Club Photo Shoot 2016
The club's photo shoot for the season: the whole squad together, then every player on his own in the rainbow chevron kit. Photographs by Joycey.
The season a second Spartans side went into league rugby for the first time in the club's history.
Two sides played league rugby from September and three took the field together in November. All three went to the Union Cup in Madrid, the largest party the club had ever taken: the First XV reached the semi-finals and the Third XV took bronze in the Union Bowl. The bid to host the 2019 tournament in Manchester was lost to Dublin.
2016–17 put a second Spartans side into league rugby for the first time.
For the first time in the club’s history a Second XV was registered to compete in the league, entered into Division 5 East alongside the First XV in Division 3 South. Both took the field on 3 September 2016, the First XV at home to New Brighton 2s and the Second XV away at Hope Valley 1s, with Charlie Derbyshire named the First XV’s man of the match. By that month the club had over 100 playing members registered and two former players were taking coaching courses to meet the demand. Gareth Longley had been welcomed as the club’s fifth coach in August, joining Neil Mason, Alex, David and Phil.
A Third XV played a programme of friendlies alongside them. On 19 November the Spartans put out three sides on the same day, the Thirds away to Kings Cross Steelers 4s, the Seconds at home to Broughton Park 4s and the Firsts away to Broughton Park 3s. Across the year the club attracted and retained 61 new members out of a total membership base of 125.
Karl Bee captained the First XV, coached by Neil Mason. December brought a 27–29 defeat at home to Capenhurst 1s after a second half fight back. The new year opened badly, with a 19–31 loss at home to Wilmslow and a 43–3 beating at league leaders Widnes. The turn came in February, when the side recovered from 24–14 down at half time to beat Lymm 3s 38–24. In March a 21–34 defeat by Carrington, with tries from Simon Gammon, Dean Bee and David Taylor, was followed a week later by a 51–15 win away at Dukinfield 2s. On the last Saturday of the league season they travelled to New Brighton 2s still fighting relegation from Division 3 South. Karl Bee reported to the annual general meeting that after a difficult start the team had seen the league out with enough points to stay up.
The Second XV’s first full season of league rugby brought no wins. Andrew Wignall’s side were beaten 34–0 at home by Eccles in September and 127–0 at home by Ashton under Lyne 2XV in January. Wignall told the annual general meeting that they had lost every league game apart from a fixture away at Ashton, where the opposition could not field a team, that 1,234 points had been scored against them and that they finished last. They survived in the league all the same, as larger clubs’ sides such as Stockport 4s and Didsbury 4s left it. Asked whether the team should be taken out and entered into the Turing league instead, every member declared support for remaining where they were. After player feedback the Seconds began training as a team under a designated coach, David Marland, rather than alongside the First XV.
The Third XV, captained by John Copestake and coached by Gareth Longley, was where most of the club’s newest players started. On 5 October it played Bolton University at Bolton RUFC in a game in which twelve new Spartans had their first game of rugby for the club. On 22 October it beat the Liverpool Tritons, a result the club called historic, on an open day at Sale Sports Club for which Joshua Sanderson-Kirk arranged a sound system and invitations for sponsors and their staff. In March it lost 15–63 at home to the Newcastle Ravens, and in April it travelled to the Leeds Hunters for the first ever game between the two clubs, both fielding development teams.
A development squad went to Touch My Brum, the annual tournament hosted by the Birmingham Bulls, in July 2016. It won all five of its pool matches and beat the Newcastle Ravens in the semi-final before losing the final to the hosts.
On 18 March 2017 the club hosted the Kings Cross Steelers at Sale Sports Club for the Pioneers Cup: five matches between the two clubs’ first, second, third and fourth teams, all played at Sale after the other venue was waterlogged. The club described the fixture as a meeting of the world’s two oldest gay rugby clubs, then 25 and 21 years old.
The seventh Union Cup was held in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017, hosted by Madrid Titanes, a club formed in 2013 which had won the hosting rights over the Newcastle Ravens. The tournament had begun with six teams in Montpellier in 2005 and had grown to 38 clubs across Europe. The Spartans took all three teams. Ninety one people travelled, 65 of them players, the largest party the club had ever taken on tour and the first time it had entered three teams at a Union Cup.
