Manchester Magic

Last updated

Manchester Magic
Manchester Magic logo.png
League NBL D2 North
Established1997;27 years ago (1997)
HistoryManchester Giants B
1997-1998
City of Manchester Attitude
1998-2000
Manchester Magic
2000-present
ArenaManchester Basketball Centre
Capacity1,000
Team colours  
Website Official website

The Manchester Giants are an English basketball club from the city of Manchester in the northwest of England.

Contents

For the 2019-20 season, the Magic will compete in the National Basketball League Division 2 North. They play their home games at the Manchester Basketball Centre, which was part-funded by former NBA star John Amaechi. A sister team, the Manchester Mystics, compete in the top-tier Women's British Basketball League.

History

The Magic were first established in 1997, originally as a reserve squad for the nearby Manchester Giants, entering the newly founded NBL Division 3 for the 1997/1998 season and winning immediate promotion as league runner-up and playoff champions. A change in direction from their one-time parent club saw the fledgling team become independent mid-way through their first season in Division Two, choosing the City of Manchester Attitude as their new name. A first league title was to follow at the end of the 1999/2000 season, with the club joining the top flight just as the national league was being restructured, forming the short-lived NBL Conference. [1]

After rebranding as the Manchester Magic, the club enjoyed over a decade of success in the top tier of the English Basketball League, with the highlight being a triple title success in the 2007/2008 season, claiming the National Cup alongside the league and playoff titles. The team then took the shock decision to play in Division 3 for the 2011/12 season, in order "to forge a much closer link between the youngsters... and the men's team", [2] in the words of club director Joe Forber. The club worked their way back up the English leagues in record time, winning Division 3 at the first attempt to earn a return to Division 2, and then gaining back-to-back promotions with a runner-up spot in Division 2 in the 2012/13 season.

Since returning to Division 1, the Magic have claimed both the National Cup and National Trophy in the 2014/15 season, alongside second-place finishes in both the league and the end-of-season playoffs. [3]

Club honours

National Cup

National Trophy

EBL Division 1 League Champions

EBL Division 1 Playoff Champions

EBL Division 2 League Champions

EBL Division 3 League Champions

EBL Division 3 Playoff Champions

Season-by-season records

SeasonDivisionTierPos.PlayedWonLostPointsPlayoffsNational CupNational TrophyPatrons CupNational Shield
Manchester Giants B
1997-98D342nd26151130Winners1st roundDNEDNE
City of Manchester Attitude
1998-99D233rd2418636Semi-Final2nd roundDNEDNE
1999-00D231st2420440Runner-Up2nd roundDNEDNE
Manchester Magic
2000-01Conf24th219718Semi-FinalQuarter-FinalDNEDNE
2001-02Conf25th189918Semi-FinalSemi-FinalDNEDNE
2002-03Conf25th22121024Semi-Final1st round1st roundDNEDNE
2003-04D124th2216632Quarter-FinalQuarter-Final1st roundDNEDNE
2004-05D126th22121024Quarter-FinalQuarter-Final1st roundDNEDNE
2005-06D124th2619738Semi-FinalQuarter-Final1st roundDNEDNE
2006-07D123rd2217534Runner-UpWinnersSemi-FinalDNEDNE
2007-08D121st1816232WinnersWinnersSemi-FinalDNEDNE
2008-09D122nd1815330Runner-UpRunner-UpRunner-UpDNEDNE
2009-10D122nd2216632WinnersRunner-UpRunner-UpDNEDNE
2010-11D126th1871114Quarter-Final3rd round1st roundDNEDNE
2011-12D3 Nor41st2219338Runner-Up2nd roundDNEDNEQuarter-Final
2012-13D232nd2215730Runner-Up3rd roundDNE1st roundDNE
2013-14D125th26161032Quarter-FinalSemi-FinalRunner-UpDNEDNE
2014-15D122nd2417734Runner-UpWinnersWinnersDNEDNE
2015-16D121st2623346WinnersDNEDNE
2016-17D122nd2621542WinnersDNEDNE
2017-18D128th24111322Quarter-finalsDNEDNE
2018-19D1214th262244Did not qualifyDNEDNE
2019-20D2 Nor35th1810822Did not qualify3rd round

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References

  1. "Manchester Magic History". pawprint75.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009.
  2. "Manchester Magic to withdraw from EBL1". Manchester Evening News.
  3. "League Table History". Basketball England. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014.