As a football fan and unashamedly Manchester United fan I was saddened to hear of the death today of Francis Lee aged from cancer one of the last soccer hard men.

To describe him as a competitive, robust footballer would be a polite way of saying he didn't mind getting stuck in, check out the Youtube of him and Norman Hunter knocking lumps put of each other in 1975, a reminder of how football used to be....and I do miss it.

I can remember the taunts hurled at him for, and it has to be said the number of penalties he was awarded, 15 in the 1971/72 season earning him the nickname, Lee One Pen or Lee Won Pen.

He really did have a glittering career starting off with Bolton Wanderers and then the big move to Manchester City for £60,000 in 1967 a club record transfer fee where he swept the board winning the old First Division Championship, F.A, Cup. League Cup and the EUFA Cup Winners Cup, chuck in 27 England Caps.

Also he was a shrewd businessman with his toilet roll manufacturing business, I did read that at one game when chucking toilets at rival players was almost de rigueur he quipped that he hoped they were his companies.

All in all a sad day for football and it's fans no matter your allegiance, Franny Lee was a proper character, a no nonsense old school footballer., the likes of whom are no longer to be seen in the beautiful game.

As a Red, who has mellowed, Franny you will be missed by me and countless other old school Reds

Salford Schools FA have now launched their first girls representative side for the first time in 110 years.

Over 60 girls have attended trials for the team drawn from Y9 and Y10 girls in Salford High Schools.

The squad is now down to 30 girls who will represent the city in the English Schools national competitions, the Northwest League and Yorkshire league.

As a prelude to the season the girls have hosted a visiting team from Mission Viejo California They also competed in a tournament entered by a number of other well established girls teams where they reached the semi finals.

Co-Managers Paul Johnston and Jess Ellis, said:

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“We are delighted with the progress the girls have made since coming together earlier this year and we are looking forward to the challenges ahead”

If you would like more information about the Salford Schools Girls Football Team please contact Ssfagirlsfootball@gmail.com.

In March this year we spoke with Paul Metcalfe a teacher at Cadishead Primary School who coaches the girls football team, he told how the girls team had won an in house competition by Manchester United to represent them in a 20 game competition with other teams throughout the country representing a premier League club as being one of the best teams in the country.

Paul kindly sent us this match report...

We fought our way through the group stage and managed to reach the semi final unfortunately, we lost to eventual winners Chelsea 1-0 in extra time.

The girls absolutely loved this experience of playing on a Premier League pitch they played some lovely football and showed character and a team spirit to show they can play at the highest level.

They started off with a defeat 3-2 but bounced back with three consecutive 2-0 victories.  

It all came down to the last fixture in the group three teams of us could qualify.  If we won, Everton lost and Newcastle couldn't put score our result by 2 we'd reach the semi.   

Everton lost 1-0 to Newcastle and we won 2-0.  

In a closely contested semi v Chelsea we just had nothing left in the tank for extra time and Chelsea scored a very good goal.

Chelsea then beat Brighton 1-0 in the final.

The Results

Everton 3 Man United 2

Bournemouth 0 Man United 2

Newcastle 0 Man United 2

Leicester 0 Man United 2

The girls topped the group sending them to the semi final.

Chelsea 1 Man United 0 (aet)

Ruby scored 7.  1 off top scorer.

Congratulations girls, you have done your school proud not many people have had the honour of representing Manchester United, we are proud of you and Mr Metcalfe even if he is a Manchester City fan!

John Motson (OBE), better known as 'Motty' - was one of the most recognizable names in the world of football commentary. A legend to both his peers and fans alike, with a career spanning over 50 years, he had become synonymous with the sport in England, earning a legion of followers along the way.

His distinctive voice and insightful commentary had brought some of the most iconic moments in football history to life for millions of viewers around the world.

Motson (Born in Salford), began his career in broadcasting in the late 1960s, working as a reporter for BBC Radio. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a commentator for BBC television in the early 1970s. Over the next few decades, he established himself as one of the most respected and beloved commentators in the industry.

