▁due ▁to ▁SM G ' s ▁dis inter est ▁in ▁continu ing ▁to ▁house ▁the ▁Storm ▁at ▁the ▁Manchester ▁Even ing ▁News ▁Arena . ▁This ▁soon ▁turned ▁into ▁a ▁r ally ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁and ▁a ▁supp or ters ▁group ▁known ▁as ▁' The ▁Fri ends ▁of ▁Manchester ▁Storm ' ▁was ▁established ▁after ▁Gary ▁Cow an , ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Storm ▁officially ▁announced ▁he ▁was ▁final ising ▁the ▁organisation ' s ▁operations ▁due ▁to ▁uns ust ain able ▁deb ts . ▁ ▁Once ▁it ▁became ▁clear ▁that ▁the ▁Storm ▁were ▁not ▁to ▁return , ▁FO MS ▁changed ▁their ▁name , ▁becoming ▁the ▁' Fri ends ▁Of ▁Manchester ▁Ice ▁Hockey ', ▁or ▁' FO MI H '. ▁ ▁This ▁group ▁had ▁two ▁established ▁a ims , ▁namely ▁to ▁bring ▁top ▁level ▁professional ▁ice ▁hockey ▁back ▁to ▁Manchester ▁and ▁to ▁ensure ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁ice ▁r ink ▁facility ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁a ▁club ▁was ▁formed ▁and ▁with ▁fans ▁choosing ▁to ▁symbol ically ▁title ▁the ▁team ▁the ▁' Man chester ▁Phoenix ', ▁rising ▁from ▁the ▁as hes ▁of ▁the ▁Storm . ▁ ▁Initial ▁playing ▁operations ▁ ▁The ▁newly ▁formed ▁Manchester ▁Phoenix ▁would ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁El ite ▁Ice ▁Hockey ▁League ▁and ▁played ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁M EN ▁Arena ▁for ▁their ▁inaug ural ▁season . ▁Under ▁player - co ach ▁Rick ▁Bre b ant , ▁and ▁later ▁Paul ▁He ave y , ▁the ▁team ▁finished ▁sixth ▁out