Unicorn Athletic F.C

[Georgian Maestro]

I played for Unicorn in the late 80's / early 90's. Brian Taylor was the manager of my age group and a big blue.
Flixton were the best team though and we normally came 2nd or 3rd (behind Deans). Then all Flixton's best players got scouted by United and City so from about the age of 14 Unicorn started to win the league regularly . Really can't remember this Derek fella though

 

[whothefisAlice]

I played for Unicorn in the late 80's / early 90's. Brian Taylor was the manager of my age group and a big blue.
Flixton were the best team though and we normally came 2nd or 3rd (behind Deans). Then all Flixton's best players got scouted by United and City so from about the age of 14 Unicorn started to win the league regularly . Really can't remember this Derek fella though

Would make sense mate coz mid 90's Unicorn teams won it all.

Derek has been doing u-9's for donkeys years now. He stayed with us from 10 through 14/15 as we were a special bunch.

Not sure if he's still there, but he's an honourary league president and thanks to this, I have found out he's still in charge of the ball boys at City after all these years.

 

[Macca68]

Adam,
I played for Unicorn in the late 70s & early 80s and I help to run them now. Derek still comes to watch our teams play & train but doesn't have a hands on role anymore.

 

[UAJFC]

Unfortunately Derek Calderbank passed away yesterday evening (Tuesday 25/06/13).

Although he'd not been in the best of health for some time he still attempted to get to watch City whenever he could and would spend every Saturday & Sunday morning sat in his plastic chair watching the junior teams at Unicorn Athletic, where he'd been a founder member in the mid 1970s.

He was, and will continue to be an inspiration to children in the local community. Until recently, Derek had looked after the ballboys at Maine Road & The Etihad and was a larger than life figure on the touchline before kick off.

RIP Derek.

 

[davymcfc]

Unicorn were always the best team when I was playing as a kid.

 

[Uwe Rosler]

I used to play for Sale Utd about 15 years ago, we used to get dicked every time we played Unicorn.

Good times.

 

[BigJimLittleJim]

I've been lurking for ages enjoying the madness which is Bluemoon, but I had to get off my arse and register when I found out Derek had passed away.

I was one of the founder members of Unicorn, Derek spotted me and my brothers playing on Smith's fields just over the road from our house, we were wearing Junior Blues City hats and scarves, and coincidentally he was having "trials" for want of a better term with Junior Blues that day - we didn't know about them, but he just asked us to join in, and the rest is history!

I think, although my memory is dim and unreliable these days, that I scored the very first official Unicorn goal on the old Linotype ground, in a mixed age group game, at least in my head I did! We soon after divided up into different age groups.

We weren't very good in the early years, but not awful either, we had a good time either way.

My Dad managed several Unicorn teams starting with my brother Steve's age group, Macca knows my bro and Dad very well, but I found punk rock and girlies, then went on to Uni at Leeds where I've stayed, so lost touch with what was happening at the club.

I didn't realise Unicorn got so successful, and my nephew Ali plays for them now - they seem really professional, a world away from how we started.

I don't know where the original Argentina kit came from, but it was just before the Falklands war if I remember correctly, but we never got any crap about it that I heard - always seemed somehow "right", with the colours being sky blue and white, and they still wear it to this day.

Anyhow, really sad to hear about Derek, he gave us loads of tickets to see City, got my brother Mike to be a ballboy several times, and helped to cement all our love for City.

Not sure when the ties with the Junior Blues ceased, could someone enlighten me? Is there an equivalent now? It really worked well back when I was pre-teen.

RIP Derek the Bald Eagle, top Blue

 

[rje1977]

Only just heard about "Dek" passing away. Absolutely gutted, he was like a second dad to us in the early 80's - early 90's and took pride in assembling the best team in the South Manchester area by far. Remember the time Manchester boys played us on their own ground and we beat them. Me and a couple of others were approached after the game to see if we wanted to play for them but there was no chance. Unicorn were the envy of all the other kids and THE team to play for !

I played for one of his "super teams" from the age of 6 to 16 and we dominated the Timperley and district league and any team who tried to stand in our way. I think we only missed out on the league twice in all that time to Flixton and Hale Barns. I've still got the trophies to show for it at home, and fond memories from our last ever "under 16's" presentation evening at the Sylvan in 1993 when he presented me with the "fans player of the season" and his "managers player award "1983 - 1993" Getting pissed on Skol was just a happy blur !

I can still hear him bawling at us from the touch line... "Jesus wept, pass the ball" / "Pissing wars (?!) you're like deaf warmed up" Looking back I can remember certain mums and dads arguing with him when he shouted at their sons. Some couldn't hack it and left for lesser clubs, but most of us knew that he was only trying to make us into the best players he could.

Driving us to Platt Lane to train on the astro turf with coaches Guss and Ralph every Wednesday evening, stopping at the chippy on the way home and getting us chips.

Can honestly say I will always fondly remember Dek, cherished childhood memories forever !

I'm living in London now (no prizes for guessing which Manchester football club I support) but keen to attend the funeral.

RIP Dek

LEGEND !


( Rob Evans )

 

[Deleted member 52846]

I played for Long Hey and we had a great side in the early-mid 1990s. Winning cup finals at Salford City's stadium and league titles.

My cousin currently plays for Unicorn, he's 13.

 

[brian the blue]

I played for Unicorn throughout my footballing career (aged 5 - 16) but then stopped enjoying playing football and moved on to cricket which I play now. Used to love playing for Unicorn through the junior leagues (U9's-U15's), we were a good side but pretty much every season finished second to Wythenshawe Town.