History
YoungHeart Manawatu was formed in 2004 to compete in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC). Based in Palmerston North, they are the sole franchise in the region.
In the inaugural NZFC season (2004–2005), YoungHeart Manawatu finished bottom, easily the worst team in the league.
However, in 2005-2006 they finished runner-up to champions Auckland City FC at the end of the regular season. In the finals, YoungHeart lost both their playoff matches and exited early.
The 2006-07 season was again fruitful. YoungHeart finished second again at the conclusion of the regular season, this time behind Waitakere United. YoungHeart lost their preliminary final to Auckland and missed out on a spot in the O-League as a result.
2007-08 was a somewhat disappointing campaign given the success of the previous two seasons. YoungHeart Manawatu finished the regular season placed sixth on the table, well adrift of the playoffs.
A return to the playoffs came in the 2008/09 season, as YoungHeart finished in third place in the condensed regular season. What followed was an emphatic two-goal victory in the first leg of a two-legged semi-final against Auckland City FC in Palmerston North. In the return leg Auckland used their home advantage equally as well to win 3-0, consigning YoungHeart Manawatu to a 4-3 defeat on aggregate and another missed grand final and O-League appearance. Auckland went on to win the final.
2009-10 was a frustrating season for the YoungHeart faithful as the side finished in sixth place but only two points away from a playoff spot. Perhaps the highlight of the season was an unexpected 4-1 victory over Auckland City at Kiwitea Street. A bittersweet moment came during the 2010 off-season as standout young player Cory Chettleburgh signed a contract with professional Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam. This is a significant loss for the side as they look to bounce back from a fairly disappointing campaign.
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