Salford v Swinton.

It’s over forty years since Swinton won this away fixture at Salford. To be fair though the two clubs have hardly played each other since then. This season is the first time the two clubs have been in the same League since then 1991/92 Championship season. Despite Salford’s dominance in meetings since 1985,  Swinton’s record away at Salford is a very respectable one. The Lions were the best side in the Country in the early 1960s and between 1957 and 1965 Swinton won eight consecutive meetings at the Willows. 

Although it’s not ideal this match being switched to Wigan, it’s something that seems a bit out of the clubs control. I think as supporters it’s a case of embracing it and enjoying the occasion. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again this fixture means as much to the Salford and Swinton supporters as the hull derby does to Hull and Hull KR supporters. There are so many local rivalry’s in our sport and derby fixtures. They are all special and sacred in so many ways to those people who follow the respective clubs. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. 

For supporters who can remember the 70s and 80s they will know how much this fixture means. Since the summer era this historic fixture has lay a little dormant apart from the odd meeting in the Rail cup competitions, looking at the structure of the sport now it looks like this fixture could be a permanent one for the forsiabble future. 

Both sides have had their ups and downs this season with players coming and going and a change of head coach. Stability is the key in what is a very competitive Championship competition. 

Speaking of stability Salford have secured the services of young forward Reece Stanton for the 2027 season. Stanton has really hard in the pack this season and has stood up well against some very big championship forwards. With a full pre season behind him going into next year I think Reece will really start to develop. He’s got plenty of aggression and is always a willing worker.

Another player who signed an extended deal is Jack Holmes. He made his debut in the away fixture at London Broncos back in March. Injury meant a significant absence which saw Holmes missed the whole of May and June but he’s started the last two games and scored a try at Widnes. With not far short of two hundred appearances behind him Holmes has plenty of experience at this level and if he can avoid injuries and get a good run of games in the side he will add value to the squad. He is a Salford academy graduate who spent three years at the club from ages 16-19 before moving on to have successful promotion campaigns with Oldham and Rochdale Hornets. 

 Post war League home record.

Salford 19

Draws 2

Swinton 15

1991 Salford 48 Swinton 4

1991 Salford 13 Swinton 0

1987 Salford 36 Swinton 8

1985 Salford 21 Swinton 17

1985 Salford 5 Swinton 9

1982 Salford 18 Swinton 4

1982 Salford 28 Swinton 16

1975 Salford 13 Swinton 2

1972 Salford 8 Swinton 13

1971 Salford 34 Swinton 9

1966 Salford 2 Swinton 7

1970 Salford 30 Swinton 4

1969 Salford 5 Swinton 8

1968 Salford 3 Swinton 11

1967 Salford 17 Swinton 8

1965 Salford 10 Swinton 44

1965 Salford 12 Swinton 2

1964 Salford 0 Swinton 43

1962 Salford 13 Swinton 24

1962 Salford 2 Swinton 32

1961 Salford 5 Swinton 24

1960 Salford 5 Swinton 25

1959 Salford 0 Swinton 3 (abandoned after 73mins, result stands)

1958 Salford 5 Swinton 10

1957 Salford 7 Swinton 16

1956 Salford 23 Swinton 9

1955 Salford 0 Swinton 22

1954 Salford 26 Swinton 6

1953 Salford 13 Swinton 5

1952 Salford 22 Swinton 9

1951 Salford 6 Swinton 0

1950 Salford 2 Swinton 2

1949 Salford 0 Swinton 0

1948 Salford 21 Swinton 8

1947 Salford 9 Swinton 3

1945 Salford 9 Swinton 4

They played for both.

Over the years there has been so much player movement between the two clubs, lots of loans too. I’ve selected a fair few below, 

Ian Watson, Paul Southern, Lee Marsh, Steve Gibson, Martin Birkett, Andy Coley, Alan Grice, Ian Holland, Paul Jackson, Peter Smethurst, Karl Fitzpatrick, Graham Holroyd, Bob Irving, Jordan James, Mike Wainwright, David Watkins, Graham Mackay, Peter Norburn, Chris Atkin, Warren Ayers, Darren Bamford, Andy Ballard, Gavin Bennion, Danny Barton, Ian Blease, Phil Coussons, Chris Hankinson, Phil Hassan, Will Hope, Ken Jones, Dai Moses, Alan Hodkinson, Andy Ackers, Darren Bloor, Frank Cassidy, Tex Evans, Carl Forster, Matt Gardner, Steve Herbert, Martin Moana, Carlo Napolitano, Stephen Nash, Dec Patton, Adam Sidlow, Jack Spencer, Kris Tassell, Ken Roberts, Gordon Graham, Graeme Johns. 

