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94-619: London Lions are a British professional basketball team based in Stratford , East London , England , and compete in the Super League Basketball (SLB). The team was originally founded in 1977 as the Hemel Hempstead Lakers . Following an ownership take over by Vince Macaulay in 1993, the club subsequently relocated to Watford , and then Milton Keynes , where they were known as Milton Keynes Lions . It

188-541: A 1,400-seat basketball arena and practice venue. The venue opened as the MK Lions Arena at the end of November 2010. 2010–11 season In his first season as head coach, former Lions player Mike New led the team to a disappointing 10th-place finish in the British Basketball League. Despite now boasting a fantastic full-time basketball venue, which featured two permanent courts – allowing

282-689: A European competition. On 13 October 2021, the Lions beat Donar Groningen away to register their first-ever European win. In the 2022–23 season the London Lions appeared in the Eurocup for the first time, reaching the playoffs but being knocked out in the first round. In the 2023–24 season the Lions went further, reaching the semi-finals of Europe's second-tier competition, becoming the first British team to do so. The Lions were beaten by heavy tournament favourites Paris Basketball . In June 2024, it

376-506: A deal with the proposed arena's owners would be unlikely before the deadline he was facing of the start of the next season. Second was Liverpool, Macaulay's hometown. Liverpool already had a BBL franchise – the Mersey Tigers , however, they were in financial trouble so Macaulay proposed merging the two teams and a 50/50 ownership. The current owners were interested but wanted Macaulay to send them his CV. Somewhat offended, he knew such

470-476: A dispute with the landlord. The club would merge with Thames Ironworks F.C. , the forerunner of West Ham United F.C. , in 1895. Directly to the south of the churchyard stands a 12.80-metre tall granite obelisk , which was erected in 1861 as a memorial to the Quaker philanthropist and abolitionist , Samuel Gurney (1766 to 1856). The plinth carries two brass drinking fountain heads on opposite sides, with

564-476: A hamlet in the northwest part of the ancient parish of West Ham , as the area urbanised it expanded, increased in population and merged with neighbouring districts. Except as a ward, Stratford has never been a unit of administration and so, like many London districts, lacks formally defined boundaries. As described however, Stratford occupies the north-west part of West Ham and so takes the northwest boundaries of that area; boundaries which have subsequently become

658-527: A new base for Lions home games, which included public pleas to local businesses for help in finding a new home as offers from cities around the UK poured in to relocate the team. On 17 July, a local newspaper revealed negotiations to secure the Lions' future in Milton Keynes were ongoing, with Macaulay hoping to finalise a deal with sufficient time to begin preparation for the new season, slated to begin away to

752-565: A permanent legacy of the 2012 Summer Olympics. It closed after the end of the Games, but was reopened to the public in April 2014. Built in 1868, as part of the new London sewerage system by Sir Joseph Bazalgette , the building originally housed steam pumps and is a notable example of Italian style Gothic Revival architecture . It is opened to the public on an occasional basis, when the "flamboyant interior of enriched cast ironwork" can be seen. It

846-451: A ready market for its produce. By the 18th century, the area around Stratford was noted for potato growing, a business that continued into the mid-1800s. Stratford also became a desirable country retreat for wealthy merchants and financiers, within an easy ride of the City . When Daniel Defoe visited Stratford in 1722, he reported it had "...increased in buildings to a strange degree, within

940-599: A sold-out Prestige Homes Arena, before suffering a 188–186 defeat on aggregate (after OT) in the return leg. Success was however found on a personal level, as Nathan Schall won the BBL dunk competition as part of the BBL Cup Final festivities and Stefan Gill completed the dunking double as he was crowned dunk contest champion at the World Basketball Festival. Departure from Milton Keynes Following

1034-414: A week whilst furthering their education – several of whom had gone on to sign professional deals with the first team. When faced with the challenge of finding a new home outside of Milton Keynes, Macaulay shortlisted two new locations: First was Cardiff, with Macaulay stating the appeal of every game feeling like Wales versus England being an exciting prospect. However, he ultimately found that agreeing to

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1128-604: A whole in the UK. The enigmatic Harvey Knuckles is considered one of the greatest players ever to play in Britain. Steve Hale was a fourth round draft pick, Sam Smith scored big points from all round the court and Daryl Thomas was a prolific scorer. For the 1989–1990 season the franchise opted to leave the top-tier (now known as the Carlsberg League due to sponsorship from the Carlsberg Group ) and return to

