Town Hall tribute to University Challenge champs

16 May 2013

Our University Challenge team has been honoured with a reception at Manchester Town Hall.

Captain Richard Gilbert, Adam Barr, David Brice, Debbie Brown and their coach Stephen Pearson joined the Lord Mayor of Manchester ahead of Manchester City Council’s annual general meeting.

Lord Mayor Councillor Elaine Boyes said: “All of the University Challenge team should be very proud of their achievement.”

Manchester retained its University Challenge title last month, beating University College, London 190 – 140 in the televised final. It is our fourth victory in just eight years.

The Manchester team comprises Richard, studying Linguistics, Adam from Muswell Hill, studying Physics with Astrophysics, David from Kingston-upon-Thames, studying Economics and Debbie from Buxton, studying Pain Epidemiology.

They are mentored brilliantly by long-serving coach Stephen, a University librarian who has enjoyed considerable success with University Challenge, having captained the team himself in 1996.

The media has already dubbed Stephen the ‘Alex Ferguson’ of the quiz world, but he remains modest: "I don't know about that – I've been doing this for 15 years whereas he's been in the job for at least 25. But I may end up doing it for that long. As long as I keep finding it fun, I hope to carry on until retirement, which is not for another 20 years or so."