My first memories were in the 1950s when as kids we were let in at half time for free and the little old man from Luckettis ice cream. He would take a big square shiny metal tin round the terraces selling his ice cream [ same size as a choc ice wrapped in paper , he would shout out " ices , ices " and us kids would follow him round shouting " ices ices , all ice and no cream " then he would chase us off . Also standing on the score board that was on a mound where the clubhouse now stands Happy days.

When we beat oldham and warrington in the lancashire cup to make the final of the cup where we lost the cup on the worst reffing mistake ever when hampson who should have been sent off scored wining try to deny us cup. Also the 1996 challange cup win over wigan how can any one forget that day

climbing in through Weaste cricket club in the seventies! The smell of the liniment when the players used to come out many years ago. Meeting my dad every home game stood under the same flood light with his mates, finding I am doing the same as my dad standing in the open terrace under the flood light with my mates. recent good memories beating Wigan in the cup and ending there long unbeaten run. Worst game that still stands in my memory Castleford putting, I think 70 odd points past us.

What I will not miss is the toilet facilities!

Good Topic this K.O.T.S.
Some of my best moments
Watching my Daughter lead the team out against Leeds but we got walloped


C.C V Wigan
Cheeky Girls singing at half time.


the Parachutist flying in to the side of the north stand. ( ouch)
The Salford cougar crawl
Mc Avoy drop goal attempt v Bratfud when it nearly took the corner flag out
the Aussie games in the world challange when we played Adalaide.
The Shed atmoshphere in the 80s & 90s when away fans were allowed in. Hostile or what.
The playing surface. ( MUST BE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE SUPER LEAGUE IF NOT THE BEST?)
The friendly against Wigan in the snow

Worst moments
The toilets at ther moment
some of the Death Burgers that have been served there over the years


the drubbing by Cas


seeing Chris Charles in a Salford shirt for the last time.

.

three great games from 70's

a win over New Zealand 32-31 (winning 32-0 at half time)
a big over New Zealand 50-2

and a game against Australia 12-15

Wigan CC game, end of, Will take that memory to the grave with me. Got to agree with Karlos about away fans in the shed in the 90's, Leeds being by far the most hostile and there were a fair few scuffles IIRC. I hope we can recreate the old atmosphere one last time before we go to Barton.

Post match drinkies with the players in the mid 90's in the VC after the game.

Favourite tries? One against Saints a few years back springs to mind where the ball must have gone through 15 pairs of hands. Try v KR this year and one of Paul White's v Sheffield was one of my favourite individual efforts,

Half-time Bovril, pre-Super League era.

Korky's conversion attempt.



Like Wardleyred says though, for an old bint The Willows still does it for me every time.

Forgot the try we scored again Hudds I think when Coley put in some monumental hits and they went backwards 30 yards in the set until Coley put in one last hit in thier own in goal causing them to drop the ball and he dropped on it to score. The hits were all accompanied by the roar.

As all you red fans are lamenting your memories of the Willows i thought I'd join in.

My favouite memory has to be when we won in 80's in I think then the Lancashire cup I remember Swinton were up for a hiding and we turned the tables and won.

I have always said that the Willows is a proper rugby ground and I have always had good banter with the fans come derby days.I am sure It could have been kept, spending a fraction of the cost that has been used at Barton but as many have said you have to move on.

The lasting best memory for me will be later this season when the last trophy to be paraded around there will Be Swinton crowned league Champions, now that is certainly going to be a send off for the old stadium.!!

Marshy its a no brainer, if we stay at the Willows we will not get a franchise,
yet teams like Leeds can stay at their own old grond with its old stands and uncovered ends.

It as to be my first game, v New Zealand in 1955,and to see the fastest man I have seen in a Salford shirt.
Wally MacArthur,also David Watkins first game v Oldham and to see the great players like Watkins Fielding Hesketh
Richards Charlton Gill Coulman Prescott,and the great Colin Dixon,also the best overseas player Neil Baker that we
have had in my opinion.And not forgetting the two first division championships,we won in the seventies,and not forgetting
all the rest,who made us.The great Red Devils.

I started my Salford education properly in the North stand with all the rest of the North stand enders they are a good bunch of lads, full of stats and facts, watching salford beat wigan in the northstand in the challenge cup was highlight especially when we scored and all ten of us jumped up in a sea of cherry and white.