1222-477: A working relationship was unlikely to work, so withdrew his proposal. The Mersey Tigers folded the following season. Completely out of options during the summer of 2012, Macaulay noted a lot of talk about the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games and investigated whether there would be any venues that could potentially become home for a basketball team once the games were over. Ultimately he entered discussions with

1316-550: A year away, along with Derek Hall and Rashad Hassan. A 9–1 start to the season in all competitions suggested great promise, but the departure of Hall after only 3 games and a season-ending injury to Jamal Williams disrupted the team's form. Defeat to Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Cup followed shortly afterwards. Reinforcements arrived in the shape of Navid Niktash and Zak Wells but the early season form couldn't be recaptured. 2017–18 season After Lloyd stepped down as head coach at

1410-599: Is a memorial to the Stratford Martyrs , who were burned at the stake in 1556 (possibly at Stratford, but more likely at Bow ) during the reign of Queen Mary . The memorial itself is octagonal with terracotta plaques on each face, surmounted by a twelve sided spire. It was unveiled in 1878. St Francis of Assisi Church, Stratford is the Roman Catholic church in Stratford. It was built in 1868 and

1504-526: Is headed by Lions' player Mike New . With Macaulay back controlling the club on court as well as off it, the team's standing in the league was immediately matched to his own ambition as the club's owner. The veteran team performed sensationally and by the Christmas break they were well in contention for the league crown, resting in second place behind title-rivals Newcastle Eagles , who coincidentally they beat in their first-ever BBL Cup Final appearance at

1598-565: Is held by Rokhsana Fiaz since 4 May 2018. In 2018, previous incumbent Sir Robin Wales was de-selected by the Newham Labour Party to be their candidate in the mayoral election, losing to Custom House councillor Rokhsana Fiaz by 861 votes to Wales who had 503. The modern borough has an electoral ward named 'Stratford and New Town'. Most of the 560-acre Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is located within Stratford, with other parts of

1692-468: Is served by Franciscan Friars . As of the 2011 census, White British is the largest ethnic group in the Stratford and New Town ward, at 21% of the population, followed by Other White at 19% and Black African at 13%; other ethnic groups comprised the remaining 47%. 1997%E2%80%9398 British Basketball League season Greater London Leopards clinched their second successive Budweiser League title only by virtue of an overtime win in their final game of

1786-667: The 2012 Summer Paralympics , the venue needed to be converted for basketball use, and the Lions, therefore, began the season playing home games at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre . Owner Vince Macaulay-Razaq revealed the Lions would maintain links in Milton Keynes by keeping the Milton Keynes College Lions Basketball Academy open. 2012–13 season Following the Lions' move to London, head coach Mike New elected to remain in Milton Keynes and continue his work as head coach of

1880-523: The Lower Lea Valley , it is 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Charing Cross , and includes Maryland and East Village . Historically an ancient parish in the hundred of Becontree in Essex , following reform of local government in London in 1965 it became part of the borough of Newham in the newly formed Greater London. Stratford grew rapidly in the 19th century after the railway came to

1974-527: The Milton Keynes College Lions Basketball Academy . Lions owner Vince Macaulay coached the team for the 2012–13 season. London Lions played its home games at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre until the Copper Box Arena had been converted for basketball use following its role as handball arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games. 2013–14 season London Lions was successfully launched as

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2068-983: The National Cup and the Sheffield claimed their first uni-ball Trophy with an 82–79 win over London Towers at the National Exhibition Centre . London Towers represented the Budweiser League in European competition, participating in the EuroCup . (1) Greater London Leopards vs. (8) Manchester Giants (2) Birmingham Bullets vs. (7) Derby Storm (3) Newcastle Eagles vs. (6) London Towers (4) Sheffield Sharks vs. (5) Thames Valley Tigers Semi-finals Final Semi-finals Final Northern Group Southern Group Sheffield finished ahead of Chester and Derby by having

2162-514: The National Indoor Arena (NIA), on 13 January 2008. Milton Keynes led for most of the game and sealed the 69–66 victory when New scored the final points of the game to end a Newcastle resurgence, handing the Lions franchise its first piece of silverware. After finishing 4th in the league (19–14), Lions qualified for the post-season Play-offs with a seeded home-court Quarter-final tie against Scottish Rocks . The home team eased past

