A Brief History of Farnborough Rugby Club

Farnborough Rugby Club was formed in 1915 and was originally known as the Royal Aircraft Factory (RAF) Rugby Union Football Club. The RAF became the Royal Aeronautical Establishment (RAE) in 1918 and the Club changed its name to the RAE RFC. During its early history, club members were drawn from people working at the RAE and a number of RAE Directors were Club Captains.

During the 1939/45 war the RAE played a key role in supporting the armed forces. As a result there were always plenty of RAE workers in the area and the rugby club continued to flourish. During this period the club even supplied players to wartime England teams, in the absence of the many players who served in the armed forces.

The association with what is now DERA continues. With Aldershot and Odiham being close by, the club has also benefited over the years from players and coaches drawn from the ranks of the Army and the RAF.

The seventies saw Farnborough, as a town become part of Rushmoor Borough Council. An increasing number of players did not work for the RAE and the decision was made to move to Tile Barn Close and become a ‘town’ side known as Rushmoor RUFC. The trouble was nobody knew where Rushmoor was. Visiting teams arrived late and it was soon decided to re-name the Club Farnborough RUFC with a proper town identity.

Senior Rugby remains the raison d’etre of the Club although our facilities are used by a range of other sporting Clubs. Rushmoor Sunday FC, a thriving soccer club, are associates. The Club is home for the Rushmoor branch of the Disabled Sports Association – the Mallards. They use the Club for training and sports events. Farnborough sub aqua club and the Civil Service Motoring Association also use the Club as a base.

Facilities

Club House redevelopment was completed in time for the start of the 1999/00 season and was financed with support from Whitbread Brewery, with whom the Club has traded for more than 20 years. We also had support from a major sponsor Rattner McKenzie PLC.

Rushmoor Borough Council actively supports FRUFC in recognition of our community values and involvement with the disabled. They made a substantial grant towards the cost of the refurbishment project and are supporting a National Lottery application for relaying pitch playing surfaces. The Hampshire Playing Fields Association also contributed.

The rest was self-help and support from members and friends of the Club.