Barrow v Salford.

Saturday’s away match at Hammersmith is one of the most enjoyable away days I’ve had in a long time. Travelling down there I must admit I didn’t really know what to expect. I had an air of caution about the match but Salford’s young side soon put my worries to bed. Brad Dwyer led from the front and after he grabbed an early try to level the score it was pretty much one way traffic. 

Salford looked sharp and the combinations started to click. There is no doubt it will take time to condition the side to the rigorous demands of the Championship, especially with our lack of a pre-season.

I had a chat with coach Mike Grady after the match and his attitude was a real breath of fresh air. In fact the enthusiasm of Mike, his staff and all the players was infectious. Our young side is on a journey in 2026, they are learning on the job and it’s important that as supporters we get behind them.

Our opponents this week are a very solid side. Barrow have been out of Rugby League’s top flight for a long time but the Cumbrian side are one of the oldest clubs around. When Salford won the Challenge Cup in 1938, Barrow were our opponents in front of a packed Wembley Stadium. Over the last few decade’s meeting’s between the two sides have been rare. In 2003 Salford went to Barrow twice in the Challenge Cup and the Rail Cup. Our last League meeting with Barrow came in the 1990/91 Second Division season. Salford won at Barrow in September 1990, 0-31 and then won the return fixture at The Willows 76-10.

Since the sport entered the summer era in 1996 Barrow has competed in the second and third tier enjoying some very successful seasons. They topped the Championship in 2009 and went on to beat Halifax in the Grand Final at Warrington. In 2012 they were 2nd in the league and lost the Grand Final. In 2017 they won promotion from league one. After relegation in 2019 Barrow won the League one Championship in 2021 and have consolidated in Rugby League’s second tier ever since.

Barrow like Salford have won the Challenge Cup just the once. Barrow’s success came in 1954/55 when they beat local rivals Workington Town 21-12 at Wembley stadium.

Away league record.

Played 68

Barrow 41

Draw 5

Salford 22

1990 Barrow 0 Salford 30

1986 Barrow 20 Salford 26

1981 Barrow 18 Salford 15

1979 Barrow 32 Salford 3

1977 Barrow 12 Salford 15

1973 Barrow 10 Salford 28

1971 Barrow 16 Salford 20

1970 Barrow 9 Salford 6

1969 Barrow 8 Salford 11

1967 Barrow 23 Salford 20

1967 Barrow 15 Salford 9

1966 Barrow 18 Salford 12

1964 Barrow 32 Salford 7

1964 Barrow 33 Salford 3

1962 Barrow 14 Salford 7

1961 Barrow 7 Salford 13

1961 Barrow 15 Salford 0

1959 Barrow 6 Salford 21

1958 Barrow 28 Salford 8

1958 Barrow 22 Salford 12

1956 Barrow 30 Salford 5

1955 Barrow 30 Salford 13

1955 Barrow 19 Salford 15

1953 Barrow 17 Salford 11

1952 Barrow 41 Salford 0

1952 Barrow 10 Salford 8

1950 Barrow 5 Salford 0

1949 Barrow 3 Salford 2

1949 Barrow 12 Salford 7

1948 Barrow 10 Salford 11

1946 Barrow 20 Salford 8

1945 Barrow 0 Salford 3

1939 Barrow 5 Salford 14

1939 Barrow 3 Salford 0

1938 Barrow 31 Salford 0

1937 Barrow 3 Salford 3

1936 Barrow 10 Salford 5

1935 Barrow 5 Salford 8

1933 Barrow 9 Salford 6

1933 Barrow 6 Salford 20

1932 Barrow 5 Salford 18

1930 Barrow 0 Salford 0

1930 Barrow 0 Salford 8

1929 Barrow 0 Salford 8

1928 Barrow 7 Salford 8

1927 Barrow 13 Salford 3

1925 Barrow 0 Salford 6

1925 Barrow 0 Salford 0

1924 Barrow 23 Salford 10

1922 Barrow 39 Salford 8

1922 Barrow 6 Salford 0

1920 Barrow 45 Salford 2

1919 Barrow 19 Salford 3

1919 Barrow 17 Salford 2

1918 Barrow 29 Salford 0

1917 Barrow 17 Salford 0

1916 Barrow 5 Salford 5

1915 Barrow 7 Salford 7

1913 Barrow 7 Salford 0

1912 Barrow 8 Salford 15

1911 Barrow 16 Salford 5

1911 Barrow 18 Salford 4

1910 Barrow 0 Salford 15

1909 Barrow 6 Salford 16

1907 Barrow 6 Salford 2

1907 Barrow 11 Salford 5

1906 Barrow 24 Salford 0

1900 Barrow 9 Salford 14

They played for both.