2256-624: The SkyDome Arena in the BBL Trophy . The Lions fought valiantly but eventually lost to the all-conquering Chester Jets , losing 90–89 in a close contest. From then on, the Lions remained a competitive force in the league, often qualifying for the post-season Play-offs (though having little impact on the outcome), and an appearance in the BBL Cup Semi-final in 2005 was considered to be a major landmark. 2007–08 season It

2350-536: The 'Pandemonium' of the revolution and the huge social and economic changes it brought. The level of industrialisation experienced by the parish and borough of West Ham led to it becoming known as the Factory centre of the south of England . Stratford was the base the greatest concentration of manufacturing activity within West Ham. Stratford was originally an agricultural community, whose proximity to London provided

2444-494: The 2020–21 season, the Lions played in a European competition for the first time in club history. They were confirmed to have a spot in the qualifying rounds for the fifth season of the Basketball Champions League (BCL). however they failed to qualify for the tournament proper, losing 77–73 to Neptūnas in the single game qualifying tie. London Lions were acquired by 777 Partners , after they purchased

2538-533: The 2022–23 season, some European home games were played at Wembley Arena . BBL Championship BBL Play-offs BBL Cup BBL Trophy Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA -sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed. Stratford, London Stratford is a town in East London , England, in the London Borough of Newham . Part of

2632-667: The 20th century. This was compounded by the closing of the London Docks in the 1960s. Around this time, the Stratford Shopping Centre was built, beginning efforts to guide the area through the process of transformation from a working-class industrial and transport hub to a retail and leisure destination for the contemporary age. These efforts continued with the Olympic bid for Stratford, and the ongoing urban regeneration work going on there. Stratford began as

2726-585: The BBL Cup Final. They were beaten in the BBL Trophy Final by London City Royals, before winning the BBL league championship. Justin Robinson won his second BBL MVP award in a row. 2019–20 season Lions changed their colours from their traditional purple and gold to black, silver and white. The season was curtailed prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic , with no champions being named. In

2820-629: The Bow), eventually became known simply as Bow , while over time the eastern Stratford lost its "Langthorne" suffix. The bridge was repaired and upgraded many times over the centuries until eventually demolished and replaced in the 19th century. In 1135 the Cistercian Order founded Stratford Langthorne Abbey , also known as West Ham Abbey. This became one of the largest and most wealthy monasteries in England, owning 1,500 acres (610 hectares) in

2914-519: The Championship table – one place and four points behind 8th-placed Guildford Heat for the last post-season berth. A heavy 102–67 defeat to Leicester saw elimination at the first hurdle in the BBL Cup, however the team would later go close to making the BBL Trophy final. After topping their group in round robin play, Lions won the home leg of their semi-final against Plymouth Raiders in front of

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3008-483: The ECR at Stratford on 15 September 1840. A railway works and depot for engines and rolling stock was established by Great Eastern in 1847 to the north of Stratford. At its peak, the works employed over 2,500, many of whom had homes, along with other railway workers, in the town that developed nearby. It was originally called Hudson Town, after George Hudson , the "Railway King", but after his involvement in bribery and fraud

3102-531: The Great or else after King Frederick William IV who visited the area in 1842 to meet Elizabeth Fry , the prison reformer. In 1914, the first year of World War One , the pub was renamed in honour of the preceding king, Edward VII who had died in 1910. The old name was problematic as 'The King of Prussia' was one of the titles of the German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II . More than a hundred years later,

3196-830: The King Edward VII pub is still locally nicknamed 'The Prussian'. A 38 tonne 0-6-0 saddle-tank steam locomotive named Robert is displayed in Meridian Square, the forecourt of Stratford Station. It was built in 1933 by the Avonside Engine Company of Bristol for use at the Lamport Ironstone mines railway near Brixworth , Northamptonshire. It was previously an exhibit at the North Woolwich Old Station Museum , but moved to Stratford in 1999. In 2008, it

3290-472: The Lea – is named after the former crossing, while Bow itself was also initially named Stratford, after the same ford, and a variety of suffixes were used to distinguish the two distinct settlements, including Stratford-le-Bow. The settlement to the east of the Lea was also known as Estratford (recorded in 1291), referring to the location east of the other Stratford, Statford Hamme (recorded in 1312) alluding to

