North Manchester Rugby Club (aka North Manchester RUFC) is an amateur sports club situated 5 miles north of the centre of Manchester. It is the only rugby union club within the city of Manchester, north of the centre.

Club Honours North Lancashire Division 2 champions: 2013–14

Club Kit +1st XV KitPeriodBrandMain Shirt Sponsor (Front)1921/2017No BrandVaried2017/18No BrandLACA Transport2018/19No BrandLACA Transport2019/20TeejacSearch2020/21TeejacGreengate Metals2021/22TeejacGreengate Metals2022/23TeejacGreengate Metals2023/24TeejacGreengate Metals2024/25O'NeillsBDSS LTD Traffic Management Services2025/26O'NeillsTrentlodge Ltd Groundworks

Season Summaries +1st XVLeagueLeague PositionPWDLPFPA+/-TBLBPoints1998/1999 North Lancashire Division 231290330713916800141999/2000 North Lancashire Division 221290334210823400182000/2001 North Lancashire Division 25158162892503900172001/2002 North Lancashire Division 29184014170457 -2870082002/2003 North Lancashire Division 2514608214364 -15000122007/2008 North Lancashire Division 26196112289335 -4600112008/2009 North Lancashire Division 2617908321351 -3000182009/2010 North Lancashire Division 261910094203477300202010/2011 North Lancashire Division 22201505597255342123752011/2012 North Lancashire Division 111269215359572 -21313442012/2013 North Lancashire Division 111214017211767 -5561242013/2014 Lancashire Division 21212010756154602150972014/2015 North Lancashire Division 110203017171711 -54020142015/2016 Lancashire (North)112660202301010 -78023202016/2017 Lancashire (North)9207013361509 -14866302017/2018 Lancs/Cheshire Division Three (North)613607193315 -12223292017/2018 Lancs/Cheshire Division Three (League Cup)773041721373532122018/2019 ADM First Division6186012274517 -24341302021/2022 ADM Division 111181017114383 -2690152022/2023 Counties 4 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire9182016178615 -43721 -132023/2024 NOWIRUL Division 3 Central418120650938012901672024/2025 NOWIRUL Division 3 Central6201028482510 -280164 +2nd XVLeagueLeague PositionPWDLPFPA+/-TBLBPoints2010/2011 NOWIRUL Division 5 East 224160882543339200722011/2012 NOWIRUL Division 5 East322141761749512200652012/2013 NOWIRUL Division 4 East10205114343629 -28600292013/2014 NOWIRUL Division 4 East92411112589602 -1300582014/2015 NOWIRUL Division 4 East92411013586718 -13200562015/2016 NOWIRUL Division 4 East9228113405463 -5800452016/2017 NOWIRUL Division 4 East9228014472717 -24500482018/2019 NOWIRUL Division 5 East516100655240015200392021/2022 NOWIRUL Division 5 East716907387320670039

Playing Squad +2025/2026NameNicknamePositionNationalityMatt BramwellFront RowEnglishDan ParkPropEnglishBen RamsdenDaveHookerEnglishNathan SmithFront RowEnglishCraig BradyAceSecond RowEnglishLewis Barnes (Vice-Captain)Big LewSecond RowIrishCallum DaviesKennySecond RowEnglishBen TaylorPushbackSecond RowEnglishTom BennetFlankerEnglishBlaine BradyBraineFlankerIrishLuke BrombyMessiFlankerEnglishLewis HigginsFlankerEnglishMark PrescottSmithyFlankerEnglishColin RobinsonVerneFlankerEnglishMike Moore (Captain)8EnglishScott DanbyUncle ScottFly-HalfEnglishPete DaviesFly-Half / CentreEnglishMason BarnesBoyWingerIrishCurtis HarveyCrutFullbackEnglishJoe SteeleWelsh Dave / TaffWingerWelshMatt WilsonRitchie PillockWingerEnglishMark LargeLarge MarkFly HalfEnglishRio RobertsWingerEnglishJohn BrandMelmanWingerEnglishNate CappsBronsonWingerEnglishLiam WebsterScrum-HalfEnglishSam DonleyPropEnglishKiefer PowerWingerEnglishRhys SomersSecond RowWelshRoy MagangaWingerZimbabweanAndrea BandaCenterZimbabweanEthan RigneyGayemanWingerEnglish

Club History

Prestwich RFC (1921-1951) Prestwich Rugby Union Football Club was founded in 1921, and during the 1930's rented two fields from Waterdale Dyeing and Finishing Company Ltd. and built a pavilion. The teams (they managed to raise 3) had a long, uphill walk back home after their matches.