A match to remember Tuesday 1st January 1991.

Salford 13 Swinton 0.

Going into this second division match on New Year’s Day 1991 Salford had won all thirteen league matches as well as a fantastic run in the Lancashire Cup. First Division front runners Widnes beat Salford 24-18 in a fantastic Lancashire Cup final at Central Park at the end of September. This didn’t slow Kevin Tamati’s side down though and the good performances kept coming. 

Jim Crellin’s Swinton side were also in tremendous form with just one defeat in the opening few months of the season against Halifax. The second division was becoming a thrilling competition with Salford, Swinton, Halifax and York all pushing for top spot and promotion. 

December 1990 had been a particularly cold and snowy month. It was another very chilly day at the Willows as both sides ran out for kickoff. 

Tries from Frank Cassidy and Adrian Hadley were both converted by Steve Kerry. Cassidy made the game safe with a drop goal to give Salford a well deserved 13-0 victory.

The two sides met at Station Road for the reverse fixture on the first of April with Salford top and Swinton second in the league. Another epic encounter finished 10-10. This was enough for Salford to earn promotion and they celebrated on the pitch at Station Road with the supporters. The Lions lost their next two matches against Halifax and Keighley to drop out of the promotion places but a big win over Huddersfield in the final league match of the season left them third and along with Champions Salford and runners up Halifax, Swinton were also back in the First Division.

Looking back all these years later the Second Division of 1990/91 was one of the most exciting campaigns I’ve ever witnessed as a Salford supporter. It was a strange format as we didn’t play all these years teams. We didn’t meet runners up Halifax in the regular season but did however in the Premiership final. The divisional Premiership was another fantastic competition that gave teams outside the top flight a real tilt at silverware as well as playing in a final at Old Trafford. Perhaps something like this being resurrected would really help the profile of the sport. 

The teams that day,

Salford, Gibson, Kerry, Gilfillan, Williams, Hadley, Cassidy, Fell, Worrall, Lee, Leota, Hansen, Blease, Burgess.

Subs, Evan, Bradshaw.

Swinton, Mellor, Ranson, Ropati, Snape, Stott, Griffiths, Ashall, Pucill, Melling, Morrison, Allen, Tupaea, Edwards.

Attendance, 4,647.

Referee, David Asquith.

Saturday’s match.

I had a little chat with Shaun Costello in the dugout at Widnes prior to kickoff and he told me about his injury. He is struggling with a shoulder problem that he picked up in the match against London. He’s had an X-ray and had his arm in a sling. Shaun was in good spirits and said he was waiting on speaking to the surgeon. Hopefully he doesn’t require surgery with us only having three league matches left. Owain Abel is also recovering from an ankle problem also picked up in the London match.

Young forward Owen Haldenby has joined Google Vikings on loan for the remainder of the season. I am hoping Haldenby is with us next season. He’s played a lot of games for Salford this season and has steadily developed. His commitment to travel from Hull along with his full time job shows the level of hunger he has to succeed. At just twenty years of age Owen is another player with a very bright future. 

With these players missing from what is already quite a slender squad Dave Hewitt could possibly look at loan players but as I write this non have yet been confirmed,

Swinton Lions hit some real form at the start of May winning four out of six matches including a double of this season’s surprise package, Midlands Hurricanes. Anthony Murray’s side have struggled in recent weeks going into this week’s derby clash on the back of five successive defeats. 

Jordan Gibson will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury which is a huge blow for the Lions. Gibson has been instrumental in recent months playing a key role in the halves and his goal kicking will certainly be missed. 

Former Salford youngster Jack Stevens has been out injured for a long period but returned to action last Sunday in the home defeat to Batley. 

The action gets under way at 2pm

Safe travels and enjoy the game.

Paul Whiteside. 

Big thanks to Steve McCormick, Steve Moyse, Adam Hanglin and Gareth Lyons for the photos and the Salford match day programme.