{"id":1186,"date":"2020-04-19T08:47:31","date_gmt":"2020-04-19T07:47:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.manchesterwarriors.co.uk\/?page_id=1186"},"modified":"2020-04-21T17:51:51","modified_gmt":"2020-04-21T16:51:51","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.manchesterwarriors.co.uk\/?page_id=1186","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2006-07 – In the beginning…<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In the summer of 2006 a group of korfers started something new and set up their own club.  The club was set up by Founding members Andrew ‘Fro’ Barkwith, Mike Brayne, Mel Meshkat, Amy Dickens, Vicky Tunbridge, Chris Sidebottom, Kev Moss and Martin Quinn with help from Jess Rowden & Anne-Aline De Caestecker, some much need extra girls from Man Uni to help make up numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club enjoyed success from the start with Warriors 1 coming 1st in the NWKL with an undefeated first season. Warriors were the first local league club to ever to reach the second round of the British Korfball Association Cup, though sadly we were defeated by the reigning Premiership Champions, Mitcham KC.  Warriors attended many tournaments in their first year including Edinburgh International Tournament, Norfolk, Nottingham, Birmingham and Leeds.  The club also went to the Korfball famous Attila showing the international entrants how to play and party Warriors style!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the players were also ever present on the Student Korfball Team ensuring \u201cManchester Warriors\u201d was publicised and marketed well to attract Graduates… Or it could have been to cling onto their youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roll of Honour<\/strong>
Warriors MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Mel Meshkat<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"warriors07\"<\/a>
Quinn, Barwith, Brayne, Garvey, Moss
Rowden, Tunbridge, Meshkat, Dickens<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"warriors07b\"<\/a>
Aston Uni Tournament… with a few ringers<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2007-08<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On Court<\/strong>
Warriors took our beginners to Lancaster\u2019s Freshers Tournament and won, held our 1st Christmas Tournament which was a massive success and made the trip to the Edinburgh International Tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 1 came 1st in CEKL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off Court<\/strong>
Warriors expanded fast with Gav and Eleanor Legg, Kev Jones, Pete Quinn, Ryan Keaney, Richard ‘Fish’ Dawson, Laura Blazey and Sam Barkwith.  The team also recruited newbies Kim “Embra” Tirrell, Sam Scullion, Meg Turner, Howard Ainsworth, Les Ainsworth and Fiona Stinson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roll of Honour<\/strong>
Warriors MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Mel Meshkat<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2008-09<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On Court<\/strong>
Warriors 1 came 2nd in CEKL1 followed by 3rd<\/sup> place in National League Champions Trophy pool B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off Court<\/strong>
Warriors 2 were 1st in NWKL in their first season leading to immediate promotion to CEKL2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recruitment facilitated the creation of a second team for Warriors.  The season saw the arrival of Clem Hindley from Horfield, Miki Barker (now Blood) from Leeds, as well as new to korfball Si Stubbs and Jenny McGuckian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roll of Honour<\/strong>
1st Team MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Mel Meshkat
2nd Team MVP <\/strong>\u2013 Kev Moss<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2009-10<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On Court<\/strong>
Warriors 1 came 1st in CEKL1 with Kev Jones and Mike Brayne picking up a one two in the league top scorers.  This was followed up with 5th place at the National League Champions Trophy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 2 continued their strong run coming 1st in CERL2 for their second successive promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 3 also achieved 3rd in NWKL1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off Court<\/strong>
Further recruitment saw the arrival of Pete McGuckian, Tom Giddings, Laura Smith and Dave Dean allowing Warriors to grow to 3 teams for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roll of Honour<\/strong>
1st Team MVP<\/strong> – Mike Brayne
2nd Team MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Richard Dawson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2010-11<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On Court<\/strong>