Dean Bee organised the trip and went as chair, with Matt Whiteley as vice chair, Jonathan Edwards as tour secretary, having arranged the RFU’s permission to tour and the insurance, and Gary Zetter as tour manager and tournament liaison officer. Catherine Jackson was tournament medical lead, with Sydnie Jai as tour physio, Robin Helsby as tour doctor, Tom Grundy as club medical officer and Rob McClenaghan-Harrop, Jonathan Edwards and Yosh Tazaki as first aiders. The tour dress theme, following Brussels, was nans.
Matches were played across two pitches at Orcasitas and a satellite pitch at Getafe. The First XV won their pool: 60–0 against the Celtic Lions, 66–7 against Straffe Ketten and 42–0 against the hosts. They went out at the semi-final stage, losing a close game to London, who won the tournament. The Second XV, playing their first Union Cup as a true second team, went down 0–34 to the Berlin Bruisers, 5–12 to the Wessex Wyverns and 0–24 to Tou’win, and lost in the final of their own competition. The Third XV, a genuine third team for the whole season, lost 0–19 to the Brighton Sea Serpents and 0–63 to the Rebelyons. They scored their first try of the tournament in a 5–17 defeat by the Kings Cross Steelers 4th XV, and took the bronze medal in the Union Bowl.
The 2018 Bingham Cup went to Amsterdam, chosen ahead of London, Toronto and Edinburgh. The club’s own ambitions ran to the Union Cup, and from August 2016 Matt Whiteley led work on a bid to host the 2019 tournament in Manchester. By January a bid video had been scripted, fronted by chair Dean Bee, and by March the club had produced a bid book with Marketing Manchester, the official convention bureau for Greater Manchester. Whiteley was tournament director and Dean Bee commercial director, working with Paul Wheeler, Paul Upham, Dave Brewster, Tariq Al-Jabary, Rob McClenaghan-Harrop, Gareth Longley and Yosh Tazaki. Manchester City Council, Visit Manchester and the RFU were named as supporters, and the bid carried messages from Nigel Owens, Keegan Hirst, Maggie Alphonsi and Manchester’s Lord Mayor Carl Austin-Behan.
The proposal was for three days of rugby at Broughton Park, the venue used for the 2012 Bingham Cup, with an opening ceremony at the Bridgewater Hall styled on the Last Night of the Proms and, if two or more women’s teams entered, a women’s competition for the first time in Union Cup history. Manchester was bidding against the Emerald Warriors of Dublin and the Cardiff Lions, and the result was announced at the closing ceremony in Madrid. The bid was unsuccessful and Dublin took the tournament; the club’s own account named uncertainty over Brexit and the number of clubs that had already been to Manchester in 2012 as the factors cited.
The club called 2016–17 one of its most successful seasons for press and media exposure. In March it launched a ninety second film aimed at 18 to 24 year olds, Think rugby isn’t for you, think again, made by Button Down Media with support from the RFU’s Spirit of Rugby project, directed by Sam Goldwater and produced by Louis Bamber. It follows George Campbell, one of the club’s young players, describing the doubts he had held about playing rugby before joining the Spartans. The film took 9,000 views on Facebook and was shared 92 times. A separate video about the club released by Unilad on its Facebook channel was watched 488,000 times.
The club appeared in the Channel W series The Dressing Room when it was broadcast the following summer, featuring in the third episode on 19th June 2017 and in the fourth on 5th July; the producers asked it to feature in all six and raised the possibility of a second series.
In May the Spartans were invited to speak about LGBT inclusion in sport at the first Rainbow Laces summit, held at Old Trafford, where Gareth Longley presented to leaders in sport and club representatives met Keegan Hirst. The club worked with Superdrug on the launch of its national TeamMe campaign and gave radio interviews to BBC Manchester, City Radio Liverpool and Gaydio. Coverage over the year included Mancunian Matters, England Rugby, the Liverpool Echo and Telemadrid, and a Guardian article in June carried a photograph of the club at Manchester Pride.
