Salford v Bradford.

A lot has been said about Salford’s off the field predicament so far in 2025. Plenty have criticised and that has come from far and wide in the sport. Pundits, club chairman and opposing supporters have all had their say. Some of it has been supportive but the majority have stuck the boot in. 

I’ve got my own feelings on all this and yes I don’t think the club is completely blameless but it’s far from black and white. 

Friday’s opponents Bradford have been through their fair share of financial difficulties over the years. The way their stadium situation was handled seemed a little strange. The Bulls have been out of the limelight for a good while now but many are tipping them for a return to Super League. I’ve read comments from opposing supporters in the rugby league community stating let’s replace Salford with Bradford! Let’s set the record straight! In my life time I’ve seen Salford get relegated four times. On all those occasions we deserved to go down because on the field we weren’t good enough. Following those relegation seasons the year after we always got are act together and won promotion the right way. Salford were never parachuted back or given a leg up. Everything was always done the hard and right way, on the pitch! This to me is what sport is all about. I’ve got my own opinions on IMG and I’ll save them for another day. 

If your a Salford supporter always be proud at what our club stands for and take with a pinch of salt the spouting’s of others. We are in Super League on merit, not because of a tick box exercise involving social media reach or the quality of the half time Bovril. 

Friday night gives Salford the perfect chance to put one or two people in their place. As well as that a quarter final tie awaits the winning team. 

Confidence is a huge thing in sport and success in the Cup could just be the catalyst the players need.

Bradford under coach Brian Noble has started 2025 in good fashion but they were brought back down to earth in France last Saturday when they were comfortably beaten by Toulouse. 

Salford worked hard at Castleford and were unlucky to lose in the end. After three heavy defeats it was nice to see our lads compete in a tight match. I really enjoyed the game and the atmosphere at Wheldon road. Chris Hankinson had an absolute stormer. He’s such a robust player who does everything right. Ryan Brierley put in a very brave performance at fullback and young Kai Morgan played the full eighty minutes at hooker and was fantastic! One or two of the forwards seemed to struggle with the pace of the game and fitness is becoming a little concerning.

I think the club needs a break from the Super League after a tough couple of months. This could be just the match we need to recharge and get things together.

Challenge Cup record 

Salford 2

Draws 0

Bradford 3

1905/06 Salford 0 Bradford 5. Final

1946/47 Salford 5 Bradford 2. First round leg one

1946/47 Bradford 10 Salford 0. Leg two

1952/53 Bradford 18 Salford 4. Second round 

1980/81 Salford 17 Bradford 13. First round

A match to remember, Sunday 15th February 1981.

Challenge Cup first round.

Salford 17 Bradford 13.

After an excellent season in 1979/80 Salford finished fourth in the championship. The team had plenty of young talent along with the experience of those players still at the club from the 1970s Championship winning sides. 

Bradford Northern arrived at the Willows as League Champions having finished just a point above Widnes.

Young fullback Keith Mumby was making a name for himself along with 20 year old hooker Brian Noble who’d just celebrated his birthday the day before this cup tie in 1981.

Jimmy Thompson in the Bradford pack was a fearsome forward who tackled hard and had the ability to get the ball out in the tackle. Thompson had spent over a decade at Featherstone Rovers playing in three Challenge Cup finals and winning two. He was also a Great Britain International right through the 1970s.

Bradford scrum half Alan Redfearn scored twice for the visitors and Noble also grabbed a try.

Salford’s goal kicking Fullback Steve Rule had a star game kicking four goals.

Steve Cross and Young hooker Paul O’Neill scored tries for Salford. Veteran Maurice Richards also scored for the home side and that was enough to upset Bradford and progress to the second round.

Salford toppled another big team in round two beating Leigh 12-3 at the Willows. Leigh would be Champions the following year in 1982. The quarter final draw sent Salford to arguably the team of the early 1980s Hull Kingston Rovers. The Robins put Salford out with a 19-8 victory. For the record Widnes went on to win the Challenge Cup that season beating Hull Kingston Rovers in the final at Wembley. Former Salford hero Eric Prescott played in the second row that day for Widnes.

The teams that day,

Salford, Rule, Richards, Major, Whitfield, Rogers, Francis, Nash, Yates, O’Neill, Henney, Cross, McGreal, Williams. Sub, Smith.

Bradford, Mumby, Barends, D Redfearn, Parker, Gant, Stephenson, A Redfearn, Thompson, Noble, Van Bellen, Grayshon, Jackson, Hale. Subs, Hale, Fiddler.

Attendance, 5,371

Referee, Trevor Court.

Friday’s match.

Once again the Salford supporters waited with bated breath ahead of the squad announcement. Things have yet to get back to normal and this can’t be good for the players. Bradford enjoyed a cup upset in the previous round beating Castleford in a very tight pitch. The pitch looked a bit of a glue pot at Odsal but nevertheless credit must go to the Championship side for getting the job done. Bradford have won the Challenge Cup five times. The most recent being the 2000 and 2003 when Bull mania saw huge crowds flock to West Yorkshire to pack Odsal. 

The Bulls have some very good players in their squad with plenty of top flight experience and they will be more than up for causing a cup upset. Salford need to be a lot tougher in defence than of recent weeks and discipline needs to be a lot better. So far this season the Devils have been canned in the penalty counts in every match. This puts you on the back foot, add to that sin binning’s and your making it even harder to compete. Salford have seen yellow cards shown in their last three matches which has seen Joe Shorrocks and Jayden Nikorima receive suspensions.

It’s been almost ten years since the two sides met, that match was a Super League qualifier in August 2015 which Bradford won 41-10.

Paul Rowley is once again working under restrictions due to the takeover issues. The off the field problems seem to be rumbling on, Friday night is going to be a big test of character and Bradford will be fired up for this. 

The action gets under way at 8pm

Safe travels and enjoy the match.

Paul Whiteside. 

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos and the Salford match day programme.