Funniest moment was when ever there was 5 minutes to go in a match my dad would grab me and we would have to sprint from one end at the back of the northstand to the exit at the jeb end so we wouldnt get caught in the crowd coming out, id always run up one of the stair cases in the middle to see what i was missing i cant remember who we were playing but the salford player was Phil Mahon?? (ozzie standoff played for us mid to late 90s played for Hull kr and doncaster i think) anyway we had the ball coming away from the northstand so i started running shot up the stair case he was running sides with it so i ran down and heard a massive roar so i sprinted to the end of the stand looked and salford are under the posts all hands on hips he had thrown a interception it was very funny i couldnt believe i missed it

I remember one particular game against Sheffield Eagles it was dark Friday night the willows bitter cold may night 1999 Iain Watson dropped a goal from about 35 yards to win the match 17-16.
I was stood slightly to the left of the sticks in the north stand Salford were attacking the club end of the ground and as the ball glided over the post I caught a glimpse of the shed, I turned to look at the shed and it was rocking, it was strange really, The shed looked alive like a wild animal baying for Sheffield blood and the sight of Iain Watson dropping the goal had sparked it off into frenzy……fantastic.

From that particular moment I thought I needed to get in there. So after meeting a few people in the North stand who I got on with and were of a similar age to me ventured over into the heartbeat.
Going from the North stand to the Shed was like going from your local quiet friendly pub by your house to a Night club in the middle of town, the noise was deafening, thousands of people José ling for position all looking hard and scary.

But it was great fun, the adrenaline was amazing standing with thousands of other people who cared as much as me created (and still does) such a buzz when we score, every try is still sometimes greeted like it’s the one that wins us the grand or challenge cup final, that’s what matters.
From that point I was hooked.

It’s the people that make following Salford so great for me, what ever walk of life you come from your one of a special group of people who care, yes you might not know everyone by name and they might not jump up and down and scream like you do but you know they care just as much as you, ill miss them when we move (they will probably be there but they wont be standing in the same spot they are now) There is a old guy and his daugher who when i 1st went in the shed i stood with them, even now 10 years later i stop and chat to them on the way to my spot in the shed .

Singing against Hull / Leeds/ Hull KR fans in the shed and the amazing testosterone atmospheres created we gave as good as we got in those days, couldnt happen now rugby league has moved on with it being more family orientated now with football mentallity creeping in it was a good time and good place to be in them days.

Another game i remember was in 2002 we drew with wakefield and ian Watson dived over the blind side to keep us in with a chance of staying up, the crowd went mental and i bounced round the shed and ended up 20 yards further right than i started down at the bottom of the shed near the dug out.

When we got relegated in 2002 v castleford i remember invading the pitch and sitting on the 20 yard line infront of the club with the KOB for 20 minutes after like our world had caved in (which imo it had, it took me 3 days to get out of bed after that result)
Flicking GT's Glasses of his head accidently when we beat Leigh in the playoff semifinal in 2003 and seeing them sail over everyones head and he got them back in one piece.

Aron Moule scoring in 10 seconds v Hull in 2006 and getting my nose busted by solly celebrating

Commentating on Salford V Saints when we won with the famous quote "and mcguiness is running" and verbal diareea that followed, wouldnt change a thing it was ace.

There will be more i just cant think of any at the moment ill probably add a few more by the end of the season

Surely 31-30, winning 26-0 at half-time?



I remember that - we were camped on their line for the last 10 minutes but they kept on conceding penalties to keep us out (no sin-bin in those days). We were robbed.

Mine has to be beating Wigan and ending their challenge cup run.

But another great memory was when Tex Evans nailed Martin Offiah right in front of the shed, the shed went crazy and Tex was giving it large doing a Hulk impersination, well and truely syked up.

Reading that reminded me of one of my favourite players, Charlie Bott, being allowed to attempt a conversion in front of the posts in his last game for Salford before he emigrated to Australia (for work rather than rugby reasons). I have the feeling he missed.

Wow, where do I start?

My first game as mascot in 1979, the Centenary game with Widnes with 20,000 in the old place!
Every game as mascot for the next 8 years!!!!
Training nights cleaning the boots!
Running out into the entry Kennedy Rd side to get the ball back after a penalty as ball-boy!
Saturday morning training playing rugby on the track with KOTS
Wigan in the CC.

Playing my first Academy game!!
Salford Academy v Bradford Academy (I scored 2 tries!!!)
Salford Academy v Castleford Academy (Tamati gave us the roasting of our lives for getting beat 24-6 at half time, went out in second half and I scored after 5 mins and we came back still to lose but only 28-24. Tamati came in at the end and said well done!!)