Warriors 1 had a solid season coming 3rd in CEKL1 followed by 4th at the National League Champions Trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 2 on the other hand faced a tough season with a new look team following the summer departures, coming 6th in CEKL1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 3 came 3rd in NWKL1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club also took time out mid-season to attend the Edinburgh Korfball International Tournament.  Our tournament form continued to be excellent, fantastic wins at the Edinburgh International Tournament and the Manchester City Summer Tournament (hosted by our local rivals\u2026), among others.  Warriors also returned to Eindhoven in April 2012 (after a four year break) to take part in the famous Attila tournament in Holland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few members of the club were even called up for international duty. Kev Jones represented Wales in China during the 2011 World Korfball Championships and Mike Brayne represented Scotland during the course of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off Court<\/strong>
Whilst losing a number of senior players from the squad recruitment saw the arrival of Chris Cooper & Sophie Laurenson (now Cooper) from Bristol City, Pipp Saul-Harrah from Manchester University as well as new to korfball Katie O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\u2019s Wally, Silver fancy dress, Scottish dancing in Edinburgh, shot fines from bowling, cocktail shaking (read drinking) and donning tuxedos for the Korf-ball were a few highlights of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roll of Honour<\/strong>
1st Team MVP<\/strong> – Mike Brayne
2nd Team MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Kev Moss
3rd Team MVP<\/strong> – Howard Ainsworth
Most Improved Player<\/strong> \u2013 Jen McGuckian
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Best Newcomers<\/strong> \u2013 Chris Cooper & Sophie Laurenson
Lifetime Achievement award <\/strong>\u2013 Vinny Garvey
Best couple<\/strong> \u2013 Kev Jones and Richard Fish Dawson<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2011-12<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On Court<\/strong>
Warriors 1 were winners of the first ever NW Cup.  They also came 2nd in CEKL1 with Mike Brayne league top scorer which led to coming 5th in the National League Champions Trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 2 came 4th in the NWKL1 despite having to field teams of 7 for a number of matches.  Pete McGuckian made a name for himself getting league Male MVP and also making the NW team of year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again the trip was made to Edinburgh, some mixed play on court led to full effort off court at the social!  13th<\/sup> out of 24 international teams, we were able to take solice that Los Luchadores, the eventual victors of the weekend, included a number of current (Mike and Mel) and past (Fro and Marv) Warriors.  \u00a1Warriors para la victoria!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Off Court<\/strong>
Despite losing a large number of players before the season and having to drop the third team, a successful January recruitment drive helped Warriors acquire Andy Clements, Chelle Barker (now Clements) and Lucy Shattock, plus a new signing of Emma Higton from Birmingham University.  The reduction to two teams allowed for some of our up-and-coming players to get an opportunity to challenge some of the (ageing) first team players for places, as well as get valuable experience playing against some very good players in the CEKL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors showed their community spirit completing a recruitment drive through Didsbury (Didsbury Dozen pub crawl) and getting involved in the Wythenshawe Games, a legacy of London 2012, a festival of sport with free trials of korfball for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over summer the club ran a raffle to raise funds for the club and the hard work paid off.  A brave few Warriors set off in the pouring rain over the border to Snowdon, with freezing nights and little sleep they conquered the climb.  At Nottingham Warriors fancy dress ruled again; Gold & Bronze for our GB Rowers and Boris \u201cFish\u201d Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roll of Honour<\/strong>
1st Team MVP<\/strong> – Mike Brayne
2nd Team MVP<\/strong> \u2013 Pete McGuckian
Unbreakable award <\/strong>\u2013 Mel Meshkat
International Man of Mystery <\/strong>\u2013 Si Stubbs
Best Newcomer <\/strong>\u2013 Lucy Shattock
Most Improved<\/strong> \u2013 Emma Higton
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Ultimate Warrior <\/strong>\u2013 Jen McGuckian
Golden Apple (teacher\u2019s pet)<\/strong> Award<\/strong> \u2013 Sophie Laurenson
Ultimate Chair<\/strong> \u2013 Kev Moss
Grumpy Old Man<\/strong> \u2013 Tom Giddings
Parents of the year<\/strong> \u2013 Mr & Mrs Ainsworth<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2012-13<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On Court<\/strong>
Warriors 1 maintained their NW Shield for the second year with Kev Jones the competitions top scorer.  This was matched with 2nd in CEKL1 only just missing out on Champions Trophy falling 14-13 to Birmingham City on the final day of the season, Kevin Jones taking top scorer in the league too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors 2 had a season of rebuilding with lots of players not having played together before and a good run in saw them top of NWKL2 with Sarah Halstead picking up Female MVP for the NWKL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warriors hadn\u2019t seen enough court time and organised their own mini league competing with Crewe & Nantwich, Castle and Manchester City.  Warriors Dragons team came out on top over the 4 week schedule.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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