Here’s some background information about our president, Mick Byrne:

Byrne first made his presence known on a national scale as the head coach and secretary for the women's national league team Scandinavian Homes Solent in the 1970s. While he was playing for that team, the owner Harry Smith requested him to put together a men's team for entry into the National League.

The formation of the Solent Stars, who soon came to dominate the National League, occurred three years later, in 1980. With Byrne as director and adviser, Stars won every domestic prize and represented the country in European competitions.

Byrne had left the Royal Navy in 1981, and due to his passion for coaching, a Portsmouth Junior team was created. Thanks to his relationship with Solent, he was soon invited to bring his team and help the club establish a junior section.

However, the newly established Portsmouth Basketball Club grabbed him in 1984 and hired him as their manager. When Byrne returned to Solent in 1989, the team was on the verge of collapsing, and he played a crucial role in keeping the club competitive at the national level. Byrne took the youthful team from a regional league to all-level national success, allowing Solent to eventually return to playing in the League's top division. In that time, he reportedly coached 203 games and had 95 victories. For a while, he served as a coach for the Royal Navy.

Since he began playing in Portsmouth in the late 1960s, Byrne has become widely recognised as the local basketball legend. He served on the National Executive Committee while managing the England team for eight years, shaping the way the English game was run in the process. He has experience in all aspects of the game being a qualified senior coach, lecturer, referee, and table official.

Our President will continue to be involved by leading the men's and women's teams in his community in the future.

Portsmouth Force Basketball Club

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