In a statement his family said:

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"It is with great sadness we announce that John Motson OBE died peacefully in his sleep today (Thursday)" 

Motson's style of commentary is known for its attention to detail and depth of analysis. He was famous for his encyclopedic knowledge of the game, often referencing statistics and historical events to provide context for the action on the pitch. His enthusiasm for the sport was infectious, and his ability to convey the excitement and drama of a match to viewers has earned him a legion of fans.

Motson covered some of the most significant moments in football history during his career, including England's World Cup victory in 1966, Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal in 1986, and Manchester United's dramatic victory in the 1999 Champions League final. His commentary has become a part of the fabric of English football, and his voice is instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever watched a match on television.

He sadly passed away aged 77 and will be truly missed.

Photo ©: BBC Sport

The 30-year-old striker has been in fine form in 2023, scoring six goals in six League Two appearances in January to take him to the top of the Club goal scorer chart.

Two of his goals have been nominated for the Club’s TalkTalk Goal of the Month, which you can vote for here.

He also made national TV as Soccer AM picked up his nutmeg of Sutton United’s Louis John before scoring his second of that match.

McAleny was born in Liverpool, England on February 2, 1992, and he joined the youth academy at his hometown club, Everton, at the age of 9. He progressed through the youth ranks and made his professional debut for the club in December 2011, in a League Cup match against Chelsea.

He joined Salford in July 2021 after a one year stint at Oldham Athletic where he made his mark by scoring 21 goals during the season before later being snapped up by the Ammies where he has continued to impress on the pitch, scoring his first goal for the team in the following month.

He is up against fellow forwards Kristian Dennis (Carlisle United) and Tom Nichols (Gillingham), and former Salford defender Carl Piergianni (Stevenage).

The winner of the award will be announced on Friday morning.

Voting is open now to choose Conor as the PFA Vertu Motors Fans’ Player of the Month: https://www.90min.com/posts/vote-now-pfa-vertu-motors-fans-player-of-the-month

Photo ©: Salford City Football Club

Salford Reds are delighted to announce Brodie Croft has signed a historic new long-term contract with The Devils, which will keep him at the Club until 2030.

By keeping hold of one of the competitions finest and most sought after players, the Red Devils have shown their intention to build on the incredible progress made by the team in 2022 and aim even higher in 2023.

The Australian halfback joined the Club in August 2021 and has gone from strength to strength under the tutelage of Paul Rowley.

Across 2022, Croft produced stunning performance after stunning performance to climb the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel charts. A particularly strong ending to the season propelled Salford into a playoff position and secured the coveted award ahead of Wigan Warriors’ Jai Field and St Helens’ Jack Welsby.

That was just one of countless individual honours the 25-year-old amassed in his debut campaign.

He was presented with the prestigious Albert Goldthorpe Medal before our playoff eliminator against Huddersfield Giants – an award held in high esteem across the rugby league community.

At the Club’s annual awards evening, Croft’s incredible efforts were recognised by picking up the Coaches Player, the Players’ Player and the Supporters Player of the Year.

His 32 try contributions across the year also earned him a spot in the Betfred Super League Dream Team alongside Red Devils teammates, Ken Sio and Tim Lafai.

On signing his long-term deal, Croft said:

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“I’m delighted to extend my time at Salford.

“This group of boys is something special and along with the coaching staff through to the performance staff and office staff, I’m excited at what the future holds for the club!

“The playing group, staff and myself are delighted that Brodie shares our vision and ambition for success and we get the chance to continue to work together going forward.”

“He’s a fantastic role model for our young supporters and a person who drives standards on and off the field. We are all very proud of the player and person Brodie is and look forward to playing a part in his career going forward.”

 

Director of Rugby and Operations, Ian Blease added:

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“After some months of robust negotiations, I am absolutely delighted in securing Brodie’s long-term future at our club.

“We are determined to keep our best players and the current team together for as long as possible and securing Brodie’s long-term deal meets our determination.

“It is a real statement of intent to secure such a long-term deal for our club and for such a quality player, in my view, it also demonstrates that Brodie believes our philosophy and vision as a club

 “As a player Brodie has been welcomed by our fans, similar to how they welcomed Jackson Hastings into our club in 2018/19. Brodie has had a magnificent first season in Super League, culminating in winning the Man of Steel award and can now hopefully settle down to play his best rugby with the Red Devils.

