In October 2000 the Spartans played their Hulme Hall friends again but improved from previous matches losing 6-42. This was the first time the Spartans had managed to invite visitors to their new home base at Old Salians RUFC and were able to offer food and drinks in the clubhouse.
Later that month a group of around 8 Spartans travelled to Washington DC to visit the Washington Renegades. They participated in their rugby practice and even ran one of the sessions to teach some new coaching techniques. The Renegades showed great hospitality by hosting the individual Spartans in their own homes, taking them out to the bars and even took them to a gay roller-skating night! Sight-seeing trips were enjoyed around Washington, Baltimore and New York City. Although no matches were played, a new relationship with another 'gay' rugby team was established.
The final fixture of 2000 for the Spartans was in December when they played a friendly match against a team of selected Old Salians players who featured in, 'Ally's All-Stars.' The Spartans lost 28-0 but it was a good way for all players to celebrate the end of the year in which the two clubs had come together and formed a partnership.
The Spartans were coming towards the end of their second year of existence and to help celebrate their up-coming birthday, they hosted a Birthday Bash weekend and invited players from the Washington Renegades and a new team on the scene, the San Francisco Fog. Between 25-29th January, the Spartans hosted players in their own homes and planned a weekend of rugby and partying. A trip to Chester on the Friday was followed by rugby coaching on the Saturday, followed by a mad night out partying. All turned up on the Sunday though ready to play rugby in a match between the Spartans and a combined team of Renegades and Fog. The Spartans won 37-5 in what was historically the first 'international' rugby match between two 'gay' rugby teams from two different countries. On the Sunday evening the Spartans hosted a 2nd birthday party at the Hollywood Showbar and our American friends helped celebrate the Spartans creation and achievements.
Around this time the Club decided to update its rugby kit with a brand-new design. The bright new kit was inspired by the gay community's rainbow flag symbol with colours on the shirt mixing into each other in horizontal lines from red at the top then orange, then yellow, then green. The shorts were blue and the socks purple. How on earth a group 20 gay men ever managed to decide on a completely new kit design is a miracle!
On 5th May 2001 the Spartans hosted the King Cross Steelers and were triumphant against them again winning 46-15. 'nough said!
After their trip to Manchester in January, the Washington Renegades were inspired to host their new friends and play some rugby on their own turf. Between 18-20th May 2001, the Spartans travelled to Washington DC and competed in the Washington Renegades' Invitational Rugby Sevens Tournament. The Spartans competed with two 7-a-side teams for the first time. The Kings Cross Steelers also sent two teams and there were teams from the Renegades, Fog and now a new team from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Completing the line-up was a Barbarians team made up of a collection of players from other teams. This was the first IGRAB sanctioned tournament and we are immensely proud that it was won by the Manchester Village Spartans A-team who beat the Fog in the final. The Spartans B-team beat the Steelers A-team to come third. The second Annual Dinner a few weeks later was a chance to celebrate another most successful year!
By the time of the 2nd AGM in July 2001, the Club was financially secure for at least another couple of seasons, new members were elected to Committee and the club members voted to become more competitive and seek membership of the Cheshire Rugby Union.