3384-509: The Lions arrived in 1998. It was not then known what effect the team's departure would have on the many school teams and community projects, but Macaulay stated that he wished to remain involved in the development of youth basketball in Milton Keynes in some form. Questions also remained as to the future of the Milton Keynes Lions College Academy which enabled young adults to attend basketball practice five days

3478-476: The Lions play in one of the BBL's biggest, modern venues, rivalling the homes of the Rocks and Newcastle. Unfortunately, the completion of the arena was delayed due to the deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site (which would have funded the project). With the demolition of Lions' current home, Bletchley Centre, scheduled for November 2009, the lack of an alternative venue raised question marks as to

3572-557: The Lions were forced yet again to search for another new home venue, for at least the 2010–2011 season. The club secured a three-game lease for an out-of-town venue at Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury to begin their 2010–2011 campaign, and decided upon renovating a site in the centre of Milton Keynes to host home games for the duration of the season. A three-year deal was agreed upon to use a warehouse in Winterhill and convert it into

3666-532: The Lions would be playing out of Middleton Hall at thecentre:mk as a temporary measure until the new arena:mk was due to be completed, later in the year. The Lions played their last game in front of a packed Bletchley Centre crowd on 18 December, with a dramatic 98–97 victory over Guildford Heat. Robert Youngblood scored the winning point from the free-throw line and thus scored the last basket for Lions at their former home. After Middleton Hall decided upon changes that would no longer make it suitable for basketball,

3760-731: The Old Town Hall has provided the climax of victory celebrations for West Ham United FC , winning major trophies such as the FA Cup in 1980 and the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023. Opposite St John's Church stands an early 19th-century pub , the King Edward VII , with original pedimented doors and early 19th-century bay windows ; it is a Grade II listed building. It was originally called "The King of Prussia ", either in honour of Frederick

3854-550: The Rocks, 105–93, with the game filmed live in front of Setanta Sports cameras. For the first time in its history, Milton Keynes progressed to the Championship Finals weekend at the NIA where they defeated league champions Newcastle Eagles (63–72) on the way to the final eventually succumbing to Guildford Heat , 88–100, again live on Setanta Sports. The incredible achievements of the season, earned coach Macaulay-Razaq

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3948-599: The West Ham Local board of health . It later became the town hall for the county borough and was enlarged in 1881 to accommodate a courthouse and cells . On 26 June 1982, the main part of the building was badly damaged by fire; after a painstaking reconstruction of the original features and refurbishment as a conference centre , it was reopened by the Queen in July 1986. It is a Grade II listed building . The balcony of

4042-537: The accolade of BBL's Coach of the Year. Another highlight of the Lions' most successful season in history was the development of players through the new academy with 18-year-old Greg Harvey progressing onto the roster in the latter stages of the season. 2008–09 season As of 2008, Lions expected to be playing at the brand-new 4,500-seat capacity arena:mk adjacent to the new stadium:mk (home to Milton Keynes Dons football team). The move to their new home would have seen

4136-463: The area in 1839, forming part of the conurbation of London , similar to much of south-west Essex. The late 20th century was a period of severe economic decline in the area, eventually reversed by ongoing regeneration associated with the 2012 Summer Olympics , for which Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park , part of the large, multi-purpose Stratford City development, was the principal venue. The Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, one of

4230-419: The beginning of the 17–18 season, Mariusz Karol was appointed as head coach and lead the team to a 9–3 start before losing 4 out of the next 6. This led to a mutual agreement with team management for him to step down as head coach and club director / owner Vince Macaulay-Razaq to become head coach. 2018–19 season The team won its first silverware since rebranding as London Lions, beating Glasgow Rocks in

4324-411: The borough was large enough in terms of population to become a county borough and was outside the area of responsibility of Essex County Council . Stratford formed the centre of administration of the county borough and was the location of the town hall. Following reform of local government in London in 1965, West Ham was reunited with East Ham ( Ham is believed to have formed a single unit until

4418-534: The built up area of London the parish remained outside the statutory metropolitan area established in 1855 and the County of London established in 1889. Instead, administrative reform was undertaken in the area in much the same way as a large provincial town. A local board was formed in 1856 under the Public Health Act 1848 and subsequently the parish was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1886. In 1889

4512-769: The charnel house – remain in All Saints Church, West Ham (dating from about 1180). The Great Gate of the abbey survived in Baker's Row until 1825. The doorway to the Old Court House, in Tramway Avenue (Stratford), displays the Abbey's coat of arms. The chevrons from this device, originally from the arms of the Mountfitchet family, together with an abbot's crozier were incorporated into the arms of