“I believe we are building a legacy to admire at this club and the future is one that we are all as a team so excited to be a part of!”

 

Croft has committed his long-term future to Salford Red Devils.

Be a part of it; get behind him and the rest of the team by buying your 2023 season ticket HERE.

Link Back: https://salfordreddevils.net/brodie-croft-signs-historic-long-term-contract-with-salford-red-devils/

Photo ©: Salford Red Devils

Louie Barry is to join the Ammies on loan from Aston Villa for the remainder of the 2022-23 season!

The 19-year-old impressed on loan at Swindon Town in the second half of last season, having notched an impressive 6 goals and an assist in 14 appearances as the Robins reached the play-off semi-final.

He was then loaned to MK Dons for the first half of this season, where he scored one goal and registered three assists in 22 outings for the League One side.

In his youth career the forward spent a decade at West Bromwich Albion before joining Barcelona, and signed for Aston Villa when he returned to England. He scored on his senior debut for Villa, against Liverpool in the FA Cup Third Round.

An attack-minded player with good pace and attributes, the former England youth international is keen to get started:

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“The Club’s going in the right direction, they’ve got really good owners backing them and when I spoke to the Gaffer, he put down the foundations of the Club was and that’s what I liked.

“I met him a few days ago, and he told me everything that I wanted to hear, with facts as well. He showed me a really good presentation on the history of the Club, and what he wants to put into the players and that’s showing on the pitch as well.

“I feel like coming here will improve me as a player, and hopefully help the team get up the divisions.

“It happened last season as well [January loan] and I just got thrown straight into it but I dealt with it, and hopefully I can do the same here. They’re at a pinnacle part of the season, where every single point matters, so yeah it’s really tight up there at the moment.

“I’m a very attacking player, I’m very forward thinking, whenever I get the ball I think forward. I’m a goal scorer, that’s where I made my name, scoring goals. I like to create, I like to make things happen in the box when I get the ball, I want to drive forward, get players and put them on the back foot.”

 

Louie could be set to play his debut match Tonight (31st Jan) as the Ammies face off against Walsall.

The loan is subject to the usual EFL and FA ratifications.

Photos ©: Salford City FC

The midfielder has been welcomed to The Peninsula Stadium, having spent the last 18 months at Morecambe, where he scored twice in 54 appearances for the League One side.

He started his career with Ipswich Town, and following loan moves to Bromley he signed for AFC Wimbledon in January 2019.

The former Republic of Ireland youth international scored three and assisted four goals in 81 appearances for the Dons before leaving in 2021 and joining The Shrimps.

The 25-year-old has found opportunities limited this season, but is hoping to ignite his campaign and help give the Ammies a boost towards promotion.

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“I’m looking forward to getting my season going, it’s been a difficult period for myself I’ve not really played too many games, so when the call came through I was buzzing and I’m looking forward to playing in a team that’s firing at the top and looking for promotion at the end of the season.

“I’ll come in, see what I can do to get in the team, see what happens and fight for the lads, work with the lads, and hopefully get over the line at the end.

“I feel like I bring a lot of energy from central midfield, quite good on the ball, I just feel I need to bring some more goals and assists and I think I will do coming here.

“It didn’t take a lot of convincing because you can see that the Club’s going in the right direction, where they are in the league right now… Speaking to the Gaffer, his thoughts on how to play the game goes well with me and he’s bringing in players that will enhance the squad; I feel like I can do that and I think he thinks I can as well.”

 

Shane will wear the number 38 shirt, and his move is subject to the usual FA and EFL ratifications.

Meanwhile, the clubs Under-18s defender Jacob Lara has joined Stalybridge Celtic on work experience.

The 18-year-old has featured regularly in the EFL Youth Alliance NW this season, and heads out for his first experience of senior football.

He joins EDS striker Djavan Pedro at Bower Fold, who scored on his debut last weekend as Stalybridge won 4-0 at Nantwich Town.

Photos: Salford City FC

Hundreds of organisations win cash to run projects for young people and cut crime

Deputy Prime Minister and Sky Sports’ Jobi McAnuff see sporting success in action at ThruLife.

