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LEAGUE
RECORD: |
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NBL
1 / EBL 2: |
2001-2003;
2004-2007 |
P. 102 |
W. 50 |
NR 1 |
L. 51 |
Runners-up, 2005; 2006 |
| |
NBL Div.
3 / NBL 2 / EBL3N: |
1998-2001;
2003-2004; 2007-2008 |
P. 90 |
W. 56 |
|
L. 34 |
Runners-up NBL Div. 3, 2000 |
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HONOURS: |
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EBL
Division 2 Championship Winners: |
2006 |
|
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Runners-up EBL Division 2: |
2005; 2006 |
|
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Runners-up NBL Division 3: |
2000 |
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NBL
Division 3 Championship Winners: |
2000 |
|
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NBL
Shield Finalists: |
2001 |
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VENUE:
Mansfield Leisure Centre, Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield ... R.I.P.
From North: Exit from the M1
at J29. Follow the
A617 to Mansfield.
On dual carriageway into Mansfield, crossing
A6075. Turn right at traffic lights, onto
A6009 and immediately left into the car park (opposite Fire
Station).
From South:
Exit
M1 at J27. Follow signs for
Mansfield along
A611 / A60.
Approaching town centre, fork left onto A6009
(Portland Street), and under railway, on
dual-carriageway. Follow
A6009 through several sets of lights,
until you approach a T-junction. Turn right into the Leisure Centre,
opposite the Fire Station. |
|
FACILITIES: .
|
HISTORY:
Mansfield Express entered the League
in 1998, in NBL Division 3, and within two seasons they had risen to second
place and won the Championship (beating League champions Doncaster in a two-leg
final).
"Promoted" to Division 2, they found
themselves still in the third-ranked NBL Division, due to the introduction of
the NBL Conference, but although they then finished seventh, the expansion of
the Conference and Division 1 saw them promoted, along with seven other teams.
That season they also reinforced their credentials as "cup" specialists,
reaching the Final of the inaugural Men's Shield competition.
The following season, 2001-2, they
finished sixth (albeit in a nine team league), but decided that the time had
come to regroup, and, joining forces with West Nottingham College, they chose to
drop down a division, into what now became EBL Division 3 (North).
The move proved successful, with a
fourth place finish in 2004, and when Coventry made a late move from EBL2 to 1,
to replace Plymouth who had moved into the BBL, Mansfield were the obvious
choice to move back up to take their place.
An excellent first season back in
EBL2 culminated in a highest-ever finish of second place, though they declined
to apply for promotion to EBL1.
The following year brought another
second place finish, and success in the Championship Final - but it also brought
the demise of Mansfield Leisure Centre (demolished in the interest of "progress"
... and Tesco). The Express thus again declined promotion, while they spent a
season "on the road", playing mainly at Jesse Boot Arena in Nottingham.
With coach Chris Squire opting to
concentrate on coaching the second team, and with virtually the whole squad
departing, the Express had to rebuild, and though they were boosted by recruits
from the defunct Nottingham Knights, they finished 11th, and were relegated to
EBL3.
During the 2007 close-season the club
was taken over by Luna
Group Ventures Limited, and renamed Luna Mansfield Stars. [External
article].
The new owners planned to build the
new Leisure centre in Mansfield, but when plans for this fell through, late in
2007, they withdrew their backing for the basketball team, which was thus forced
to withdraw from EBL in January '08, in mid-season.