There is not much written history of the club at this point in time.

Club Location to 1951: (53°31'35.3"N 2°18'28.9"W)

Prestwich and Middleton RUFC (1951-1985) In 1951, the club left its roots in Prestwich and began a new chapter as Prestwich & Middleton Rugby Union Football Club. What stood before them was little more than a bare shell of a clubhouse — but over the next five years, through the hard work and goodwill of members, relatives, and friends, it was slowly transformed into a true home for rugby and camaraderie.

The early 1980s brought darker days. By 1981, the club was struggling to survive amid a harsh economic climate. Spiralling council rates, dwindling membership — with only two teams left — and damage to the unfenced playing fields all took their toll. For a time, it seemed the club might fade into history.

Then, in 1983, another challenge arose. Rochdale Council decided that the land the club occupied would be redeveloped for housing. Once again, Prestwich & Middleton were forced to seek a new home. An initial proposal — a 14-acre site between Alkrington Hall Road and Kings Drive — offered hope, but the wet, poorly drained ground proved unsuitable. Undeterred, the club looked further afield, determined to find a place where its story could continue.

Club Location 1951-1985: (53°32'43.7"N 2°13'20.4"W)

North Manchester RUFC (1985-Present)

1985 – A New Era Begins In 1985, the landscape of English rugby changed forever with the creation of the Northern Division Rugby Union League — the first official league system in Britain. For North Manchester Rugby Union Football Club, it marked the start of a bold new chapter. With a new home, new players, and now a place in organised competition, North were placed in the East Division Two, facing the likes of Alsager College, Ashton-on-Mersey, Ashton-under-Lyne, Bowdon, Broughton, Bury, Manchester YMCA, Metrovic, Old Bedians, and Toc H.

1986–1987 – Growth and Grit The following seasons brought steady progress, with North Manchester proudly fielding three teams — a testament to the club’s growing strength and spirit.

1990 – United Strength In 1990, North Manchester merged with Oldham Colleges RUFC, continuing to field three senior teams and a veterans’ side. The new partnership expanded the club’s fixture list, taking them from the North Midlands to Cumbria and across to the Fylde Coast and North Yorkshire.

1991 – The M60 Arrives Just a year later, the club faced another setback as half its land was claimed through compulsory purchase for the construction of the M60 motorway. Despite this, the remaining pitches continued to host matches right up until building work began.

1996 – Losing Ground Further challenges came in 1996, when the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) submitted plans to develop the club’s site. Although the proposal was scaled back to cover only the western half, it was a heavy blow. Around this time, the club also dropped from three teams to two, as player availability began to wane.

2003–2007 – The Struggles The early 2000s proved testing. North Manchester were reduced to a single team and slipped into the intermediate leagues, at times struggling to field even a bare fifteen. Yet the club’s resolve never faltered.

2008–2010 – The Resurgence Determination paid off. North began to rediscover their form, finishing mid-table in 2009 and 2010 before an impressive surge saw them finish second in the North Lancs 2 League — earning promotion to North Lancs 1.

2011–2013 – Tough Seasons Life in North Lancs 1 proved difficult, with the club unable to rise above 11th place and eventually being relegated back to Lancashire Division 2.

2013–2014 – The Season to Remember Then came the season. Twenty wins, one draw (we don’t talk about that one), and no losses — a record that still brings a smile to all who were there.

2014–2019 – The Shifting Leagues Over the next few years, the RFU restructured the leagues several times. Through all the changes, North Manchester held their own, finishing mid-table on average. Between 2010 and 2019, the club was once again fielding a second XV — and came close to running a third.

2019–2022 – The Struggles, Part II The years that followed brought familiar hardship. Injuries and retirements hit hard — and then came Covid. The pandemic took its toll across all levels of rugby, and North Manchester was no exception. Players moved on, some gave up the game entirely, others even left the country. Results suffered, confidence dipped, and the club dropped once again into the intermediate leagues — not for lack of numbers, but because the standard of rugby simply could not be maintained.

2022-Present - The Rebuild The challenges of the past — from lost land and league demotions to economic hardship and pandemic silence — have only strengthened the club’s character. Every tackle, every try, every pint raised in the bar is a reminder of how far the club has come, and how much it means to all who call it home.

The journey continues — built on history, fuelled by pride, and carried forward by every player, volunteer, and supporter who wears the badge of North Manchester RUFC.

Club Location 1985-Present: (53°31'35.2"N 2°10'38.6"W)

References

External links Official North Manchester Rugby Club website Official Clothing Site