Thousands of at-risk teens are set to pick up their racquets and lace up their football boots as part of a bid to keep them on the straight and narrow, the Deputy Prime Minister announced last week (21 January 2023).

More than 200 grassroots organisations across England and Wales have been awarded cash from the government’s £5 million Youth Justice Sports Fund to run local sports schemes – from climbing to kayaking – that will help keep vulnerable young people away from crime and antisocial behaviour.

The number of children caught up in crime is at a historical low – falling by 81 percent since 2010 but youth crime still costs the taxpayer £1.5 billion a year. Research shows 80 per cent of prolific adult offenders started on their path of crime when children, making the need to steer more young people away from lawbreaking all the more critical.

Announcing the news, the Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab visited ThruLife – one of the projects which have been awarded funding – at a local school in Tottenham, north London.

Joined by ThruLife founder Richard Allicock and Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff, the Deputy Prime Minister swapped into his trainers as he joined penalty practice with youngsters at their after-school football club.

Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, Dominic Raab, said:

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I know first-hand how powerful sport and mentoring can be in turning young lives around.

Sport has the power to boost confidence, build resilience and teach discipline, and evidence suggests sports can be effective in reducing offending among young people. That’s why we’re supporting over 200 organisations across England and Wales to encourage more young people to engage with sport and stay away from crime.

 

One of the surest ways to keep young people on the right path is to give them the skills to succeed in life – something sports schemes can provide, building young people’s resilience, self-confidence and discipline while engaging in a fun activity.

Emerging evidence suggests that sports-based intervention programmes – such as the Youth Sports Fund – can lead to improvements in offending. We know that early intervention done well reduces offending, for example, the

Supporting Families programme showed a 35 per cent reduction in youth prison sentences and a 15 per cent reduction in youth convictions.

Former Crystal Palace midfielder, Sky Sports commentator, and ThruLife ambassador Jobi McAnuff said:

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Organisations like ThruLife do amazing work. I know how important activities and places like this are, and to have positive role models, particularly in areas like this where I grew up.

You can’t take shortcuts in life, whether that’s to be a professional footballer or whatever you want to achieve. There will be tough times in life, so if you have a passion for something like sport, it can help you to stay positive and committed.

 

Tom (Not his real name) who regularly attends ThruLife said:

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ThruLife has helped me to grow in confidence through the sports sessions I attend teaching me and others different skills that would better place us on our journey through life, and to help us make positive choices.

Richard Allicock, the founder of Thru Life, said:

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We are delighted to have been awarded this funding, which will help us to continue the positive work that we are doing in the community but also extend our offer to engage with more young people across the borough of Haringey utilising the powers of sport through our mentoring offer.

In November last year, the Deputy Prime Minister invited sports charities and organisations from across the country to bid for the £5 million fund, which saw hundreds of sports schemes apply.

Today, over 200 organisations across England and Wales have been awarded cash to run projects from climbing to boxing with vulnerable teens. Bidders were marked on whether they could show a track-record of helping young people at risk of falling into crime and antisocial behaviour to keep their noses clean.

The £5 million pot of money builds on the government’s existing support for local authorities’ Youth Offending Teams nationwide – which has seen over £730 million worth of funding provided in the last 5 years.

Minister for Sport, Civil Society & Youth Stuart Andrew said:

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We believe every young person should get the best start in life. Doing sport is a brilliant way of building focus and discipline while also improving physical health and stopping people becoming involved in crime.

This funding will help make sure people are set on the right path from the outset.

 

The Sports Fund has been co-ordinated by StreetGames and the Alliance of Sport for Criminal Justice, with the support of the Sport for Development Coalition – an umbrella of more than 250 charities in the sports sector.

Stuart Felce, StreetGames Director of Sport and Community Safety, said:

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At StreetGames we believe that community sport, delivered in the right way, can have a transformational impact on children’s lives and the communities they live in. We’re really excited to be partnering with the Sport for Development Coalition and the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice to deliver this ambitious new programme from the Ministry of Justice. This investment in sport will support voluntary and community sports organisations to carry out targeted work to enhance positive outcomes for vulnerable children, providing the practical and emotional support they need to grow and helping to keep them and their communities safe.