Taking my boys (4 and 1 years old) for the first time and seeing a reflection of me 35 years ago.
One bad memory- explaining to my 4 year old that we'd lost against Hull and trying to stop him crying!!!

The place has been my life. I'm gonna be a mess in september at that last game!

Wigan in the CC 1996 - after the game all celebrating in the Willows and all the players getting a massive cheer as they all walked into the club. Then the BBC breakfast cameras filming us all singing then forgetting all about being filmed and waking up to ourselves on breakfast TV as we're all getting ready for work/school.



Famous wins against Wigan in the snow back in 2006, beating Wigan 31-30 with a Holroyd drop goal. Beating Keighley in the 1996 season and the cougar crawl at full time after picking up promotion to super leauge. Being Mascot against Widnes in about 1994/5.

Also playing there for the academy against London Broncoes (just a shame I had a stinker)





As red13bjb has said the place is my life and I will also be a mess come11th September. i know exciting times are ahead with the new stadium and everything, but it won't ever feel same going to a Salford game IMO

No. he kicked it from right in front of the sticks. I think he still might be the only Salford player with a 100% goal-kicking success rate.

This game was a close 2nd to the cc win against Wigan. Last 10 mins we were camped in our own half with Alker tackling anything that moved then up pops Holroyd. Say what you will about him but there are not many players who could have kicked that 40-20 and that drop goal under that amount of pressure.

Hancock's 50 yard try with Offiah jogging next to him against Wakefield.

Southern's try from a Nick Pinkney chip (can't remember who against).

Brown running the length to nail Withers into touch.

Sam Panapa's lap of honour.

I treasure one game in particular, we beat London about 35-0, and Sean Rutgerson gave one of the best individual performances I've ever seen. He was awesome.

Ooh Paul Forber running full pelt with knees up and elbows out!
Gibbo running the wrong way!
David Young looking at a gobby upstart (I'm sure it was Michael Jackson at Halifax?) as he got in his face jestering and spouting off in his face. Youngy waited for him to finish and then one arrowed him out cold, was funny at the time.

Does anyone like me think they'll blub?

I havbe no doubt thre will be many atear shed.
A seperate issue maybe we should organise as may Turkey uers to meetup either pre or post match for drinks and remenising?

BD I would hope you get on the Flying Scotsman and mak the effrort to join the event.

Having Hull and Leeds fans in The Shed will always be my favourite moments, simply because it put so many noses out of joint amongst the regulars that it made for an amazing atmosphere.

Played a game on the pitch when I was 10 before a game one Friday evening, always remember that.

Warrington fans (when there was only about 200 of them) throwing stuff from the North Stand one Saturday evening as we gave them a hiding, late 90s/early 00s.

The drop goal, 31-30 vs Wigan.

A big night game vs Keighley (seem to remember we lost). Only time I've felt a sense of that big European night atmosphere you get at OT at The Willows.

Oh yes, flogging the Turkey outside the ground was always a laugh.

Like a girl.



Never heard it called that before

. Pervert.



It sounds a bit cheesy but I'd love to see The Shed linking arms and singing "we'll meet again" or something like that

. Also, some sort of a tag rugby match on the pitch after the final game would be ace.

Is there any chance of getting a piece of The Shed when it's been demolished?

Good days them everyone would have a copy and we'd read it from cover to cover before the game, who would think a little book would bring so much happiness and imo become the catalys of turning the club around in the late 90s early 2000s from a unproffesional outfit to where they are today and us the fans having Forever Reds and much more positive interaction between the club and fans, should certainly deserve a mention if they are to rewrite a history of salford rugby league book imo.

Having blind spots on the field with the structure of the shed blocking certain areas of the field, it wont be the same having to not bob from side to side to see whats going on in the new ground.

Celebrating on the pitch the championship winning team of 94/95 where we had to win it twice to get promoted Sam Panapa and the boys on a little stage on the field with loads of reds milling around

Remember missing THAT cup game as I was ill. Was in a pet shop buying food for my sister's rabbit Panapa when I heard the result on the radio. My dad promised we'd go to the Willows the following season to 'have the buggars'. We trudged over to Salford (after the Easter holidays I think) but we were outplayed and if memory serves Steve Blakeley had a crackerjack game.
Will be back home late July and will definitely get over to say ta ra to one of rugby's famous old grounds.