Twelve Spartans marched at Liverpool Pride in August 2016 to help recruit for the Liverpool Tritons, the neighbouring inclusive club Dean Bee had planned and of which he was a founder and trustee; fifteen players recruited there turned up to the Tritons’ first training session on 19 August. In Manchester the club’s Pride contribution was its largest yet, organised by Joshua Sanderson-Kirk with Dean Bee, Andrew Wignall, Charlie Derbyshire and Liam McDaid, with free shirts for existing and incoming members, It’s A Gay Knockout and a champagne brunch hosted by Velvet. At the end of August the club paid tribute to Wayne Richards of the Kings Cross Steelers following his death.
Dean Bee appealed in September for non playing volunteers to cover first aid and immediate care as the club moved to three teams; by the end of November seven trained first aiders were supporting the three squads alongside medics and physiotherapists, and by April the club counted eleven committee members, ten volunteering coaches and captains and eleven medical volunteers. Club secretary Jonathan Edwards qualified as an approved RFU first aider and covered matches himself. When an enquiry to play came from a profoundly deaf man, the club looked into a sign language interpreter and confirmed with its insurers that there were no implications. It also raised an outdated piece of legislation with the RFU concerning its transgender policy, and held a separate committee meeting on transgender participation in rugby.
The season’s sponsors were Bandit Mugger and Thief, Gaydio, Velvet and the club’s main sponsor, with Via joining for the first time as polo shirt sponsor; Bandit Mugger and Thief closed its doors during the year. Impact was chosen as the club’s new kit supplier and delivered two orders totalling 269 items. The Christmas dinner moved to the Britannia Hotel because the usual venue could not accommodate the club’s increased numbers, and the annual Easter Bash was held at Bar Pop on 17 April, hosted by club president Jonathan Mayor and followed by a crawl of the club’s other sponsor bars.
At Sale Sports Club the pre-application for the redevelopment went to the council in August 2016 and a contractor had been chosen by March; Dean Bee sat on the sports club committee that had been working on the clubhouse rebuild for eighteen months, and security of tenure for the pitch was settled by the summer. In June members spent a day cleaning and repairing the ground as part of a NatWest RugbyForce day. The club’s recruitment and training programme for the coming season was among eleven projects supported by England Rugby and Comic Relief. Members fundraised on Canal Street with the LGBT Foundation for the I Love MCR Emergency Fund, and after the attacks in Manchester and London the club issued a statement of solidarity with the Kings Cross Steelers.
The annual general meeting was held at Sale Sports Club on Saturday 20th May 2017 and opened by Dean Bee. Dean Bee was returned as chair and Jonathan Edwards as secretary, with Rob McClenaghan-Harrop elected treasurer in place of Brett Dawson.
The awards dinner followed on 21 May at Sale Sports Club, in a room of players and supporters with friends from the sponsors Bar Pop and Velvet. Richard McClenaghan-Harrop was First XV player of the year, Tom Grundy the Second XV’s and Billy Wright the Third XV’s. Yoshio Tazaki was supporter of the year.
The season did not stop at the awards. In June the club published a vision, mission and strategy document under the tagline More than rugby, adopting the RFU’s core values as its own and committing itself to a safe, positive and inclusive environment where rugby could be played and enjoyed by everyone regardless of sexual orientation or ability. It set out what the club hoped to be by 2019, 2021 and 2025: sixty or more active players each week, a First XV promoted out of Division 3, a Third XV in the league structure and, in time, the final of the Bingham Cup.
Through July the Spartans reached the finals of the National Lottery Awards 2017 and ran a public vote under the hashtag NLASpartans, supported by a video from England captain Dylan Hartley and by the BBC presenter Ore Oduba; the club finished second to a major commercial business. There were Trafford Pride and Salford Pride, the Premiership Rugby Community Awards attended alongside the Kings Cross Steelers, and a meeting with the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
The season ended in the shadow of an atrocity. On 22 May 2017 a bomb was detonated at the Manchester Arena as an Ariana Grande concert finished, killing twenty two people and injuring hundreds. Several Spartans were there that night.