Hitesh Patel, Executive Director of the Coalition, added:

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Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is a core element of the Coalition’s #OpenGoal framework, which shows how the multiple returns on investment created by sport for development can help to generate significant public cost savings. We are delighted to be working alongside StreetGames and the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice to ensure this new funding supports and strengthens those organisations that can already demonstrate the positive social impact they are having on their local communities.

The funding also delivers on the commitment made in the Prisons Strategy White Paper – published in December 2022 – to cut youth crime and create safer streets.

The club has announced that 22-year-old Callum Morton joins Salford FC on a two-and-a-half year deal from Fleetwood Town, where he has been a League One regular this season.

Perhaps a familiar name to Ammies, he once scored a late winner for Braintree Town against Salford in 2019 and also impressed in the 2019-20 season on loan at Northampton Town. His eight goals in 12 appearances for The Cobblers – alongside Ryan Watson – helped secure Northampton promotion via the play-offs.

Since then he has played in League One for Lincoln City and Fleetwood, reaching the play-offs with the Imps in 2020-21, and the Championship at Peterborough United.

Now the pacy forward is hoping to reignite his career and move back up the pyramid at The Peninsula Stadium:

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“It’s been a breath of fresh air coming into the environment and working with Neil, Wilesy. It’s been good and I’m looking forward to cracking on now.

“I spoke to Alex [Cairns] and obviously Wilesy before coming, and they solid it for me. There are big ambitions at this Club and hopefully my ambition and that ambition can match, and we can kick on together.

“Having the experience of coming in in a similar situation; having the experience of winning promotion from this league; being able to score in this league; I feel I can bring all of that to the squad and add that extra firepower.

“If you look at my best spell I had at Northampton I was playing with a big man and I think Matt Smith fits that category; being able to learn off people who’ve been playing at a higher level is good as well.”

 

The club says that Callum will wear the number 27 shirt, and has completed the signing in time to be eligible for tomorrow’s game against Sutton United.

Photo: Salford City FC

Salford City is excited to announce the newest part of their Going to the Match campaign; a drop-in Community Hub twice a week at The Peninsula Stadium!

The Hub will be open between 3-6pm every Wednesday and Thursday, providing free hot drinks and meals; entertainment and activities; and a space for local communities to come together.

Starting on Wednesday 18th January, the hub is free for the community to come and drop-in to at any point while it is open. They will be starting in the 92 Bar in the North Stand, accessible through the main front doors on Moor Lane, and car parking is available in the West Stand car park.

The Ammies play Sutton United, this Saturday.

Head of Fan Engagement, Andrew Gordon, commented:

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“This is a part of the campaign that we’re really proud to be launching because it has huge benefits for those in our community, particularly in the current cost of living crisis.

“The Going to the Match campaign was launched on the back of the legendary piece of Lowry artwork returning to Salford, a piece that invokes memories of the bygone era of the working class masses coming together in a shared experience of watching their local team on a Saturday afternoon.

“However, we feel that as a Club our responsibility to the people of our community does not end on the sounding of the referee’s full-time whistle, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to be a place of belonging and support for our fans and community throughout the whole week.

“This is why we were driven to work together with our Club Charity, Foundation 92, to provide a community hub where people can come together, access hot food and drinks if needs be, and spend some quality time in each other’s company.

“There will also be some sort of entertainment and activity on to keep children occupied too, making it an event for all ages and demographics in Salford.”

 

Wednesday’s first event will be attended by Head Coach Neil Wood and two first team players!

The hub is being operated by our official Charity, Foundation 92.

Foundation 92, in partnership with the Johan Cruyff Foundation, For Housing, Salford City Council and CommUNITY Little Hulton is delighted to announce the construction of a new Cruyff Court in Little Hulton, Salford. This new facility will enhance the delivery of Foundation 92’s football, sport, and physical activity sessions in the Little Hulton area and serve as a new communal space for the people of Little Hulton.