4606-526: The club from Macaulay, ending his 27-year ownership. 777 Partners also purchased 45% of the British Basketball League (BBL) for £7m in December 2021. The balance of BBL is owned by the 10 clubs that compete in the BBL, including London, therefore, effectively 777 controls the BBL. In the 2021–22 season, the Lions made their debut in the FIBA Europe Cup , which meant their debut in the group phase of

4700-607: The club received a major sponsorship deal from beverage brand Ovaltine , and as part of the deal were known as Ovaltine Hemel Hempstead. The franchise became a formidable force in Division 1, regularly finishing at the top-end of the table and making many appearances in the Play-off semi-finals at Wembley Arena , finishing third in 1981. Following the end of the Ovaltine sponsorship and a one-year deal with retailers Poundstretcher,

4794-399: The compass of about 20 or 30 years past at the most". He continues that "...this increase is, generally speaking, of hansom large houses... being chiefly for the habitations of the richest citizens, such as either are able to keep two houses, one in the country, and one in the city; or for such citizens as being rich, and having left off trade, live altogether in these neighbouring villages, for

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4888-426: The conclusion of the 2011–12 season, the owners of Prestige Homes Arena triggered an opt-out clause in the lease to let the building as a retail outlet. A planning application to change the building from a sporting facility to retail unit was approved by Milton Keynes Council, thus leaving the club without a home venue for the third time in as many seasons. Owner Vince Macaulay searched during the summer of 2012 to secure

4982-646: The country. The site of the factory was to the north of Stratford High Street near the modern Bow Flyover; it was the subject of archaeological excavations in 1921 and 1969. The Victorian era saw growth hugely accelerated by three major factors: the Metropolitan Building Act , the arrival of the railway and the creation of the nearby Royal Docks . Rapid growth followed the Metropolitan Building Act of 1844, which restricted dangerous and noxious industries from operating in

5076-439: The dawning of a new era for the club. During this exciting time and in preparation for a planned move to a new arena, the club also undertook a rebranding initiative, redesigning the logo and changing the kit colours from the traditional purple and gold, to a more dynamic black, gold and white, as well as the establishment of a new academy in partnership with Milton Keynes College . The Milton Keynes College Lions Basketball Academy

5170-521: The end of the 2023–24 season, the club was rescued for the 2024–25 season under the ownership of Tesonet, minority shareholders of BC Žalgiris . The club initially started out based in the town of Hemel Hempstead , 24 miles northwest of London , and were known as the Hemel Hempstead Lakers . The team was named after one of the National Basketball Association 's (NBA) most famous teams, Los Angeles Lakers , and even adopted

5264-415: The former County Borough of West Ham in 1887. The new London Borough of Newham adopted the same arms in 1965. The industrialisation of Stratford started slowly and accelerated rapidly in the early Victorian era. The Stratford and national experience of the Industrial Revolution inspired scenes in the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony covering the traumatic transition from a 'Green and Pleasant Land' to

5358-401: The franchise was rebranded as the Hemel Royals in 1985. Meanwhile, on court, the team failed to reproduce the performances of the past few seasons and often settled for mid-table positions. This was a golden period in British Basketball and Hemel regularly brought top American talent from the States. Dick Miller is the greatest defensive player in the franchise's history and probably the game as

5452-422: The future of the franchise remaining in Milton Keynes. On court, there were big expectations following the successful campaign previously, but the 2008–09 season didn't start off too well for the Lions, with defeat to Guildford in the Cup Winners' Cup . After losing 91–89 in the first leg at Guildford, the Heat rolled over the Lions to a 68–60 victory at the Bletchley Centre, and a 159–149 series win. Further woe

5546-410: The immediate area and 20 manors throughout Essex. The Abbey lay between the Channelsea River and Marsh Lane (Manor Road). Nothing visible remains on the site, as after it dissolution by Henry VIII in 1538, local landowners took away much of the stone for their own buildings and the land was subsequently urbanised. A stone window and a carving featuring skulls – thought to have been over the door to

5640-417: The inscription: IN REMEMBRANCE OF SAMUEL GURNEY / WHO DIED 5 June 1856 / ERECTED BY HIS FELLOW PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS / 1861 / "When the ear heard him then it blessed him" (a paraphrase from the Book of Job , Chapter 29 verse 11). Designed by Lewis Angell and John Giles in the Italianate style with a 100-foot (30-metre) tall domed tower, Stratford Town Hall opened in 1869 as the public offices for