The club raised money for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, an effort that carried on into the following season. For a club that had spent eighteen years making a place for Manchester’s LGBT community in rugby, being one of the city’s own in that week mattered. Manchester answered the attack by taking up the worker bee, its old emblem of industry, and two years later the bee and a honeycomb would appear on a Spartans shirt.
The club had begun the year by registering a second team in the league for the first time and ended it with three teams on a pitch in Madrid. Amsterdam and the 2018 Bingham Cup were a season away.
Sale Sharks Division 3 South
Finished 10th, played 26, won 8, drawn 0, lost 18. 26 matches on record. Source: England Rugby competition system.
| # | TEAM | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | TB | LB | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Widnes 2XV | 26 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 969 | 304 | 665 | 0 | 0 | 93 |
| 2 | Holmes Chapel | 26 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 948 | 441 | 507 | 0 | 0 | 87 |
| 3 | New Brighton 2XV | 26 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 944 | 442 | 502 | 0 | 0 | 83 |
| 4 | Capenhurst | 26 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 705 | 414 | 291 | 0 | 0 | 81 |
| 5 | Wirral 3XV | 26 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 905 | 589 | 316 | 0 | 0 | 74 |
| 6 | Manchester 2XV | 26 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 851 | 562 | 289 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| 7 | Broughton Park 3XV | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 791 | 578 | 213 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
| 8 | Carrington | 26 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 693 | 575 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
| 9 | Dukinfield 2XV | 26 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 412 | 801 | -389 | 0 | 0 | 62 |
| 10 | Spartans 1XV | 26 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 588 | 923 | -335 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| 11 | Lymm Eagles | 26 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 593 | 1030 | -437 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| 12 | Wilmslow 3XV | 26 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 640 | 753 | -113 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| 13 | Marple 2XV | 26 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 465 | 1054 | -589 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| 14 | Whitchurch 3XV | 26 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 256 | 1294 | -1038 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 03 Sep 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 12 – 19 | New Brighton 2XV |
| Saturday, 10 Sep 2016 | Capenhurst | 38 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 17 Sep 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 27 – 15 | Marple 2XV |
| Saturday, 24 Sep 2016 | Wilmslow 3XV | 24 – 26 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 01 Oct 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 12 – 50 | Widnes 2XV |
| Saturday, 08 Oct 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 48 – 12 | Whitchurch 3XV |
| Saturday, 22 Oct 2016 | Lymm Eagles | 74 – 17 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 29 Oct 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 7 – 27 | Holmes Chapel |
| Saturday, 05 Nov 2016 | Carrington | 60 – 22 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 12 Nov 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 12 – 19 | Dukinfield 2XV |
| Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 12 – 25 | Wirral 3XV |
| Saturday, 03 Dec 2016 | Manchester 2XV | 38 – 19 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 10 Dec 2016 | Spartans 1XV | 27 – 29 | Capenhurst |
| Saturday, 17 Dec 2016 | Marple 2XV | 35 – 26 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 07 Jan 2017 | Spartans 1XV | 19 – 31 | Wilmslow 3XV |
| Saturday, 14 Jan 2017 | Widnes 2XV | 43 – 3 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 21 Jan 2017 | Broughton Park 3XV | 78 – 0 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 28 Jan 2017 | Whitchurch 3XV | 12 – 43 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 11 Feb 2017 | Spartans 1XV | 38 – 24 | Lymm Eagles |
| Saturday, 18 Feb 2017 | Holmes Chapel | 50 – 21 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 04 Mar 2017 | Spartans 1XV | 21 – 34 | Carrington |
| Saturday, 11 Mar 2017 | Dukinfield 2XV | 15 – 51 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 25 Mar 2017 | Spartans 1XV | 12 – 50 | Broughton Park 3XV |
| Saturday, 01 Apr 2017 | Wirral 3XV | 38 – 55 | Spartans 1XV |
| Saturday, 08 Apr 2017 | Spartans 1XV | 17 – 54 | Manchester 2XV |
| Saturday, 22 Apr 2017 | New Brighton 2XV | 29 – 41 | Spartans 1XV |
Union Cup, Madrid 2017
4 matches on record, 3 of them with a score. Source: the club's own written history of the 2016-17 season.