The state-of-the-art pitch will be the first of its kind in Salford, and only the second in Greater Manchester after the construction of Cruyff Court Jackie Groenen (former Manchester United WFC star) at Cumberland School in neighbouring Bolton, which opened in 2021. The Cruyff Foundation funds (among others) Cruyff Courts, hi-tech, all weather all-access sports hubs, across the world to provide young people and their communities with access to high-quality pitches and foster a love of sport and activity.

The unique and free to access community sports court, will have solar powered floodlights, making it the first of its kind in the UK.

Foundation 92 runs several programmes within the Little Hulton area of Salford, and the construction of a Cruyff Pitch further demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to the area. In 2021, the Foundation opened it’s first community hub in the Little Hulton providing a dedicated space for young people, veterans and anyone who wanted to access the Foundation’s services.

The Foundation will be able to use the pitch to enhance the delivery of its programmes in Little Hulton, ranging from Premier League Kicks to its free Club 92 multi-sports outreach sessions.

Head of Foundation 92, Tom Hutton, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Cruyff Foundation, For Housing and Salford City Council on the construction of a Cruyff Court in Little Hulton. This facility will allow us to provide better, more engaging sessions and deliver more for the people of Little Hulton. Alongside the work we already do in the area, this pitch will allow us to really make a meaningful difference to the lives of people across the area”.

Miranda van Holstein, of the Cruyff Foundation, commented:

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“We’re happy to be opening this first Cruyff Court in Salford together with Foundation 92. This project is the kick off to what we hope is a long-term sustainable partnership. Cruyff Courts represent a fantastic asset for the local community and provide children and young people with a safe space to have fun together and grow through sports. This Cruyff Court will greatly benefit the community of Salford for the next decade at least.”

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

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“It is fantastic news to see works start on this new Cruyff Court in Little Hulton, a state-of-the-at pitch for the area.

“The sessions that Foundation 92 will provide here will keep young people in fun, constructive activities and make such a positive difference to their lives. I look forward to joining them at their first training session. And who knows – we may find the professional players for the future for Salford City FC.”

 

Construction of the pitch began on the 9^th of January 2023.

Foundation 92 is delighted to also announce a new partnership with the Denis Law Legacy Trust. The new Cruyff Court in Little Hulton will be twinned with a Cruyff Court in Aberdeen, ran by the Denis Law Legacy Trust. This partnership will also involve participants at each Cruyff Court swapping places, to experience new places and different cultures.

Salford FC defender, Josh O’Brien, has extended his stay at AFC Telford United for a further month.

The 19-year-old has made a huge impression at the New Bucks Head, playing 90 minutes in the three matches since he signed for the club on loan.

Telford have managed three draws, including two against Chester over the festive period, to help stabilise their season in the National League North.

The 19-year-old from Republic of Ireland has enjoyed a positive impact in Kevin Wilkin's defence since he checked in on a temporary deal from the Ammies.

Another month with Telford stands to see O'Brien available for up to seven more fixtures as Wilkin's side try to salvage their step two status.

Meanwhile Djavan Pedro has returned to the club following the expiry of his loan at Radcliffe, and Joel Torrance is due to return from Warrington Rylands.

Photo: Salford Football Club

The 33-year-old striker had a fantastic December having scored five goals in four outings including a spectacular hat-trick during the 4-1 win against Grimsby Town.

His form on the pitch has earned him a place in the FIFA Team of the Week, with his rating boosted from 64 to 79.

But his efforts have also been recognised by the PFA, and he needs your vote to win, so you know what to do:

https://www.90min.com/posts/vote-now-pfa-vertu-motors-fans-player-of-the-month

Photo: Salford Football Club

Salford City Football Club has issued three banning orders following and pitch incursion and anti-social behaviour by youths which took place towards the end of the match against Grimsby Town on Saturday 1st October.

The Club says that it would like to reiterate that they do not tolerate anti-social behaviour at The Peninsula Stadium, and they will not hesitate to take action against anyone found acting inappropriately.

Fans are reminded that pitch incursion is a criminal offence, and any person(s) who enter the field of play who are not authorised could face prosecution as well as a ban.

The clubs advises that if fans see or hear anything that worries or concerns them at the Peninsula Stadium, they have an anonymous matchday hotline number that you can contact to report any issues. Call or text the number (available at the ground) with the location and nature of your concern and the Club will respond accordingly. 