5734-480: The land was acquired by the local council, the open plot opposite West Ham Police Station, was let to Castle Swifts F.C. for use as their home ground. This was the works team of the Castle Shipping Line which had an repair yard at Leamouth in Blackwall . The Castle Swifts named the ground Dunottar Park in honour of the company's ship RMS Dunottar Castle . The club were only based in Stratford in that, their first year, moving to Temple Meadows in East Ham after

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5828-455: The largest urban shopping centres in Europe, opened in 2011. Stratford is east London's primary retail, cultural and leisure centre, and has also become the second most significant business location in east London after Canary Wharf . Stratford's early significance was due to a Roman road (later known as the Great Essex Road ) running from Aldgate in the City , across the River Lea , to Romford , Chelmsford and Colchester . At that time

5922-405: The late 12th century) and small areas of neighbouring districts, to form the London Borough of Newham , part of the new Greater London . Stratford is in the constituency of West Ham , represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2005 by Lyn Brown of the Labour Party . Stratford is part of the mayorship under the Mayor of Newham which is a directly elected mayor and

6016-409: The location within the parish of West Ham, Abbei Stratford , referring to the presence of Stratford Langthorne Abbey , and Stretford Langthorne (recorded in 1366) after a distinctive thorn tree (possibly a pollarded Hawthorn ) which stood in the area. The thorn tree itself, was mentioned much earlier, in a charter of the Manor of Ham , in 958 AD. The tree is thought to have stood in the vicinity of

6110-436: The metropolitan area, the eastern boundary of which was the River Lea . Consequently, many of these activities were relocated to the banks of the river, and West Ham became one of Victorian Britain's major manufacturing centres for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and processed foods. This rapid growth earned it the name "London over the border". The growth of the town was summarised by The Times in 1886: "Factory after factory

6204-498: The modern Channel Sea rail junction, around 200 metres north-north-west of the London Aquatics Centre . In 1110 Matilda , wife of Henry I , ordered a distinctively bow-shaped (arched) bridge to be built over the River Lea, together with a causeway across the marshes along the line now occupied by Stratford High Street. Reports state she (or her retinue) encountered problems crossing the river to get to Barking Abbey . The western Stratford then become suffixed by "-atte-Bow" (at

6298-444: The new owners of the Copper Box Arena, and the Milton Keynes Lions, soon to be the London Lions, had a new home. On 8 August 2012, an article in the Milton Keynes Citizen newspaper revealed the Lions would be moving to London for the 2012–13 season , taking residence at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park . As the Copper Box was being used for handball during the 2012 Summer Olympics and goalball during

6392-408: The next decade the team wouldn't finish outside of the bottom three, but with the removal of the promotion/relegation system between the BBL and Division 1, this had little consequence. The lack of fortune and an aging venue prompted the franchise to look at relocating and the team found a suitable, yet temporary solution in the neighbouring town of Watford . In preparation for the move, the franchise

6486-434: The northwest boundary of the modern London Borough of Newham . In this way the River Lea and the complex network of the Bow Back Rivers mark the western limits of the area, which also extends north as far as the boundary of the London Borough of Waltham Forest . Most of Stratford is in the E15 postal area, however the Royal Mail has given the new E20 postcode to the Olympic Park and Stratford City developments; this

6580-417: The only professional basketball club in London. The team finished 6th in the regular season before losing to Worcester Wolves in the playoffs quarter-finals. 2014–15 season The two previous seasons' BBL MVPs, Drew Sullivan and Zaire Taylor, were recruited for the 2014–15 season. The Lions reached the semi-finals of the BBL Trophy, losing to Leicester Riders . They finished 6th in the regular season. In

6674-417: The park have been built on, replaced by cultural and commercial premises, as well as new housing. Stratford Park on West Ham Lane was laid out, in stages, by the County Borough of West Ham between 1899 and 1912. It was originally called West Ham Recreation Ground and is still known to many as West Ham Rec . The name was changed in 1999 to avoid confusion with nearby West Ham Park . In 1892–93, before

6768-403: The park in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Waltham Forest . The park was prepared as the main venue of the 2012 Summer Olympics and permanently opened to the public in 2014. As part of the games and its legacy, the park included a number of sporting venues as well as extensive open spaces. Since the games many of the open parts of