| Date | Round | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Spartans 1XV | 60 – 0 | Celtic Lions |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Spartans 1XV | 66 – 7 | Straffe Ketten |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Spartans 1XV | 42 – 0 | Madrid Titanes |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Cup semi-final | Kings Cross Steelers | No score recorded | Spartans 1XV |
Sale Sharks Division 5 East
Finished 10th, played 18, won 2, drawn 0, lost 16. 18 matches on record, 15 of them with a score. A further 2 fixtures in the division were never arranged. Source: England Rugby competition system.
| # | TEAM | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | TB | LB | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hope Valley | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 638 | 204 | 434 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| 2 | Broughton Park 4XV | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 581 | 251 | 330 | 0 | 0 | 59 |
| 3 | Altrincham Kersal 3XV | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 512 | 270 | 242 | 0 | 0 | 52 |
| 4 | Eccles 3XV | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 540 | 283 | 257 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 5 | Bury 3XV | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 324 | 410 | -86 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 6 | Ashton-Under-Lyne 2XV | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 543 | 359 | 184 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| 7 | Aldwinians 4XV | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 222 | 638 | -416 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| 8 | Rochdale 4XV | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 302 | 471 | -169 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| 9 | Leigh 4XV | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 411 | 279 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| 10 | Spartans 2XV | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 127 | 1035 | -908 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 11 | Didsbury Toc H 4XV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Dukinfield 3XV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Stockport 4XV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 03 Sep 2016 | Hope Valley | 89 – 5 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 10 Sep 2016 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 34 | Eccles 3XV |
| Saturday, 17 Sep 2016 | Leigh 4XV | Away walkover | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 01 Oct 2016 | Ashton-Under-Lyne 2XV | 19 – 80 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 29 Oct 2016 | Altrincham Kersal 3XV | 41 – 5 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 05 Nov 2016 | Spartans 2XV | 10 – 54 | Rochdale 4XV |
| Saturday, 19 Nov 2016 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 53 | Broughton Park 4XV |
| Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 | Bury 3XV | 73 – 5 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 03 Dec 2016 | Spartans 2XV | Away walkover | Aldwinians 4XV |
| Saturday, 10 Dec 2016 | Eccles 3XV | 45 – 0 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 17 Dec 2016 | Spartans 2XV | 10 – 63 | Leigh 4XV |
| Saturday, 14 Jan 2017 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 127 | Ashton-Under-Lyne 2XV |
| Saturday, 18 Feb 2017 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 102 | Altrincham Kersal 3XV |
| Saturday, 11 Mar 2017 | Rochdale 4XV | 58 – 5 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 25 Mar 2017 | Broughton Park 4XV | 80 – 7 | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 01 Apr 2017 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 94 | Bury 3XV |
| Saturday, 08 Apr 2017 | Aldwinians 4XV | Home walkover | Spartans 2XV |
| Saturday, 22 Apr 2017 | Spartans 2XV | 0 – 103 | Hope Valley |
Union Cup, Madrid 2017
3 matches on record. Source: the club's own written history of the 2016-17 season.
| Date | Round | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Berlin Bruisers | 34 – 0 | Spartans 2XV |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Wessex Wyverns | 12 – 5 | Spartans 2XV |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Tou'Win | 24 – 0 | Spartans 2XV |
IGR and development fixtures
6 matches on record, 3 of them with a score. Source: the club's own fixture notices and reports in the members group, and the club's season record.