In recent times plenty of players have represented both clubs, below is a list with quite a few on from years gone by too. Also a few loan signings in there.

Andy Ballard, Cliff Beverley, Radney Bowker, Joe Bullock, Greg Burke, David Cairns, 

Adam Clay,  Matty Costello, Carl Forster, Ade Gardner, Bobbie Goulding, James Greenwood, Matthew Haggerty, Chris Hankinson, Ben Hellewell, Steve Herbert, Niall Evalds, Harold Henney, Josh Johnson, Matthew Leigh, Dean McGilvray, Harvey Makin, Iain Marsh, Lee Mossop, Michael Platt, Jamie Pye, Ellis Robson, Garry Schubert, Jack Spencer, Iain Thornley, Adam Walker, Jordan Walne, Adam Walne, Jason Walton, Stewart Williams, Josh Wood, Chris Whiteley.

A match to remember Sunday 9th February 2003

Challenge cup round 4.

Barrow 6 Salford 22.

For this week’s match to remember I am going for a cup tie in 2003. I don’t remember much about the last league meeting between the two sides as I was only a young lad in 1990!

Salford had started the 2003 season with a Trains cup win over Swinton in January followed by a very fiery Challenge Cup 3rd win at the Willows against Toulouse.

Karl Harrison had taken over as coach midway through the previous season but after a dreadful start he couldn’t save the club from relegation. Harrison put a very useful side together though bringing in plenty of experience including the master stroke signing of Gavin Clinch. 

Andy Coley was terrific in the pack. His marauding runs made him a very difficult player for opposing defenders to deal with. Simon Baldwin was another streetwise forward and terrific ball player. Neil Lowe had played for Featherstone and he became a vital part of the pack at Salford. Chris Charles would become the regular goal kicker but in this match Clinch kicked three goals from the four tries which were scored by Alker, Baldwin, Bowker and Littler. 

It was a hard fought win over Barrow who were in the League below Salford in 2003.

Salford drew Hull Kingston Rovers away in the fifth round and won that match 2-12 to progress to the Quarterfinals. 

The teams that day,

Barrow, Bower, Marshall, McClure, Jones, Irabor, Manihera, Archer, Liku, Henderson, Jones, Jackson, Gardner, Atkinson.

Subs, Pate, Luxon, Clark, Stainton.

Salford, Flowers, Hunte, Littler, Beverley, Arnold, Bowker, Clinch, Coley, Alker, P.Highton, Baldwin, Lowe, Charles.

Subs, Marsh, D.Highton, Haggerty, Baynes.

Referee, Peter Taberner.

Attendance, 1,392.

Saturday’s match.

For the second week running it’s a 6pm kick off but not quite as far to travel this time. Once you get off the M6 it’s quite a picturesque drive to Barrow on the A590. The town has a rich naval history and is home to the largest shipyard in the country. If you get there early enough have a wander round the town and the huge BAE systems site. 

Barrow started the championship campaign with a convincing victory over local rivals  Workington Town 40-0. The Raiders progressed in the Challenge last Saturday at Wigan St Jude’s 4-76.

With a wealth of experience in their team Barrow will be well drilled and very physical. 

Looking through most sides in the Championship they have players that have been round the block and players that know this league inside and out. Josh Wood is a player Salford supporters will remember. Josh came through at Salford over ten years ago as a young hooker. He’s now been at Barrow for over five years and played over 100 games there to become a real crowd favourite. James Greenwood spent a good few seasons at Salford after Ian Watson signed him for the 2020 season. His time at the club was hampered by injuries but he scored some important tries in the 2020 cup run and also got one in the final at Wembley. Greenwood seems settled at Barrow and has got plenty of appearances under his belt. 

Salford’s young side are starting to find their feet. Sam Hill and Rafael Van Osselear have plenty of pace on the wings, Joe Hartley has impressed in the centre. Oliver Garmston worked his socks off in both games so far. I spoke to the back rower on Saturday after the win at Hammersmith. I couldn’t quite believe he’s only 19 years old. The maturity and leadership qualities he has will be vital this season. Mike Grady and Dave Hewitt will work together to bring this group closer.

 The team bond already looks very solid but I think we are going to see it grow during 2026. Salford have got some real raw talent in that side and the difficult part will be hanging on to it when other teams come sniffing. 

Safe travels and enjoy the match.

The action gets under way at 6pm.

Paul Whiteside. 

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