The Manchester Spartans were an

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

club in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Founded in 1983 as the Northwich Spartans, they became Manchester Spartans in 1984, and were national champions in 1989 and 1990. They won the Eurobowl in 1990. The team folded in 1993.

History

The Spartans were originally formed as the Northwich Spartans in 1983 and came to Manchester a year later. In 1985 they finished first in the Northern Division of the American Football League with a 10–2 record but lost to their neighbours Manchester Allstars in the first round of the playoffs. In 1986 they again finished with a 10–2 record and this time won their first-round playoff only to suffer a 35–7 defeat to Birmingham Bulls in the British American Football League semi-final playoffs. In 1989, under player and coach Terry Smith, the team won the 1989 Budweiser title where they defeated Birmingham Bulls 21–14. In 1990 they were National Champions for the second time, NDMA Coke Bowl I, Manchester Spartans 27-25 Northants Storm. The Spartans also won the Eurobowl with a victory in the final over the Legano Frogs in the same year.http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Match%20reports/19900728%20Spartans%20v%20Legnano.htm

Head coaches

1984-1985 - George Aguado 1988-1990 - Terry Smith 1991 - Nigel Dias 1992 - Terry Smith 1993 - Terry Smith

Notable former players

Terry Smith - Played for the New England Patriots in the NFL prior to England, was the Spartans player/head Coach, wide receiver and free safety. Smith was also the Head Coach of the Great Britain National Team, coaching Great Britain to its first European Nations Championship in 1989. Tony Dollinger - Played for the Spartans in 1990 season helping the club to win the Eurobowl championship. NFL experience and British league before joining the Spartans.

Titles

National Champions National champions are corporations which are technically private businesses but due to governmental policy are ceded a dominant position in a national economy. In this system, these large organizations are expected not only to seek profit but als ...

of Great Britain : 1989, 1990 * Eurobowl: 1990

References

{{Portal, American football Sports clubs and teams in Manchester American football teams in England 1983 establishments in England American football teams established in 1983 1993 disestablishments in England American football teams disestablished in 1993