached the Team South part of the National Programme.

Much as I wanted to do it I had unfortunately been made redundant from my Royal Mail job and I was in the midst of setting up my own business. I knew therefore that I could not give the time required and very reluctantly had to decline.

The staff that went to Amiens did a great job and I am confident that they will do so again in Sweden.

My business is now established and I am more settled. If the opportunity came around again I would be very pleased to be involved.

How do you see the GB Lions getting on this summer in the European Championships Pool A?

There is no doubt that this will be a much tougher challenge than the B Group win last year.

I mean no disrespect to the squad that did so well in France – but I am pleased to see that the opportunity is there to strengthen the team that will go out to Sweden in the summer. A lot more of my players have been able to put themselves forward this year for example and some of the notably missing players from other clubs are also now on board.

The European leagues are stronger than ours – much of that however revolves around paid imports and dual nationals. When it comes to purely National players vs National players I think we have the experience and talent to trade blows with any of the other European nations.

If our best players are available and healthy we have the opportunity to do very well and could well win it. I know Coach Ayub and his staff will have them very well prepared and I think the BSL Management must also be given credit for assisting the preparations with the scheduling changes that have been made.

Who do you predict will win Division One, Division One A and Division Two titles in the BSL in 2005? Do you see any teams creating any shocks?

This is so difficult because players are free to move and team strengths can change from year to year.

Clearly I have to believe that we can repeat in Division 1 but we will take nothing for granted. The Olympians will be as competitive as ever.

I really do not see any easy games in our schedule – all of the Southern teams have their strengths and the Sundevils will make a smooth transition – they beat 2 Division 1 teams last year.

I think Birmingham are back in ascendancy and will need to be carefully watched. I will however take us to win overall.

In 1A Doncaster are likely to do well on the evidence of their Div2 Bowl showing. I think also that the Blitz will be keen to bounce straight back and they have a very talented young team. With James Mitchell at the helm in Cambridge they have to be contenders and Bristol are perennial winners.

Pushed for an answer I will say the Blitz to win narrowly of any one of the other 3.

Sadly I really do not know too much about Division 2 these days. Sussex impressed me last year and there are several ex-Knights down there. Phil Wood is doing great work at the Exiles and they will be in there pitching. I do however think that Gary McNey has something going on up in Scotland – so I will say the Trojans to win in a shock over the Southern contender .

What is the best British or Irish game that you have witnessed?

One of the problems with Coaching is that you get to see very few games that you are not involved with.

As a spectacle for supporters the O’s comeback against us in 2003 must have been quite something – but I can’t bring myself to say anything too good about it!

I will therefore go for the London Ravens win in the Summer Bowl at Loftus Rd – I love power running and Victor and Joe St Louis were just outstanding that day.

The best amateur game I have seen recently however was the Austrian Bowl where the Tyrolean Raiders defeated the Vienna Vikings in an outstanding game.

Who do you consider to be the best offensive and defensive players in the BSL at present?

I am not going to mention my own players because I think they all rank right up there.

So from other teams (with a huge Southern bias simply because I don’t see the Northern Teams)....

On Offense: - ClivePalumbo, Marvin Allen, Stuart Franklin , Warren Keen, Kenny Saro, Steve Coles, Lennox Johnson, Stuart Ennis, Matt Barrett, Mark Squires

On Defense: - Aden Durde, Corey Savage, Marco Fasulo, Jason Brisbane, Scott Rowe, Damien Anderson

There are a number of others – some of whom I only know there shirt numbers – I f I didn’t mention you and you are offended – you are almost certainly one of those people!

Who do you consider the best import players to play over here?

Tony Stitt was in my view the best ever. Not just for his playing ability but as an individual as well.

Going back in time you have a list of impressive QB’s from the early days.

There have also been some very impressive USAAF players, the Knights had some good ones in the 80’s as did many teams – our group last year were very good and Chris McIver was probably one of the best ever punt returners to play in Britball.

Who do you rate as the best British and American coaches to have worked over here?

Coach Ayub has a record you cannot deny and he has to be up there.

Tony Allen , Al Black, Steve McCusker and Murray Dumas are also names that have to be mentioned.

Jim Roberson has tremendous knowledge, enthusiasm and motivational skills.

For recruitment nobody could beat Brian Smallworth

Lance Cone had tremendous success and a great presence.

But for results and achievement you cannot deny in my view that Terry Smith has the number 1 spot.

What administrators do you most enjoy working with in the game?

Glen Schild has been tremendous for the sport and the BSL. The rest of the board have been a fantastic supporting act but Glen has led Senior Football from near ruin to a point where it could all take off again.

For BAFA Gary Marshall has been a great influence and he has always been helpful to us in resolving any EFAF issues.

Uwe Talke from EFAF is another very good administrator

Finally we had such a great time – even though they beat us twice – with the Tyrolean Raiders and I always found Daniel Dieplinger and their President Guenther Bangratz a real pleasure to work with.

I must also mention Keith Wickham for BAFRA – he has been a really positive influence in many areas both within officiating and the sport more generally.

Resume

Farnham Knights

Assistant

Farnham Knights 1989-1990

Wight Rhinos 1991
Southern Seminoles 1994-1995

Surrey Stingers 1997-2003

England 1998-1999

Head Coach

Reading University 1993
Wight Rhinos 1992-1993

Southern Seminoles 1996

PA Knights 1997-2004

England 2000

Overall Coaching Record 147-90-7

Titles won

1992 Wight Rhinos - BSL Southern Conference Champions Div2

1994 Southern Seminoles - BSL Southern Conference Champions Div1

1997 PA Knights - BSL Southern Conference Champions Div2

2000 PA Surrey Stingers - BCAFL PA Southern Plate Winners

2001 PA Knights - BSL Southern Conference Champions Div2

2001 PA Knights - BSL Div2 National Champions

2001 PA Knights - BAFCA Div2 Coach of the Year

2002 PA Surrey Stingers - BCAFL South East Division Champions

2002 PA Knights - British National Championship Runners Up

2004 PA Knights -BSL Southern Conference Champions Div1

2004 PA Knights -EFAF Cup Runners Up

2004 PA Knights - BSL Div1 National Champions