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 05 Oct 2016 | Bolton University | No score recorded | Spartans 3XV |
| Saturday, 22 Oct 2016 | Spartans 3XV | 27 – 15 | Liverpool Tritons |
| Saturday, 19 Nov 2016 | Kings Cross Steelers 4XV | No score recorded | Spartans 3XV |
| Saturday, 11 Mar 2017 | Spartans 3XV | 15 – 63 | Newcastle Ravens |
| Saturday, 01 Apr 2017 | Liverpool Tritons | No score recorded | Spartans 3XV |
| Saturday, 08 Apr 2017 | Leeds Hunters | 43 – 15 | Spartans 3XV |
Union Cup, Madrid 2017
3 matches on record. Source: the club's own written history of the 2016-17 season.
| Date | Round | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Brighton Sea Serpents | 19 – 0 | Spartans 3XV |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Rebelyons | 63 – 0 | Spartans 3XV |
| 28 April to 1 May 2017 | Pool | Kings Cross Steelers 4XV | 17 – 5 | Spartans 3XV |
Pioneers Cup
2 matches on record, 0 of them with a score. Source: the club's own fixture notices and reports in the members group, and the club's season record.
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 18 Mar 2017 | Spartans 3XV | No score recorded | Kings Cross Steelers 4XV |
| Saturday, 18 Mar 2017 | Spartans 3XV | No score recorded | Kings Cross Steelers 3XV |
Presented at the awards dinner at Sale Sports Club on 21 May 2017.
| Team | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| First XV | Player of the Year | Richard McClenaghan-Harrop |
| Best Newcomer | Ali Cooper | |
| Most Improved | David Fox | |
| Second XV | Player of the Year | Tom Grundy |
| Best Newcomer | Aaron Morgan | |
| Most Improved | Christian Davis | |
| Third XV | Player of the Year | Billy Wright |
| Best Newcomer | Tariq Al-Jabaray | |
| Most Improved | Craig Smith | |
| Club | Supporter of the Year | Yoshio Tazaki |
| Queens Boots | Liam Beevor |
No players' player or chair's award is recorded for this season.
The committee that served through 2016-17, elected before the season and confirmed at the meeting of 10 August 2016.
| Group | Role | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Committee | President | Jonathan Mayor |
| Chair | Dean Bee | |
| Vice Chair | Matt Whiteley | |
| Secretary | Jonathan Edwards | |
| Treasurer | Brett Dawson | |
| Director of Rugby | Neil Mason | |
| Social Secretary | Charlie Derbyshire | |
| Social Secretary | Christian Davis | |
| PR and Media | Gareth Longley | |
| Sponsorship and Fundraising Officer | Joshua Sanderson-Kirk | |
| Recruitment | Liam McDaid | |
| Recruitment | Rob Smith | |
| Playing | 1st Team Captain | Karl Bee |
| 2nd Team Captain | Andrew Wignall | |
| 3rd Team Captain | John Copestake | |
| Coaching | 1st XV Coach | Neil Mason |
| 2nd XV Coach | David Marland | |
| 3rd XV Coach | Gareth Longley | |
| Medical | Club Medical Officer | Tom Grundy |
Two committee roles were filled by mid-term election after the original post holders stepped aside: Christian Davis took over as Social Secretary in February 2017 and Rob Smith took on recruitment.
The club's photo shoot for the season: the whole squad together, then every player on his own in the rainbow chevron kit. Photographs by Joycey.
Spartans 1XV12 – 19New Brighton 2XV
An evenly balanced opening game that could have gone either way, decided by a try with eight minutes to go. Sixteen players gave everything. The defensive line speed forced turnovers and the scrum got on top of a bigger pack at times.
Capenhurst38 – 0Spartans 1XV
By Neil Mason
Capenhurst proved to be one of the better teams the Spartans have met in a few seasons.
In an idyllic setting outside Chester, on a sunny day, the Spartans met a good all round side, the like of which they had not seen in the last couple of seasons in the lower divisions. This Division 3 South game showed the Spartans what they will be up against this year in the higher division after promotion.
Capenhurst started well and overpowered the Spartans in the first 20 minutes, their strong forward runners and pacey back line combining to score three times and lead 24-0. It looked as though it might be a long afternoon. The Spartans dug deep, though, and started to compete, their defence working hard to keep Capenhurst at bay, and they began to create opportunities of their own without being able to convert any.
Half time: 24-0 to Capenhurst.
In the second half the Spartans fought hard and showed real spirit, and the game was more even. A couple of breaks were pulled down just short of the try line. In the last 15 minutes Capenhurst scored twice more through their back line.