6862-587: The play-off final, was made captain. Olumide Oyedeji would later rejoin in October following a serious injury to Demond Watt. Alex Owumi signed in December following further roster changes. The season ended with defeat to Sheffield Sharks in the play-off quarter-finals, on their way to winning the trophy. 2016–17 season A more stable summer saw Nigel Lloyd remain in charge, bringing back Alex Owumi, Andre Lockhart, Jamal Williams, Joseph "Jei" Blessing Ikhinmwin and Kai Williams. Zaire Taylor also returned after

6956-423: The playoffs, the Lions defeated Worcester Wolves in the quarter-finals and Cheshire Phoenix in the semi-finals. The final, played in front of 14,700 at The O2 Arena , was won by Newcastle Eagles, who completed the clean sweep of British basketball titles. 2015–16 season Nigel Lloyd took over as head coach for the 2015–16 season. Joe Ikhinmwin, the only senior player retained from the previous season's run to

7050-558: The pleasure and health of the latter part of their days". An early industrial undertaking at Stratford was the Bow porcelain factory , which despite the name, was on the Essex side of the River Lea. Using a process that was patented in 1744, Edward Heylin and Thomas Frye operated a factory near Bow Bridge called "New Canton" to produce some of the first soft-paste porcelain to be made in

7144-511: The re-formed Manchester Giants on 21 September. On 30 July, with the country's interest in basketball heightened by Great Britain's participation in the London 2012 Olympic basketball tournament, Macaulay revealed his search to find a home venue had been unsuccessful and the club would be forced to leave Milton Keynes. In addition to the loss of professional basketball games, the move was a big blow to Milton Keynes residents who had enjoyed extensive community and schools' basketball programmes since

7238-512: The season against Sheffield Sharks. Leopards' 102–106 victory in Sheffield meant they finished level on points with title-rivals Birmingham Bullets , but were crowned Champions due to a better head-to-head record over the Midlands team. Birmingham gained some consolation by taking their second Play-off Championship in three years at Wembley Arena , beating off a tough challenge from Thames Valley Tigers , winning 78–75. The Thames Valley Tigers won

7332-479: The second-tier league, which had been renamed as NBL Division 1. After only one season, and a fourth-place finish (14–8), the Royals returned to Carlsberg League. The team finished bottom of the league in the 1992–1993 season with a 4–29 record, and were subsequently relegated back to Division 1, however they were later reinstated and returned to the rebranded BBL for the following season. A dismal spell ensued and over

7426-558: The team packed up, moved and renamed themselves as the Milton Keynes Lions . Lions' on-court performances were an instant improvement and the franchise began a slow but noticeable turnaround, reaching the semi-finals of the National Cup and also the end-of-season Play-offs for the first time in eight seasons in 2000. After a hugely successful run, the franchise reached its first major final in 2002 with an appearance at

7520-426: The teams throughout the Lions banner to train more than ever before, the club missed out on qualifying for the play-offs. One of the few highlights of the season was the play of American guard Demarius Bolds, who was among the league leaders in several statistics as he was named Lions' Player of the Year. 2011–12 season 2011–12 saw the Lions miss the play-offs for a second successive season, as they finished 9th in

7614-558: The their colours of purple and gold. In 1977, the Lakers entered the National Basketball League 's Division 2, and enjoyed a rather successful first season, finishing fifth (from 11 teams) with a 10–10 record. Their second season would be even more successful, with the Lakers finishing second in Division 2 (15–3) and winning promotion to the top-level league Division 1. With entry into the country's top league ensured,

7708-606: The various branches of the river were tidal and without channels, while the marshes surrounding them had yet to be drained. The Lea Valley formed a natural boundary between Essex on the eastern bank and Middlesex on the west, and was a formidable obstacle to overland trade and travel. The name is first recorded in 1067 as Strætforda and means ' ford on a Roman road'. It is formed from Old English 'stræt' (in modern English 'street') and 'ford'. The former river crossing lay at an uncertain location north of Stratford High Street . The district of Old Ford in northern Bow – west of

7802-484: The world), increased Stratford's importance as a transport and manufacturing centre. Rising population levels led to two major new Anglican churches in the area, St John's Church in 1834 and Christ Church in 1851. Stratford station was opened on 20 June 1839 by the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR). The Northern and Eastern Railway opened a section of its authorised line from Broxbourne to join