Salford were held to a 1-1 draw against the Mariners after an equaliser was put past the post by Lewis Richardson to deny the Ammies the win.

Photo: Salford Football Club

Salford City were eliminated from the Carabao Cup after a 5-1 defeat away at Bolton Wanderers in the first round.

It wasn’t the story of the game for half an hour as the visitors started brightly and deservedly took the lead through Brandon Thomas-Asante.

However after Elias Kachunga levelled things up, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson put the League One side ahead before half time and in the second half Bolton were clinical.

Kieran Sadlier rifled in a third just after the hour mark, followed by a fantastic solo effort from youngsters Conor Bradley, on loan from Liverpool, and a tidy finish from Dapo Afolayan.

A near-perfect night for Bolton was marred by the late sending off of George Thomason for a nasty challenge on Luke Bolton, but the Trotters were already into the second round with a third win from three against Salford.

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“Obviously it’s a disappointing result, no one wants to get beat by that scoreline.

“I thought we started off well, we went ahead. We knew that we could cause some trouble down the sides and that was our plan, which we scored through Brandon, down the side with a great finish.

“We knew before the game it was going to be a tough game, Bolton are a good team, they’ve got a very good squad to challenge for good places in League One, and you could see that.

“It won’t ruin our confidence in what we’ve done so far though, obviously we want to go far in cup competitions, we want to win ever game we play. Unfortunately it’s not always going to be the case but it’s not going to put us off.”

 

Salford are back in Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday when Crewe Alexandra visit The Peninsula Stadium.

The Railwaymen were beaten 4-0 at Grimsby Town in their first round tie tonight.

Article Link: REACTION: Bolton Wanderers 5-1 Salford City (salfordcityfc.co.uk)

Photo: Salford City FC

Salford City earned a point on the road at Swindon Town, but Head Coach Neil Wood agrees that it could have been all three.

The Ammies were up against 10 men for just over half of the game after Swindon’s Harry McKirdy picked up two first half bookings.

However they were thwarted by an inspired Sol Brynn, who put in a man of the match performance to keep a clean sheet with game ending 0-0.

The Middlesbrough loanee denied Theo Vassell, Ryan Watson and Callum Hendry with decent stops, while The Ammies couldn’t capitalise on a few other good positions that they managed to work.

Neil, Said:

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“I think we’re probably disappointed that we didn’t take the three points, but I thought the performance was really good, we started off really well, we got control of the game really early, and even when we had 11 men on the pitch I thought we were the most dominant team.

“It becomes difficult when they get a man sent off, they become a bit of a block and you have to find a way to break it down. That’s something that we have to get better at, get used to, but all in all it was a good performance, dominating performance, we’re just disappointed not to get the three points.

“I thought we had some good chances, then we had some periods where if we had just that little bit of extra quality in the final third then I think the goal would have come.”

 

At the back though another distinguished defensive performance saw Salford keep a second clean sheet in two games, and the 39-year-old has been pleased with his side’s assured back line.

He added:

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“That’s one of our big strengths. I think we’ve been really strong defensively, all pre-season we’ve showed that and it’s a good platform to build on.

“Today we probably dominated possession a lot more than last week, and we’ve got some extra bits to work on going into the next few games.”

 

The Ammies take a break from league action on Tuesday when when we head up to Bolton Wanderers for the Carabao Cup First Round, then next Saturday we welcome Crewe Alexandra to The Peninsula Stadium back in Sky Bet League Two.

Salford City head to Swindon Town this weekend hoping to follow up last weekend’s win with another three points.

The Ammies won on the opening day for the first time since 2019 thanks to a 2-0 victory against Mansfield Town, strikers Callum Hendry and Brandon Thomas-Asante both on the scoresheet early. 

Now Neil Wood’s side will be aiming for back-to-back wins at the start of a season for the first time since 2014.

Summer signing Elliot Watt enjoyed his first 90 minutes on the home side at The Peninsula Stadium, and says that the atmosphere has been good following last Saturday’s result.