In the end the Spartans were beaten by a better team. The positive was the hard work and effort they put in on defence.
Full time: Capenhurst 38 - 0 Village Spartans.
Spartans 1XV27 – 15Marple 2XV
The first win of the season, on a hot day against a young and quick side. The forwards matched them up front and had a brilliant game in the set piece, and the backs ran good lines and covered whenever Marple broke.
Matthew Robinson
Wilmslow 3XV24 – 26Spartans 1XV
Stunning game of rugby played with real grit and determination. Our 1XV boys beat Wilmslow RUFC. Final score 24-26
Tries:
Harry x2
Chris C x1
Callum x1
Conversions:
Smithy x3
Spartans 1XV12 – 50Widnes 2XV
Spartans lost at home to a well drilled Widnes 2XV. Scores from Chris Cartledge and Andy Smith. Final score 12-50.
Spartans 1XV48 – 12Whitchurch 3XV
Mixed bag of rugby today with our 1XV beating Whitchurch 3XV at home 46-12. Very well done boys! That should cement our place mid-table in Division 3.
Our 2XV played away against Didsbury Toc 4XV. Our boys lost 111-0 to a much more experienced, well drilled and pacy Didsbury team. Plenty of positives though, with some good individual performances and lots of lessons learnt.
Lymm Eagles74 – 17Spartans 1XV
A great effort from the fifteen who made the trip. The side competed in many areas and was overpowered only late on, when Lymm brought fresh legs off the bench.
Spartans 1XV7 – 27Holmes Chapel
Spartans 1XV lost at home in a tough match against Holmes Chapel. Final score 7-29.
Spartans 1XV12 – 19Dukinfield 2XV
A valiant effort that could have gone either way. A pushover try came after four scrums on the Dukinfield five metre line, and a powerful run up the wing held off the defence to score in the corner. The chances were created; they just would not fall.
Spartans 1XV12 – 25Wirral 3XV
Disappointing performance from our 1XV today with a loss at home against Wirral. Final score 12-25
Tries:
Harry x2
Conversions:
Smithy x1
Manchester 2XV38 – 19Spartans 1XV
Spartans lost 38-19 away to Manchester RUFC. A great game, but with two Spartan tries disallowed and injuries to a couple of key players, our boys couldn't turn around the result.
Tries:
Simon Gammon x1
Neil Gallagher x1
Andy Ryland x1
Conversions:
Callum x2
Spartans 1XV27 – 29Capenhurst
A tough loss at home for the 1XV despite a valiant fight back in the second half. Final score 27-29 for Capenhurst 1's.
Marple 2XV35 – 26Spartans 1XV
Despite some excellent rugby played by our 1XV, we lost away to Marple 35-26.
Tries from:
Chris Heaton x1
Brett Dawson x1
Dean Bee x1
Matt Whiteley x1
Widnes 2XV43 – 3Spartans 1XV
Today's results:
Spartans 1XV away to top of the table Widnes, lost 43-3.
Spartans 2XV lost at home to Ashton-under-Lyne 2XV, 0-127.
Holmes Chapel50 – 21Spartans 1XV
The scoreline does not reflect how hard Holmes Chapel had to work for it. The game was goalless after half an hour and still within two scores midway through the second half against the side lying second in the division. The goal kicking was faultless, three from three, two of them out towards the touchline.
Spartans 1XV21 – 34Carrington
Spartans 1XV lost today in a very hard fought game against Carrington. Final score: 21-34 with tries from Simon Gammon, Dean Bee and David Taylor.
Wirral 3XV38 – 55Spartans 1XV
The best performance of the season, nine tries built on a foundation of possession at the set piece and at the breakdown.
New Brighton 2XV29 – 41Spartans 1XV
An epic win away at New Brighton that kept the club in Division 3, and it was celebrated properly.
Hope Valley89 – 5Spartans 2XV
Three sides in the division could not raise a team that day. The Second XV travelled, played, and took a league point for it.
Spartans 2XV0 – 34Eccles 3XV
By Neil Mason
A good performance from the 2nds, who competed in parts with a good Eccles team.