7896-605: Was added with a BBL Cup Quarter-final exit at the hands of visiting Everton Tigers , coupled with an exit at the 1st round of the Trophy. The disastrous season came to an abrupt end in April, with a 14–19 record and 9th-placed finish meaning the Lions missing out on the end-of-season Playoffs. 2009–10 season With the demolition of the Bletchley Centre looming, the club sought to find an alternative venue for home games and on 31 July 2009 announced that from January 2010,

7990-400: Was announced on 8 May 2007 that coach Tom Hancock would not coach the Lions for the 2007–08 season , after just one term at the helm. On 17 May, the club declared owner Vince Macaulay-Razaq , a former player and coach of the franchise, would be appointed head coach for the proceeding season. The signing of Yorick Williams during the pre-season was a massive coup, and for many fans signalled

8084-665: Was confirmed that Lions would be omitted from the 2024-25 EuroCup season due to the club's uncertain financial stability, while later it was revealed that the club was at risk of bankruptcy. In August 2024, it was announced that Lithuanian tech company Tesonet, shareholder of BC Žalgiris as well, acquired the club from 777 Partners. The Žalgiris Group would provide a three-month loan to cover "essential costs". Note: Between 1998 and 2002, some home games were played at Planet Ice Milton Keynes for TV broadcasting purposes. Between 2017 and 2020, some home games were played at University of East London SportsDock and Brixton Recreation Centre. In

8178-595: Was erected on the marshy wastes of Stratford and Plaistow, and it only required the construction at Canning Town of the Victoria and Albert Docks to make the once desolate parish of West Ham a manufacturing and commercial centre of the first importance and to bring upon it a teeming and an industrious population." By the early 19th century, Stratford was an important transport hub, with omnibuses and coaches running into London four times every hour and coaches from East Anglia passing through hourly. The route into London

8272-491: Was in Milton Keynes that the team won its first silverware in 2008, the BBL Cup. The Lions relocated to London in 2012 and play its home games at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park , as well as occasional EuroCup matches at Wembley Arena . The Lions were purchased by 777 Partners in 2020, ending Macaulay's 27-year tenure of ownership. After the threat of bankruptcy following

8366-643: Was moved on to the East Anglia Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station near Colchester ; there it was cleaned and repainted at the expense of the Olympic Delivery Authority and returned to Stratford in 2011. A 114-metre-tall (374 ft) sculpture and observation tower in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is Britain's largest piece of public art and is intended to be

8460-598: Was plied by Walter Hancock 's steam coaches for a period during the 1830s. A small dock and a number of wharves were operating on the River Lea at Stratford by the 1820s, serving the needs of local industries. The opening of the Victoria Dock (later Royal Victoria Dock ) nearby on the Thames in 1855, and the subsequent construction of the Royal Group of Docks (at one time the largest area of impounded water in

8554-608: Was previously only used by the BBC TV soap EastEnders for its fictional East London setting of Walford . The name "Walford" is a portmanteau of the names of nearby Walthamstow and Stratford itself. Stratford was one of three ancient wards in the large ancient parish of West Ham , in the Becontree hundred of Essex . It came within the Metropolitan Police District in 1840. Despite forming part of

8648-538: Was rebranded as Hemel & Watford Royals in 1996 and they made the move from the Dacorum Centre to Watford Leisure Centre in 1997. The move had little effect on the team's playing performance and they finished 13th out of 13 in the 1997–1998 season (3–33). Royals' stay in Watford lasted just one season and, in 1998, with the promise of a future purpose-built arena being offered in the town of Milton Keynes ,

8742-534: Was revealed in 1849, the settlement quickly became better known as Stratford New Town , which by 1862 had a population of 20,000. During the lifetime of the Stratford works, 1,682 locomotives , 5,500 passenger coaches and 33,000 goods wagons were built. The last part of the works closed in March 1991. Stratford, like many areas of London, particularly in the East End, suffered significant de-industrialisation in

8836-454: Was used to portray a lunatic asylum in the 2005 film Batman Begins and is a Grade II* listed building. The Church of England parish church of Stratford is the 1830s church called St John's on Stratford Broadway, a major thoroughfare, and The Grove and is part of Diocese of Chelmsford , itself part of the Province of Canterbury . It is a Grade II listed building . In its churchyard

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