He, said:

Quote

 

“It was a tough game, the first 45 I thought we played very well, we obviously got the two goals which made a big difference. We probably didn’t get enough control in the second half as we would have liked but overall, Mansfield are a tough team and they’ll be up there this season, to get the three points and how we did it was pleasing.

“I’ve played at Salford now quite a few times and I’ve always found the atmosphere to be quite good to be fair, Mansfield brought a few fans so it made for a good day, especially when you get the three points so we’ll be looking to build on that this Saturday.

“The Gaffer said after the game, if he was going to be nit picking then he’d like to have had more control in the second half and we would have made it easier for ourselves by keeping the ball better. We can always get better so we’ll be looking to get more control and hopefully we’ll come away with the three points.”

 

In contrast, Saturday’s opponents Swindon were beaten 3-0 away at Harrogate Town in their first game of the campaign.

Assistant Manager Scott Lindsey has replaced the outbound Ben Garner, who guided The Robins to the play-off semi-finals last season before taking charge at Charlton Athletic, and he has had to bring in a number of new players too.

However despite last weekend’s result and the turnover of personnel at the County Ground, Watt agrees that Salford need to remain focused.

He, Said:

Quote

 

“Similar to Mansfield they were in the play-offs last year. At Bradford they were tough games I remember, especially playing away at their place. They’ve changed Manager and they’ve had quite a big turnover of players, but I imagine that they’ll still play a similar style of play. 

“It’ll be a tough game as every game is in this league, but I’m sure we’ll go over how we can get the better of them and we’ll hopefully go there and nail the game plan.”

 

Goals from Liam Shephard and Ryan Watson cancelled out Harry McKirdy’s opener at The County Ground last season, as The Ammies won 2-1 and came from behind to win for the first time in the EFL.

TEAM NEWS

Midfielder Matthew Lund serves the last of a three-game ban handed to him at the end of last season.

Liam Shephard is out with an injury picked up last weekend.

HOW TO FOLLOW

There are no tickets available for away supporters on the day.

This game is not eligible for streaming in the UK, only supporters outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland can watch the game online (Match Pass – £10).

Live match commentary is available to anyone anywhere though, costing £2.50 for an Audio Pass.

Head to https://live.salfordcityfc.co.uk and see what passes are available in your location.

The first batch of fixtures in the North West Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division were released this week, covering the first five gameweeks. 

Following the visit to Poolfoot Farm, on Sunday 21st August, Nathan Soulby’s side host his former side West Didsbury & Chorlton followed by Wigan Athletic. 

August ends away at Crewe Alexandra, and September begins against Cheadle Town Stingers.

Home league games are played at Partington Sports Village, and it is free for spectators to come and watch – all are welcome!

The draw for the first qualifying rounds of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup was also released this week; the Lionesses come up against Crewe again, this time at home, on Sunday 2nd October in the Second Qualifying Round. 

Last season’s history making run to the Second round proper was one of the highlights of 2021-22, where the Lionesses faced Newcastle United at The Peninsula Stadium. 

Pre-season has been encouraging so far with wins against Chester and Bolton Wanderers! This weekend the Lionesses head to Barnsley, followed by clashes against Liverpool Under-21s and Stockport County. 

Do you fancy representing the Lionesses, playing for free in a competitive league and receiving quality coaching?

Find out more about joining the team for 2022-23: https://salfordcityfc.co.uk/join-the-lionesses-for-2022-23/ 

Link Back: Lionesses begin 2022-23 away at Fleetwood | Salford City Football Club (salfordcityfc.co.uk)

IRLAM FC travel to AFC Liverpool on Wednesday evening as they look to put a disappointing result on Saturday behind them as quickly as possible.

AFC Liverpool had an excellent start to their campaign as they sit top of the division on Saturday night courtesy of a 3-1 win on the road against Squires Gate despite going a goal down early in the fixture.

The corresponding fixture between the two sides last season saw Irlam run out 2-0 winners in a late season affair, goals that day coming courtesy of Millen Brown and Liam Pollitt.

An interesting change to this season is the installation of a new 4G pitch at Marine, certainly with potential for changing the dynamic of the game for both teams this coming Wednesday.

Kick off is 7.45pm

The Marine Travel Arena
College Road
Crosby
Liverpool
L23 3AS