MANCHESTER basketball fans have taken the first steps towards starting up a new club in the city.

Supporters of Manchester Giants are still in shock following the closure of their club back in November.

And while some have transferred their loyalties to NBL side Manchester Magic, the rest are keen to start a new franchise for a BBL club.

The driving force of the ambitious plan is basketball personality, Manchester-born DJ and entrepreneur, Mike Shaft.

Shaft and a group of fans have launched their venture aimed at bringing a Premiership basketball club back to the city of Manchester.

''It is difficult to believe that there is no longer a Premiership club in Greater Manchester,'' said Shaft after the first meeting of the new 'Phoenix Club.'

'There were two great clubs'

''I remember the days when there were two great clubs in the City - Manchester United and Manchester Giants.

''I'm delighted with the response to the proposal I published on the web some weeks ago.

''If we are then successful, we will then enter the BBL at the start of the 2002/2003 season.''

If unsuccessful then Shaft said the money will be refunded with the exception of a £5 administrative fee.

And he also insists any new team wouldn't be known as Manchester Giants.

The Giants, one of the most famous franchises in the BBL, won the Wembley Play-Off Championship game less than two years ago.

However, fortunes declined with the loss of the Cook Group as major financial backers and last year the franchise was withdrawn when the team was unable to fulfil their fixtures due to financial difficulties.

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