SALFORD coach Dave Hewitt said it was great to reward the club’s “special” group of fans with a final-round victory.
His charges won 18-16 at Batley, an eighth league triumph in 24 outings which sealed a twelfth-placed finish.
It’s been a tough few years for Salford supporters, with last season’s traumatic Super League campaign, which brought only three victories in 27 and ended with a basement finish, being followed by the liquidation of the previous club.
It wasn’t until late December that a group, including former Salford back Mason Caton-Brown, launched the phoenix version.
There was limited time – and a limited budget – to assemble a coaching team, in which Hewitt was initially assistant to Mike Grady, and playing roster.
There have been a string of coming and goings, including multiple loans, with more than 70 players featuring for the second season in succession.
Former St Helens, Sheffield, Oldham, Rochdale and Midlands halfback Hewitt stepped up to succeed Grady after he departed by mutual consent in March.
And the 30-year-old, now assisted by experienced hooker Brad Dwyer and already looking to next season, said: “There have been ups but also some downs, and while it would have been easy to slip away during the downs, the supporters have stuck with us.
“They have turned out in their numbers week in, week out, home and away, and while it’s a cliche, they really have been like an extra man.
“I’m a young coach, and we’re mainly a young group of players, so the backing of the fans is especially important, and we’ve had it all year.
“In those spells in games where the players are hanging on, hearing them shouting and singing is great, and it’s appreciated.”