Our journey around the villages, towns and cities that have rugby league running through their veins reaches Salford.
THE Rise and Fall, The Fall and Rise.
Never mind Madness, one of the most prominent bands Britain has produced whose fourth album went under the name of the former.
And put to one side Reginald Perrin, whose name was preceded by the latter in the popular sitcom which charted a middle-aged, middle-management executive breaking down under the stress of middle-class life.
For the words in the introduction to our latest visit to a Location of League also reflect a club whose fortunes have fluctuated perhaps more often and more markedly than any other.
For the story of Salford, currently fighting to continue flying the Super League flag in one of the game’s most populous areas against a backdrop of concern over their finances and stadium, is nothing if not segmented.
There have been highly successful spells followed by dismal days in the doldrums.
Peaks came in the periods before both the First and Second World Wars, then the 1970s, with Reggie Perrin, his pompous boss CJ and secretary Joan appearing on television screen shortly after the Red Devils had registered their sixth and most recent league title in 1975-76.
And to maintain the recurring theme, by reaching the Grand Final of 2019, Salford came within a win of a seventh crown, just three years after being within a defeat of dropping into the Championship (Hull KR were beaten by a golden-point in the Million Pound Game).
Let’s go back to the beginning, 1873 and the creation of a rugby team by boys attending Cavendish Street Chapel in Hulme, Manchester.
The transition into a more formal club, called Cavendish, led to a move within a few years across the River Irwell to the adjacent city of Salford, with that name adopted in 1879.
The club played at New Barnes until 1901, when that ground was part of an area of land bought by the Manchester Ship Canal company for expansion of the dock area.
Salford built a new home The Willows, so called because of an abundance of trees near the location, next to a cricket ground in the suburb of Weaste.
By then the club were five years into membership of the Northern Union, having been beaten to joining the breakaway by neighbours Broughton Rangers, founder members in 1895 and at the stage playing at Wheater’s Field.
While Broughton later played at another Salford venue The Cliff, then in 1933 relocated to the multi-use Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester (they were known as Belle Vue Rangers from 1946 until folding in 1955), the Red Devils were to remain at The Willows until 2011, after which they moved to the Salford Community Stadium.
And what memorable, as well as meagre, times The Willows witnessed!
After three second-placed finishes in the league and a trio of Challenge Cup final defeats, Salford won their first title in 1913-14, defeating Huddersfield, who were chasing a hat-trick of league triumphs, 5-3 in the ninth Championship Final, which took place at Headingley, Leeds.
However at that time, the club were in receivership, and four months later, were wound up, with a new company formed.
Salford had to build themselves up again, and that they did, with the appointment of former New Zealand tourist and then Wigan halfback Lance Todd as coach-manager proving inspirational.
Todd, of the Challenge Cup final man-of-the-match trophy fame (that also recognises his success as radio commentator), several times recruited from Wales as he put together a team of stars led by legendary back Gus Risman and also including winger Barney Hudson, versatile back Emlyn Jenkins, scrum-half Billy Watkins, hooker Bert Day and prop or loose-forward Jack Feetham.
Salford were the team of the 1930s, and over ten seasons, won the title three times (and Lancashire League five), the Challenge Cup (for so far the only time in eight final appearances) and the Lancashire Cup on four occasions.
The Championship Final victories were in 1932-33 (15-5 against Swinton at Central Park, Wigan), 1936-37 (13-11 versus Warrington back at Wigan) and 1938-39 (8-6 over Castleford at Maine Road, Manchester) and the Challenge Cup triumph in 1937-38 (7-4 against Barrow at Wembley).
And in 1934, the club took a pioneering two-month trip to the South of France to help the game establish itself there, during which they were given the nickname Les Diables Rouges (Red Devils).
The Second World War led to the break-up of that side, and both fortunes and attendances slumped during the 1950s.
Resurrection of the Red Devils came thanks to the vision, determination, drive and deep pockets of charismatic local businessman Brian Snape, who became chairman in 1963 and transformed Salford, underpinning the creation of another great side while also developing the ground to include a thriving social club.
This time the entertainers on the pitch included backs like Chris Hesketh, Bill Burgess, Maurice Richards, renowned Welsh Wizard David Watkins, Keith Fielding, Paul Charlton and Steve Nash and forwards such as Mike Coulman and Colin Dixon.
The Challenge Cup final of 1968-69 came a little too soon (Castleford were 11-6 Wembley winners), but Salford were league champions in 1973-74 as well as 1975-76 and won the Lancashire Cup in 1972-73 and BBC2 Floodlit Trophy in 1974-75.
Since those heady days, there have been further ups and downs, with John Wilkinson a dedicated and long-serving chairman who steered the way through some rough waters and Super League spells from 1997 until 2002, and 2005 to 2007, before a return was sealed through licensing in 2009.
As well making the 2019 Grand Final, which St Helens won 23-6, Salford featured in an eighth Challenge Cup final in 2020, losing by a point to Leeds at Wembley, which was empty due to the Covid restrictions in place.
The initial IMG club-category ratings had them in eighth spot, at the top of the Grade B list.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 494 (March 2024)
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