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Founded as Manchester Football Club in 1860, eleven years before the formation
of the RFU, the club is one of the oldest open rugby clubs in the world along
with Blackheath and Liverpool.
The first ever club game took place in December 1857 between the gentlemen of
Manchester and Liverpool. The ball was provided by the founder of Manchester,
Richard Sykes, a former Captain of Football at Rugby School. The game was
advertised as Rugby versus the World!
Liverpool FC was founded soon after followed by Manchester. Not surprisingly,
with few clubs playing the game, Manchester provided several players for the
earliest international matches.
Manchester played in the environs of the city until the early 1970’s before
teaming up with the local cricket club, Cheadle Hulme CC, to move to their
current ground to the south of the city, the twenty three acre site providing
in addition for the playing of squash.
At the start of league rugby Manchester found themselves in the North West Two
league and over some ten seasons rose through six leagues to compete in the
National One league for five seasons until relegation two seasons ago into
National Two.
In the early days of the RFU Manchester provided two Presidents in James
MacLaren and Roger Walker. Another famous old boy was Albert Nelson Hornby, the
first ever player to captain England at both rugby and cricket. The club is the
proud possessor of the earliest International rugby jersey which remains
displayed in the club house.
Time and the game move on; there are fewer Internationals who grace the club
but the game remains strong with hundreds of youngster turning out on Sundays
and the club also sports a Women’s team.
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