Tim Ambrose will not return as Middletown 's football coach, ending one of the most successful coaching tenures in the state's history.

Two years ago, Frederick County created a rule prohibiting athletic directors from holding head coaching positions at the same time.

After struggling to decide which job to keep, Ambrose elected to continue as athletic director and walk away from coaching.

"I enjoyed every minute of it and it really was a great career that I wanted to keep going," Ambrose said.  "I don't have any regrets."

Ambrose said he needed to make a decision to Middletown principal Dr. Debra Munk by Dec. 1.  He then met with his assistant coaches to tell them the news.

"They made a policy change," Ambrose said. "And I had to make a choice."

He's eligible to retire, but would like to stay at Middletown.

"As long as I enjoy what I do, I'll continue working," Ambrose said.

Ambrose just completed his 31st season as head coach, compiling a 248-78 record.  He's been at Middletown since the school opened and is the only football coach in school history.

The Knights haven't had a losing season since 1976, when the Knights went 4-6.

A successor has not been named and won't be for at least a few more weeks.  The job must be advertised first within the Board of Education for 30 days.

When Linganore 's Rick Conner coached at Brunswick, he considered Ambrose's squads his top rivals.

"He's a class act," Conner said.  "When we faced Middletown, it was the ultimate game.  That's how I got indoctrinated to football around here, and man, I always wanted a group of kids who played as hard as his did."