Manawatu United (previously known as YoungHeart Manawatu) was a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club based in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...

, New Zealand. It participated in the

New Zealand Football Championship The New Zealand Football Championship () was a men's association football league at the top of the New Zealand league system. Founded in 2004, the New Zealand Football Championship was the successor to a myriad of short-lived football leagues in ...

, and fielded a youth side in the National Youth League. Their home ground was Memorial Park. In 2014, the team was renamed to Manawatu United.

History

Manawatu United was formed in 2004, under the name YoungHeart Manawatu, to compete in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC). Based in Palmerston North, they were the sole franchise in the region. In the inaugural NZFC season (2004–2005), Manawatu United finished bottom of the league. However, in 2005–2006 they finished runner-up to champions

Auckland City FC Auckland City Football Club is an association football club based in the suburb of Sandringham, New Zealand, Sandringham in Auckland, New Zealand. They currently compete in the Northern League (New Zealand), Northern League. Auckland City have ...

at the end of the regular season. In the finals, United lost both their playoff matches and exited early. The 2006–07 season saw Manawatu United finish second again at the conclusion of the regular season, this time behind Waitakere United. United lost their preliminary final to Auckland and missed out on a spot in the O-League as a result. 2007–08 was a somewhat disappointing campaign given the success of the previous two seasons. Manawatu United finished the regular season placed sixth on the table, well adrift of the playoffs. A return to the playoffs came in the 2008/09 season, as United finished in third place in the condensed regular season. What followed was an emphatic two-goal victory in the first leg of a two-legged semi-final against

. In the return leg Auckland used their home advantage equally as well to win 3–0, consigning Manawatu to a 4–3 defeat on aggregate and another missed grand final and O-League appearance. Auckland went on to win the final. 2009–10 was a frustrating season for the Manawatu United faithful as the side finished in sixth place but only two points away from a playoff spot. Perhaps the highlight of the season was an unexpected 4–1 victory over Auckland City at Kiwitea Street. A bittersweet moment came during the 2010 off-season as standout young player Cory Chettleburgh signed a contract with professional Dutch club

Sparta Rotterdam Sparta Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. Established on 1 April 1888, Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands. Sparta currently competes in the Eredivisie, the top flig ...

. This was a significant loss for the side as they looked to bounce back from a fairly disappointing campaign. At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season the franchise didn't have their league license renewed and were replaced by a New Zealand Under 20 squad Wanderers Special Club for the 2013–14 season although they retained a team in the ASB Youth League.

Folding

Due to the ASB Youth League being reduced to only the 10 teams given licenses to the 2016–17 ASB Premiership, Manawatu United dissolved at the end of the 2015 ASB Youth League Season.

Ground

Memorial Park was the home ground of Manawatu United. They had played at this ground since the 2008–09 season, having previously played their home fixtures at Central Energy Trust Arena. Memorial Park has a capacity of approximately 8000 people.

Squad

''2010–11''

Staff

* Team Manager: Steve Green. * Head coach: Stu Jacobs. * Assistant coach: Andy Sawyer. * Goalkeeper coach: Steve Green. * Physiotherapist: Rodney Brooks-Mann. * General Manager: Neil Perry * Sponsorship & Marketing Manager:

Club Records

* All-time leading goalscorer:

Benjamin Totori Benjamin Totori (born 20 February 1986) is a Solomon Islands footballer who plays as a striker for Kossa. He has played in the United States and New Zealand. Club career A small but speedy striker, Totori made his name at NZFC side YoungH ...

(33) * Most goals in a season:

(24 in 2006/07 season) * Biggest win: 8–1 vs.

Hawke's Bay United Hawke's Bay United was a professional Association football club based in Napier, New Zealand, Napier, New Zealand. HB United most recently played in the New Zealand Football Championship, ISPS Handa Premiership – a semi-professional franc ...

, 2005/06 season * Biggest loss: 0–8 vs.

Team Wellington Team Wellington Football Club was an association football club based in the suburb of Miramar in Wellington, New Zealand. They competed in the ISPS Handa Premiership. Team Wellington had traditionally been one of the most successful football c ...

, 2007/08 season

Managers

* Shane Rufer (July 2006 – June 2008) * Bob Sova (July 2008 – June 2011) * Stu Jacobs (July 2011–15)

Performance in OFC competitions

Oceania Club Championship The OFC Men's Champions League is the premier men's club football competition in Oceania. It is organised by the OFC, Oceania's football governing body. Beginning as the Oceania Club Championship (1987–2006), it has been organised since 2007 ...

: (1 appearance) ::

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

– 3rd place – Won against Nokia Eagles 4 – 0 (stage 4 of 4)

References

External links

New Zealand Football Championship
(official league site) (archived)
Official website
(archived)
Youth Soccer Palmerston North
{{New Zealand Football Championship Association football clubs in Palmerston North Association football clubs established in 2004 2004 establishments in New Zealand Sport in Manawatū-Whanganui Association football clubs disestablished in 2015 2015 disestablishments in New Zealand