Manawatu United

Full name	Manawatu United
Nickname(s)	YoungHeart
Founded	2004
Dissolved	2015
Ground	Memorial Park Palmerston North, New Zealand
Capacity	8,000
Chairman	Paul Barris
Coach	Stu Jacobs
League	ASB Youth League
2010–11	8th
Home colours Away colours

Manawatu United (previously known as YoungHeart Manawatu) was a football club based in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It participated in the New Zealand Football Championship, and fielded a youth side in the National Youth League. Their home ground was Memorial Park.

In 2014, the team was renamed to Manawatu United.

Manawatu United was formed in 2004, under the name YoungHeart Manawatu, to compete in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC). Based in Palmerston North, they were the sole franchise in the region.

In the inaugural NZFC season (2004–2005), Manawatu United finished bottom of the league.

However, in 2005–2006 they finished runner-up to champions Auckland City FC at the end of the regular season. In the finals, United lost both their playoff matches and exited early.

The 2006–07 season saw Manawatu United finish second again at the conclusion of the regular season, this time behind Waitakere United. United lost their preliminary final to Auckland and missed out on a spot in the O-League as a result.

2007–08 was a somewhat disappointing campaign given the success of the previous two seasons. Manawatu United finished the regular season placed sixth on the table, well adrift of the playoffs.

A return to the playoffs came in the 2008/09 season, as United finished in third place in the condensed regular season. What followed was an emphatic two-goal victory in the first leg of a two-legged semi-final against Auckland City FC in Palmerston North. In the return leg Auckland used their home advantage equally as well to win 3–0, consigning Manawatu to a 4–3 defeat on aggregate and another missed grand final and O-League appearance. Auckland went on to win the final.

2009–10 was a frustrating season for the Manawatu United faithful as the side finished in sixth place but only two points away from a playoff spot. Perhaps the highlight of the season was an unexpected 4–1 victory over Auckland City at Kiwitea Street.

A bittersweet moment came during the 2010 off-season as standout young player Cory Chettleburgh signed a contract with professional Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam. This was a significant loss for the side as they looked to bounce back from a fairly disappointing campaign.

At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season the franchise didn't have their league license renewed and were replaced by a New Zealand Under 20 squad Wanderers Special Club for the 2013–14 season although they retained a team in the ASB Youth League.

Due to the ASB Youth League being reduced to only the 10 teams given licenses to the 2016–17 ASB Premiership, Manawatu United dissolved at the end of the 2015 ASB Youth League Season.

Memorial Park was the home ground of Manawatu United. They had played at this ground since the 2008–09 season, having previously played their home fixtures at Central Energy Trust Arena. Memorial Park has a capacity of approximately 8000 people.

2010–11

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  NZL Matt Borren 2 DF  NZL Hamish MacKay 3 DF  NZL Matt Smith (Academy) 4 DF  ENG Jamie O´Connor 6 DF  NZL Matthew Kennedy 7 MF  SAM Jared Curtis 8 MF  NZL Nathan Cooksley 9 FW  VAN Seule Soromon 10 DF  NZL Adam Cowan (Captain) 11 DF  NZL Hamish Mackay (Academy)

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 FW  NZL Nathan Morath 14 MF  NZL Michael McKnight (Academy) 16 FW  NZL Michael Fraser (Academy) 18 DF  NZL Barry Lewis 19 GK  NZL Benjamin Wilkes 20 MF  NZL Willy Hodge 21 FW  NZL Jared Bloor 22 MF  NZL Michael White 23 MF  NZL Khair Jones 24 DF  NZL Graham Cravan 25 MF  CHI Pablo Moya

• Team Manager: Steve Green.
• Head coach: Stu Jacobs.
• Assistant coach: Andy Sawyer.
• Goalkeeper coach: Steve Green.
• Physiotherapist: Rodney Brooks-Mann.
• General Manager: Neil Perry
• Sponsorship & Marketing Manager:

• All-time leading goalscorer: Benjamin Totori (33)
• Most goals in a season: Benjamin Totori (24 in 2006/07 season)
• Biggest win: 8–1 vs. Hawke's Bay United, 2005/06 season
• Biggest loss: 0–8 vs. Team Wellington, 2007/08 season

• Shane Rufer (July 2006 – June 2008)
• Bob Sova (July 2008 – June 2011)
• Stu Jacobs (July 2011–15)

• Oceania Club Championship: (1 appearance)

2006 – 3rd place – Won against Nokia Eagles 4 – 0 (stage 4 of 4)

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Position
2006[1]	OFC Club Championship	Group B	Nokia Eagles	2–2	1st
			Magenta	3–0
			Tafea	1–0
		Semi Final	Pirae	1–2
		3/4 Playoff	Nokia Eagles	4–0	3rd

• New Zealand Football Championship (official league site) (archived)
• Official website (archived)
• Youth Soccer Palmerston North