Spartans v Oldham
A league match against Oldham in the middle of January.
The Spartans' one season in Miller Homes Division 4 East was the hardest of the club's first decade: fourteenth of fourteen, and relegated.
About ten experienced players were lost to retirement, injury and work; the Hadrians Cup in Newcastle was frozen off; the club held its tenth Annual Dinner; and the year ended in London, where the Spartans reached the final of the third Union Cup and lost 3–0 to the Kings Cross Steelers.
Promotion had taken the Spartans into Miller Homes Division 4 East for the first time. They finished fourteenth of fourteen and went straight back down.
Having gained promotion to Miller Homes Division 4 East, Manchester Village Spartans RUFC were hoping they could cope with the higher standard of rugby. What a torrid season it turned out to be. The team suffered a devastating loss of experienced players, about ten in total, who were no longer available to play regularly because of retirement, injury, or a change in their work patterns. Looking back on the year in a press release the following September, the club put it plainly: “We were plagued by injury and lost a couple of key players”.
The last league match was played on 25 April 2009. When the season was eventually over they had come fourteenth and last in the league and were demoted to Miller Homes Division 5 East. The mere fact that the team battled on and completed the season with their heads held high was testament to their bond and fighting spirit.
In the new year some Spartans were hoping for a little light relief with a trip to Newcastle and the Hadrians Cup, hosted by the Newcastle Ravens. They had won the cup the previous year, and it would be a chance to forget the season back home for a weekend. The freezing weather that weekend made any rugby playing impossible and the tournament was cancelled, although a small group still travelled north for the social side of it.
Before the season was fully over the team held their 10th Annual Dinner and celebrated the existence of the club after so many remarkable years. Messages of support came from past members, among them Duncan Leckie and Simon Stanley.
The following week the team went on their end-of-season tour and competed in the third Union Cup, run by EUGRA and hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers in London. The group stage brought Dublin Emerald Warriors, the Steelers themselves and a Barbarians side. The Spartans came through it to the final, and in an incredibly hard-fought match, watched by a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters, they were narrowly beaten by the Steelers, 3–0. After ten years the spirit of this unique and special club was very much alive.
Dean Bee was Player of the Year. Tez Law took Best New Comer, Ben Short Most Improved, and Nathan Moran the Queens Boots. The Chair’s Award went to Matt Whiteley, and Carole Jaszewski is recorded as Supporter of the Year.
On 26 June 2009 the club issued a press release headed “Manchester Village Spartans RUFC celebrate a decade in the game”. It recorded around 35 members between the ages of 18 and 50, predominantly gay and regularly fielding straight players, playing every Saturday and training on Wednesdays between September and April at Sale Sports Club, with specialist coaches for all levels. Gareth Longley was the club’s PR and Communications Officer, and prospective players were pointed towards Drew Hastie, the recruitment manager. Simon Clarke was chair for the year, and the club’s record of captains for 2008–09 names both Russell Jaszewski and Matt Whiteley.
The same press release noted that the club was by then preparing for the Bingham Cup in Minneapolis the following year.
Miller Homes Division 4 East
Finished 14th, played 26, won 1, drawn 0, lost 23. 26 matches on record, 24 of them with a score. Source: the North West Intermediate leagues, the club's own page on the league site.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | CC | Wo | Co | Nfw | For | Agst | Diff | Pts | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heaton Moor 2 | 26 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 915 | 126 | 789 | 99 | 0 |
| 2 | Broughton Rufc 1 | 26 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1107 | 279 | 828 | 96 | 0 |
| 3 | Sale FC 3 | 26 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 835 | 236 | 599 | 84 | 0 |
| 4 | Old Bedians 2 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 680 | 383 | 297 | 72 | 0 |
| 5 | Burnage 3 | 26 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 600 | 422 | 178 | 71 | 0 |
| 6 | Oldham 2 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 508 | 486 | 22 | 68 | 0 |
| 7 | Bury 2 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 386 | 589 | -203 | 63 | 3 |
| 8 | Didsbury TocH 4 | 26 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 368 | 651 | -283 | 61 | 0 |
| 9 | Rochdale 3 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 547 | 658 | -111 | 58 | 0 |
| 10 | Littleborough 3 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 333 | 627 | -294 | 56 | 0 |
| 11 | Glossop 3 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 435 | 516 | -81 | 52 | 0 |
| 12 | Oldham 3 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 370 | 751 | -381 | 49 | 0 |
| 13 | Aldwinians 3 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 334 | 635 | -301 | 41 | -4 |
