Our Story

Trident Taekwon-Do was founded in 1998 when James Miley moved to Manchester and opened the first club at David Lloyd Trafford Park. Since then, Trident has grown from a small local club into a respected academy with an outstanding record of student retention, development, and competitive success.

Originally part of the GTUK (Global Taekwon-Do United Kingdom) under Grand Master R. Oldham, Trident competed across the UK and internationally. A highlight came in 2004, when the team travelled to Korea for the first ITF World Championships — a milestone moment.

We have gone from strength to strength with our excellent retention rates and results in competitions at all levels. We were part of the GTUK (Global Taekwon-Do United Kingdom) run by Master R Oldham (now Grand Master). The GTUK was also part of the UK ITF and under this group in 2004 we went to the 1st ITF World Championships to be held in Korea. This was a great historic milestone.

We left the UKITF soon after the World Championships in Korea. Still part of the GTUK we spent most of our time competing in the UK, Ireland & Norway.

In 2011 we wanted to gain more international recognition and give our students more opportunity. A group of us decided that we would leave the GTUK as they had no interest in being part of the ITF and we thought that it was the best way forward. In January 2011 we formed a new association called Taekwon-Do UK and under this name we joined the ITF.

Our students have achieved outstanding results at World Championships, European Championships, and National events — bringing home gold, silver, and bronze medals in sparring, patterns, and team events.

James Miley started training in Taekwon-Do in June 1985 with the UKTA (United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association) in Elgin, Scotland. His instructor was Mr John Williamson (3rd Dan black belt at the time, now Grand Master).

He spent a lot of time travelling as he was in the Royal Air Force. James finally settled in St Andrews, Scotland in the early 90's and started training seriously with the GTF (Global Taekwon-Do Federation). His instructor was Mr Alan Cunningham whose club was based in Cupar, Fife. Under his tuition James gained his 1st Degree Black Belt and with his guidance decided to open his first club in St Andrews.

James was lucky enough to make the Scotland Team and entered the GTF European Championships in Glenrothes, Scotland in 1996 winning a gold medal in team power breaking. In 1997 he entered the GTF World Championships in St Louis, USA where James won a bronze medal in patterns.

In 1998 James moved from Scotland back to his home city of Manchester where he started to build the Trident Taekwon-Do Group. The first club was opened at the end of 1998 in Manchester Health and Racquets Club where he was a personal fitness trainer in Trafford Park (now a well-known David Lloyd Health Club).