ALL-TIME
COMPETITION RECORD
|
SEASON |
LEAGUE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CUP |
CHAMPS. |
TROPHY |
PATRON'S |
SHIELD |
NAME |
|
|
Div. |
Pos. |
/ |
P. |
W. |
NR |
L. |
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1998-99 |
NBL3 |
5 |
/11 |
20 |
11 |
|
9 |
x |
1/4 Final |
2nd Round |
|
|
Mansfield Express |
|
1999-2000 |
NBL3 |
2 |
/13 |
24 |
20 |
|
4 |
x |
Winners |
2nd Round |
|
|
Mansfield Express |
|
2000-01 |
NBL2 |
7 |
/ 13 |
24 |
11 |
|
13 |
x |
1/4 Final |
x |
|
Final |
Mansfield Express |
|
2001-02 |
NBL1 |
10 |
/12 |
22 |
6 |
1 |
15 |
x |
x |
5 of 5 Pool |
|
x |
Mansfield Express |
|
2002-03 |
NBL1 |
6 |
/ 9 |
16 |
7 |
|
9 |
x |
1/4 Final |
4 of 6 Pool |
|
x |
Mansfield Express |
|
2003-04 |
EBL3 North |
4 |
/12 |
22 |
14 |
|
8 |
1st Round |
1/4 Final |
x |
x |
2nd Round |
WNC Mansfield Express |
|
2004-05 |
EBL2 |
2 |
/11 |
20 |
15 |
|
5 |
3rd Round |
Semi Final |
x |
Semi Final |
x |
WNC Mansfield Express |
|
2005-06 |
EBL2 |
2 |
/12 |
22 |
17 |
|
5 |
3rd Round |
Winners |
x |
2 of 3 Pool |
x |
WNC Mansfield Express |
|
2006-07 |
EBL2 |
11 |
/12 |
22 |
5 |
|
17 |
1st Round |
x |
x |
Withdrew |
x |
WNC Mansfield Express |
|
2007-08 |
EBL3 North |
x |
|
8 |
8 |
|
0 |
1st Round |
x |
x |
x |
2nd Round |
Luna Mansfield Stars |
|
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2007-8
Roster:
Names in bold have re-signed for new
season.
Names in green are new signings.
Names in red have departed.
|
PLAYER |
|
Height |
|
|
|
Gary COLLINS |
Guard |
6' 0" |
Returned from Mansfield Giants, 2007. Back to Giants, jan.
'08 |
|
|
Mike ELLAND |
Guard |
5' 10" |
Returned from City of Sheffield Arrows, via Mansfield
Giants, Nov. '06 |
|
|
Aaron MAHER |
|
|
|
|
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Ben MIDDLETON |
Forward |
6' 5" |
Ex-Nottingham Knights, 2005. Returns after
year at Derby, 2007. Back to Derby, Jan. 08 |
|
|
Sam O'SHEA |
|
|
Son of Leicester Riders' 1980s legend Steve O'Shea.
From Leicester Warriors, 2007. |
|
|
Martin RICHARDS |
|
6' 6" |
Returned from Mansfield II, 2007 |
|
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Matt SHAW |
|
|
Returned from Derby, 2007 |
|
|
Rob STOCKWELL |
Forward |
6' 5" |
Bates College USA. Signed 2007. To Derby, Jan.
08 |
|
|
Daniel WATTS |
Forward |
6' 6" |
From SNC, 2005. To WNC Mansfield II,
2006. |
|
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Chris SQUIRE |
Coach |
|
To Mansfield II, 2006. Head coach 2007 |
|
|
Matt SHAW |
Ass. Coach |
|
Returned from Derby, 2007, as Player/Ass.
Coach |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Roger URA |
Coach |
|
2006 |
|
|
David PASSMORE |
Ass. Coach |
|
Nov. 2006 |
|
5 |
Danny
AUSTIN |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
Laurynas BAKUTIS |
|
|
Lithuanian. Joined Nov. 2006 |
|
12 |
Kirk DAVIS |
|
|
2006 |
|
10 |
Sean DILKS |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Jamie GRAINGER |
|
|
2006 |
|
9 |
Sean HERE |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
JUNIOR |
|
|
2006 |
|
14 |
Jeremiah
LAFOND |
|
6' 2" |
From Nottingham Knights, 2006. |
|
15 |
Tristan LAWSON |
Guard/Forward |
6' 4" | |