| 14 | Spartans 1XV | 26 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 175 | 1234 | -1059 | 27 | 0 |
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 13th Sep 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 5 – 55 | Heaton Moor 2 |
| Sat 20th Sep 2008 | Old Bedians 2 | 70 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 27th Sep 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 5 – 20 | Burnage 3 |
| Sat 04th Oct 2008 | Broughton Rufc 1 | 81 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 11th Oct 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 7 – 22 | Didsbury TocH 4 |
| Sat 25th Oct 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 0 – 34 | Littleborough 3 |
| Sat 01st Nov 2008 | Aldwinians 3 | Conceded | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 08th Nov 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 5 – 51 | Oldham 2 |
| Sat 15th Nov 2008 | Rochdale 3 | 62 – 5 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 22nd Nov 2008 | Bury 2 | Conceded | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 29th Nov 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 7 – 80 | Sale FC 3 |
| Sat 13th Dec 2008 | Oldham 3 | 57 – 5 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 20th Dec 2008 | Spartans 1XV | 0 – 77 | Old Bedians 2 |
| Sat 17th Jan 2009 | Glossop 3 | 22 – 10 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 24th Jan 2009 | Spartans 1XV | 17 – 26 | Oldham 3 |
| Sat 31st Jan 2009 | Didsbury TocH 4 | 10 – 5 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 21st Feb 2009 | Aldwinians 3 | 60 – 28 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 28th Feb 2009 | Spartans 1XV | 18 – 5 | Glossop 3 |
| Sat 07th Mar 2009 | Oldham 2 | 32 – 8 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 14th Mar 2009 | Bury 2 | 29 – 7 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 21st Mar 2009 | Burnage 3 | 74 – 12 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 28th Mar 2009 | Sale FC 3 | 69 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 04th Apr 2009 | Spartans 1XV | 0 – 85 | Broughton Rufc 1 |
| Sat 18th Apr 2009 | Heaton Moor 2 | 95 – 14 | Spartans 1XV |
| Wed 22nd Apr 2009 | Littleborough 3 | 45 – 10 | Spartans 1XV |
| Sat 25th Apr 2009 | Spartans 1XV | 7 – 73 | Rochdale 3 |
Union Cup, London 2009
4 matches on record, 1 of them with a score. Source: the club's own written history of the 2008-09 season.
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2009 | Spartans 1XV | No score recorded | Dublin Emerald Warriors |
| June 2009 | Spartans 1XV | No score recorded | London Kings Cross Steelers |
| June 2009 | Spartans 1XV | No score recorded | Union Cup Barbarians |
| June 2009 | London Kings Cross Steelers | 3 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
Halbro Shield
1 match on record. Source: the North West Intermediate leagues, the club's own page on the league site.
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 18th Oct 2008 | Bolton 3 | 41 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Team | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| First XV | Player of the Year | Dean Bee |
| Players Player | Matt Whiteley | |
| Best New Comer | Tez Law | |
| Most Improved | Ben Short | |
| Queens Boots | Nathan Moran | |
| Club | Supporter of the Year | Carole Jaszewski |
| Chair's Award | Matt Whiteley |
The club's roll of honour marks the Supporter of the Year entry for this season with query marks.
| Group | Role | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Committee | Chair | Simon Clarke |
| PR and Communications Officer | Gareth Longley | |
| Recruitment Manager | Drew Hastie | |
| Playing | First XV Captain | Russell Jaszewski |
| First XV Captain | Matt Whiteley |
The club's record of past officials lists both Russell Jaszewski and Matt Whiteley as First XV captain for 2008–09.
A league match against Oldham in the middle of January.
Spartans 1XVNo score recordedDublin Emerald Warriors
The third Union Cup, run by EUGRA and hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers in London in June 2009, and the club's end of season tour in its tenth year.
The group brought the Dublin Emerald Warriors, the host Kings Cross Steelers and a Barbarians side. The Spartans came through it to the final. No group scores survive.
Spartans 1XVNo score recordedLondon Kings Cross Steelers
The third Union Cup, run by EUGRA and hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers in London in June 2009, and the club's end of season tour in its tenth year.
A group meeting with the hosts, before the two sides met again in the final. No score survives.
Spartans 1XVNo score recordedUnion Cup Barbarians
The third Union Cup, run by EUGRA and hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers in London in June 2009, and the club's end of season tour in its tenth year.
The third group game, against a Barbarians side drawn from across the tournament. No score survives.
London Kings Cross Steelers3 – 0Spartans 1XV
The third Union Cup, run by EUGRA and hosted by the Kings Cross Steelers in London in June 2009, and the club's end of season tour in its tenth year.
The club's account calls it an incredibly hard fought match, watched by a large crowd, and the Spartans were narrowly beaten by the Steelers, 3-0. It was the club's second Union Cup final in three editions, and it came at the end of the hardest league season of its first decade.