A massive moment for Manchester Storm and Manc youth sport, in general, as the local ice hockey side have just handed out a professional contract to one of their own for the first time in history.
Following an incredible 2022/23 season split across two teams and having been firmly on the radar of the club for years now, 16-year-old ice hockey player Connor Lee has become the first player ever to make the jump from Manchester Storm‘s youth academy to the first team.
The hugely talented British prospect had interest from all over, with head coach Matt Ginn and GM Ryan Finnerty fending off multiple teams from all over North America and Europe to secure Connor’s signature and offer him a three-year deal.
Having put up some serious stats in the past few seasons alone and still at such a young age, it’s safe to say the club believe he has an extremely bright future ahead of him.
𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗠 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘
ICYMI – Manchester Storm are incredibly proud to announce the signing of Connor Lee – the first professional contracted player out of the Manchester Storm Academy! 🤝
— Manchester Storm | #TakeShelter (@Mcr_Storm) August 17, 2023
A huge moment for Manchester Storm and in the 16-year-old’s fledgling career.
It was the 2021-22 season that was a breakout campaign for Lee, with the then-14-year-old forward contributing 21 points (12G 9A) in just 12 games in the Under 16’s league but, even more staggeringly, he was already impressing when he was just 10 years old.
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Back in 2017, when he was playing just his second season of hockey after switching from his football dreams in the youth ranks at Stoke City, he was already playing three years above his age group and, as commentator Jonathan Bullard, remarked at the time, “If this progression continues, I expect big things”.
Describing the youngster as “a naturally gifted skater and forward who possesses great stick-handling skills” even back then, “his ability to beat opposition defenders and get towards the net has made him a huge asset for Storm” throughout the youth ranks and is now set to do the same with the big boys.
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In 2022-23, Connor split his time between Solway Sharks and Manchester Storm and in a combined 36 games, he registered 62 goals and 45 assists for a combined total of 107 points — an average of 2.97 points per game. Prolific. Cut to this year and he’s modelling the 23/34 kit with his boyhood hero and Storm’s longest-serving player, Dallas Ehrhardt, as he returns for his eighth stint at the club. Time flies.
Connor with Ehrhardt as a kid and now as his teammate (Credit: Manchester Storm)
Speaking on the announcement, head coach Ginn hailed Lee as “a very good and promising prospect with a bright future ahead of him, describing him as “a big body that skates well and is hungry to develop and improve his game”, as well as a “great kid”.
As for Connor himself, the local lad said: “I’ve always thanked coaches for all the help they’ve given me and I’d like to thank them again now for helping me to get to this point in my career — and thank you to Matt and Ryan for giving me this opportunity”.
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
17th August 2023 