This season, for a young 2nd team, is about learning each week and putting those lessons into practice as they gain experience for future seasons.
Eccles, who the Spartans 1sts have played many times, are always competitive and play the game in the right spirit. They were the slightly better team in the first half, scoring twice and adding a conversion to lead 12-0. The positive for the 2nds was that they were not overawed by a far more experienced side.
Half time: 12 - 0 Eccles.
The second half saw Eccles begin to use their experience, and the Spartans just failed a couple of times to take their opportunities to score, Eccles running out the winners.
Full time: Spartans 2nds 0 - 38 Eccles 3rds.
Spartans 2XV0 – 94Bury 3XV
Bury arrived with thirty players to the Spartans' fifteen. The Second XV played the game out in a tough situation and came through it with everyone safe.
Spartans 3XV27 – 15Liverpool Tritons
Many of the Liverpool players were playing their first ever game of rugby, and the Spartans, whose own members had helped found the Tritons, were their first opponents. The Spartans led 15-5, dealt with a comeback and finished the stronger side.
Spartans 3XV15 – 63Newcastle Ravens
Spartans 3XV put up an excellent fight against a well drilled Newcastle Ravens team. Final score 15-63.
Liverpool TritonsNo score recordedSpartans 3XV
A development fixture that turned into a step up, with the Tritons fielding twenty odd players to the Spartans' sixteen. Every Spartan got game time, and the side stuck with it and competed.
Leeds Hunters43 – 15Spartans 3XV
Spartans 3XV lost away to Leeds Hunters, 43-15.
Tries from:
John Copestake x1
Jonathan Quinn x1
David Haye x1
Pool
Spartans 1XV60 – 0Celtic Lions
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017 and hosted by Madrid Titanes. The tournament had begun with six teams in Montpellier in 2005 and had grown to 38 clubs. The Spartans took all three teams and ninety one people, sixty five of them players, the largest party the club had ever taken on tour and the first time it had entered three teams at a Union Cup. Matches were played across two pitches at Orcasitas and a satellite pitch at Getafe.
The First XV won their pool, opening with 60-0 against the Celtic Lions.
Pool
Spartans 1XV66 – 7Straffe Ketten
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017 and hosted by Madrid Titanes.
The second pool win for the First XV, 66-7 against Straffe Ketten of Brussels.
Pool
Spartans 1XV42 – 0Madrid Titanes
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017 and hosted by Madrid Titanes.
The First XV beat the hosts 42-0 to win the pool with three wins from three, 168 points scored and 7 conceded.
Cup semi-final
Kings Cross SteelersNo score recordedSpartans 1XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017 and hosted by Madrid Titanes.
The First XV went out at the semi-final stage, losing a close game to London, who went on to win the tournament. No score survives in the club's record.
Pool
Berlin Bruisers34 – 0Spartans 2XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017. This was the Second XV's first Union Cup as a true second team, having played a full season of its own.
The opening pool game was lost 34-0 to the Berlin Bruisers.
Pool
Wessex Wyverns12 – 5Spartans 2XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017.
The closest of the Second XV's pool games, lost 12-5 to the Wessex Wyverns.
Pool
Tou'Win24 – 0Spartans 2XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017.
The last pool game, lost 24-0 to Tou'Win of Toulouse. The Second XV went on to reach the final of their own competition and lost it. Neither the opponent nor the score is recorded in the club's history.
Pool
Brighton Sea Serpents19 – 0Spartans 3XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017. The Third XV had been a genuine third team for the whole season, and this was the first time the club had entered three teams at a Union Cup.
The opening pool game was lost 19-0 to the Brighton Sea Serpents.
Pool
Rebelyons63 – 0Spartans 3XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017.
The second pool game, lost 63-0 to the Rebelyons of Lyon.
Pool
Kings Cross Steelers 4XV17 – 5Spartans 3XV
The seventh Union Cup, played in Madrid from 28 April to 1 May 2017.
The Third XV scored their first try of the tournament here, in a 17-5 defeat by the Kings Cross Steelers 4th XV, and took the bronze medal in the Union Bowl.