CELEBRATING
25 YEARS
AS
PIONEERS
FOR THE SPARTANS, IT'S RUGBY FIRST. BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY MUCH MORE THAN RUGBY.
Scroll through our ‘interactive’ 20yr timeline below and discover some of the Spartans’ many World Firsts when it comes to International Gay Rugby. From being the first Gay Rugby team to play in Scotland. To winning the world’s first ever International Gay Rugby Tournament and so much more. Few other teams have such a comprehensive archive, so if you want to get a handle on the history of International Gay Rugby, this is a great starting place. Enjoy!
Thank you very much to all the generous contributors to this page including Matt Whiteley, David Smyth and many more, who’s video, photos and mementos are incredible little jewels in the Gay and Inclusive Rugby story that everyone can now discover.
A GAY RUGBY CLUB FOR MANCHESTER
The idea of setting up a rugby team in Manchester for men who identified as gay or bisexual was first discussed between friends, Simon Stanley and Duncan Leckie, at a house party in Manchester in August 1998.
The conversation was partly inspired by Duncan’s work within Mancunian Health Promotion Specialist Services (MHPSS) an NHS initiative to promote healthier lifestyles across the region.
Simon had played rugby but Duncan hadn’t, having been put off playing from experiences at school, but both had heard about the Kings Cross Steelers from London which, in 1995, had become the world’s first rugby team set up to provide a supportive playing environment for men who identified as gay or bisexual.
