Salford v Workington.

Fixture’s between these two clubs have been very rare over the last 40 years but there is one game and memory that I always think of. At the end of the 1990/91 season after we had won the Second Division Championship we met Workington at the Willows in the Premiership Semi Final. If you are not familiar with the Premiership it was a competition at the end of the season. Teams from Division one would play off and teams from Division Two would play off then meet in their respective finals at Old Trafford for an exciting double header. The Semi against Workington was played on a really hot sunny afternoon. The Town fans travelled in numbers and I can always remember a big group of ladies with cowboy hats on chanting away “Worky Worky worky Workington” prior to kick off. The match was a cracker and finished in a 9-9 draw. We faced the daunting prospect of travelling to Derwent Park for a midweek replay. We won that replay two days later, comfortably with a really professional performance 6-26. The final against Halifax is a story in itself but I’ll leave that for another time. For the record we beat Halifax in another thrilling encounter 27-20.

It’s such a shame we don’t have competitions like the Premiership anymore but with Super League and the Old Trafford Grand Final ruling the sport it seems those days are gone forever. I am kind of split really when it comes to the format. I always enjoy the playoffs and Grand Finals but if I had to choose I’d go back to the team that finishes top wins the Championship and then bring back the Premiership, the County Cups and the League Cup which had many names all related to the cigarette sponsorship, Player’s No.6 Trophy, John Player Trophy,John Player Special Trophy, Regal Trophy. I just don’t think there are enough competitions anymore, it’s kind of sanitised the Sport and in many ways the concept of Super League has divided many aspects of Rugby League. You could argue that the summer era has done just as much harm as it’s done good. That’s an argument for another day though let’s get back to the preview!

Post war League home record.

Salford 20

Draws 1

Workington 13

1995 Salford 46 Workington 16

1990 Salford 30 Workington 8

1981 Salford 17 Workington 16

1980 Salford 36 Workington 8

1979 Salford 19 Workington 7

1978 Salford 8 Workington 24

1978 Salford 13 Workington 19

1977 Salford 17 Workington 5

1972 Salford 27 Workington 10

1972 Salford 28 Workington 0

1969 Salford 6 Workington 22 

1968 Salford 10 Workington 18

1967 Salford 14 Workington 5

1966 Salford 9 Workington 10

1966 Salford 7 Workington 8

1965 Salford 7 Workington 7

1962 Salford 5 Workington 23

1962 Salford 10 Workington 18

1960 Salford 20 Workington 8

1960 Salford 31 Workington 5

1959 Salford 19 Workington 18

1958 Salford 7 Workington 15

1957 Salford 13 Workington 5

1956 Salford 11 Workington 0

1955 Salford 0 Workington 36

1953 Salford 14 Workington 9

1953 Salford 27 Workington 8

1952 Salford 7 Workington 13

1950 Salford 9 Workington 8

1949 Salford 0 Workington 7

1949 Salford 12 Workington 5

1948 Salford 16 Workington 3

1947 Salford 8 Workington 17

1945 Salford 23 Workington 4

They played for both.

Neil Alexander, Bob Blackwood, Greg Burke, Ged Byrne, Ed Chamberlain, Paul Charlton, Gil Dudson, Joe Faimalo, Matty Gee, Joe Hartley, Harold Henney, Russell Henney, Brad Hepi, Stuart Howarth, Jordan James, Mark Johnson, Phil Joseph, Jack Murphy, Gus Risman, Jon Roper, Lokeni Savelio, Adam Sidlow, Adam Walne, Jordan Walne, Ian Watson and Ian MacCorquodale.

A match to remember Friday, 2nd October, 1981

Salford 17 Workington 16.

After relegation at the end of the 1980/81 season Salford were making steady progress in the second division the following season. Fives wins from the opening six matches had been a very solid start for a Salford side that had a real balance of youth and experience. 

The glory days of the 1970s seemed a distant memory now but Mike Coulman, Maurice Richards and Steve Nash were all still performing well in the first team. 

Salford had a fantastic crop of young players and three of them scored in this match, Jonathan Rogers, David Stephenson and Stewart Williams. Workington were a very capable side and they out scored Salford by four tries to three but it was Steve Rule’s goal kicking that made the difference.

At the end of the 1981/82 season Salford missed out on promotion by one place finishing fifth. Workington went back up to the top flight finishing third. Oldham were champions losing just twice with 30 wins from 32 games.

Workington became a bit of a yo-yo club in the 80s. They had some terrific seasons in the second division but found it very difficult in the top flight. 

The teams that night,

Salford, Rule, Rogers, Stephenson, Whitfield, Richards, Francis, Nash, Coulman, Ashcroft, Yates, Henney, McGreal, Williams.

Subs, Fletcher, Dootsen.

Workington, Hopkins, Roper, Jones, O’Loughlin, Beck, Wilkins, Varley, Brown, Allen, Varty, McCarron, Pattinson, Lewis.

Subs, Todd, Blackwood.

Attendance, 2,765.

Referee, Stan Wall. 

Sunday’s match.

Just a point separates the two sides going into Sunday’s game. Workington’s best performance this season has to be the reverse fixture when they hammered Salford 52-10 in March. Since then though Town have really struggled to replicate that standard of rugby and have won just twice in the last eleven matches.

They haven’t travelled well at all and were beaten heavily at Oldham, Newcastle and Barrow. At Derwent park though it’s been a different scenario altogether. Games have been really close and last weekend Town were very unlucky to lose against Oldham. 

Salford’s performance at Hunslet last weekend was a very frustrating one. Conceding tries from individual errors has become a real achilles heel in 2026 and losing Toby Hughes to injury was another blow. There is no doubt though that this Salford side is miles better than the one that played at Workington a few months back. It’s a lot more balanced now and the addition of Kieran Dixon has been a huge boost. Dixon was our guest on this weeks ‘Bring on the Salford’ podcast and it was a fascinating listen hearing all about his long card in Rugby League. He still has so much to offer and it seems like he still has plenty of mileage in his legs. 

Salford now have five home games on the spin. This really is a pivotal part of the season. Sunday will be real test and hopefully we will see how far this team has progressed since the previous meeting with Workington.

The action gets under way at 3pm

Safe travels and enjoy the game.

Paul Whiteside. 

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