Tomorrow at the AO Arena, Manchester Thunder and Leeds Rhinos are competing for The Mike Greenwood Trophy – a trophy named after an amazing man who set the standard for netball, trailblazed for our sport and started Thunder on the journey which has seen the team become four-times winners of the Netball Super League.
To so many players and coaches here in Manchester, across the North West and around the country, Mike meant a huge amount – and he continues to do so today. He established Oldham Netball Club in 1987 and had huge success, winning 40 Junior National Championships and taking Oldham Seniors from division five to division one in the National Premier League.
He first coached Northern Thunder for a season in the Super Cup in 2005 and was part of a franchise takeover in 2008 when he became Director of Netball. Thunder went from finishing bottom of the table to a second placed finish in 2011 – and we know what happened next, all from the legacy he instilled and which lives on today.
His influence spread far beyond the North West though, Mike was the first man to become an England Netball Coach and had a successful period coaching England U17 and U19s. His talent for spotting, nurturing and inspiring young players was incredible and that is why we pay tribute to him today, and every day, ensuring his passion for netball lives on in us all.
Mike Greenwood (1947 – 2011)
Always missed. Forever remembered.