Leicester Riders

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Leicester Riders
Leicester Riders logo
Main Sponsor Jelson Homes
DMU
League British Basketball League
Established 1967
History Loughborough All-Stars
1967-1981
Leicester All-Stars
1981-1986
Leicester City Riders
1986-1997
Leicester Riders
1997-present
Arena De Montfort University
(Capacity: 800)
Location Leicester, Leicestershire
Head Coach Flag of the United Kingdom Martin Ford
Ownership PLC
Colours Red, White and Green
Website
Uniforms
 
Home jersey
Home jersey
 
Home shorts
Home
 
Away jersey
Away jersey
 
Away shorts
Away
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The Leicester Riders, officially known as the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders for sponsorship reasons, is a British professional basketball team that play in the British Basketball League (BBL). They are the oldest operating basketball team in the country, though recently they have hit hard times financially and faced liquidation several times during 2007 before fans and local businesses stepped in to save the club.

Contents

[edit] Franchise history

Founded on 26th April 1967 and then known as the Loughborough All Stars, the Leicester Riders are the oldest club in British basketball.

They were founder members of the National Basketball League in 1972 and the BBL in 1987.

The club moved from Loughborough to Leicester in 1981 before moving back to play at Loughborough University in 1997, barely a stone's throw from Victory Hall where the club played its first game.

In 2004 the Riders agreed a sponsorship deal with De Montfort University and moved back to Leicester to Granby Halls site just north of Welford Road Stadium. After this was demolished, they now play their games at the DMU's John Sanford Sports Centre.

In February 2007, the Riders encountered several financial difficulties, which resulted in the team's players and coaches not being paid. Facing the prospect of liquidation half way through the 2006-2007 season, former director of the team, Mike Steptoe, and the supporters club formed a consortium which raised funded enough money to keep the side running.

The clubs future was looking brighter, however, during the close-season following the loss of a major cash-injection, the club were again thrown into financial chaos in August 2007. Given only three weeks to raise the necessary funds to compete for the upcoming 2007-08 season, fans of the club and local business Jelson Homes came together to save the club once again. [1]

Part of the sponsorship deal with Jelson Homes was to ensure the future of the club by investing in a 'basketball in the community' scheme, providing the youth of Leicester with basketball coaching programmes.

[edit] Home arenas

Victory Hall (1967-1981)
Granby Halls (1981-1999)
Loughborough University (1999-2004)
De Montfort University (2004-present)

[edit] Season-by-season records

Season Div. Pos. Pld. W L Pts. Play Offs Trophy Cup
Loughborough All-Stars
1972-1973 NBL 4th 10 5 5 15 N/A N/A 1st Round
1973-1974 NBL 6th 14 5 9 19 N/A N/A -
1974-1975 NBL 7th 18 8 10 26 N/A N/A -
1975-1976 NBL 1 6th 18 6 12 24 N/A N/A Quarter-final
1976-1977 NBL 1 6th 18 8 10 26 N/A N/A Quarter-final
1977-1978 NBL 1 - - - - - N/A N/A Quarter-final
Leicester City Riders
1987-1988 BBL 9th 28 14 14 28 DNQ 1st Round Semi-final
1988-1989 BBL 4h 20 14 6 28 Semi-final Semi-final 2nd Round
1989-1990 BBL 6th 28 7 21 14 DNQ 1st Round 2nd Round
1990-1991 BBL 4th 24 14 10 28 Semi-final Semi-final Runner-up
1991-1992 BBL 6th 30 14 16 28 Quarter-final Runner-up Semi-final
1992-1993 BBL 8th 33 12 21 24 Quarter-final Semi-final Semi-final
1993-1994 BBL 7th 36 20 16 40 Quarter-final Semi-final Quarter-final
1994-1995 BBL 11th 36 8 28 16 DNQ 1st Round Quarter-final
1995-1996 BBL 9th 36 11 25 22 DNQ 1st Round 4th Round
1996-1997 BBL 8th 36 15 21 30 Quarter-final Semi-final Quarter-final
Leicester Riders
1997-1998 BBL 9th 36 15 21 30 DNQ Quarter-final Runner-up
1998-1999 BBL 12th 36 9 27 18 DNQ Semi-final 1st Round
1999-2000 BBL N 7th 36 10 26 20 DNQ 1st Round Quarter-final
2000-2001 BBL N 4th 36 17 19 34 Winners 1st Round Winners
2001-2002 BBL N 5th 32 11 21 22 DNQ 1st Round 1st Round
2002-2003 BBL 11th 40 3 37 6 DNQ 1st Round 1st Round
2003-2004 BBL 9th 36 5 31 10 DNQ 1st Round Quarter Final
2004-2005 BBL 10th 40 11 29 22 DNQ 1st Round 1st Round
2005-2006 BBL 6th 40 18 22 36 Quarter-final Runner-up 1st Round
2006-2007 BBL 7th 36 13 23 22 Quarter-final Semi-final Quarter-final

Notes:

  • From 1999-2002 the BBL operated a Conference system. Leicester competed in the Northern Conference.
  • DNQ denotes Did Not Qualify.

[edit] Players

[edit] Current roster

The numbers are established according to the official websites of the team (www.leicesterriders.co.uk) and Britain's top professional league, the BBL (www.bbl.org.uk).

As of January 30, 2008

5 Flag of the United Kingdom Steve Vear Point Guard
6 Flag of the United Kingdom James Cornell Guard
7 Flag of the United Kingdom Simon Jobe Guard
8 Flag of the United Kingdom Darren Mills Forward
9 Flag of the United Kingdom Russell Jordan Guard
10 Flag of the United Kingdom Emile Hopkins Forward
11 Flag of Canada Flag of the United Kingdom Joshua Lipsey Point Guard
12 Flag of the United Kingdom Roderick Wellington Guard/Small Forward
13 Flag of Lithuania Mindaugas Janiška Point Guard
14 Flag of the United Kingdom Matthew Curtis Guard
15 Flag of the United Kingdom Barry Lamble Centre
21 Flag of the United States Carlos White Forward
23 Flag of the United States Terrence Woodyard Guard/Forward
24 Flag of the United States Flag of the United Kingdom Joel Burns Guard
25 Flag of the United States Chad McKnight Power Forward

[edit] Notable former players

[edit] External links

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