Welcome back, see none of the people with an agenda have replied, hopefully they have found a different cause to champion, maybe they can go join Sean Penn and help liberate the Falklands.

after 4 games at the start of the 2011 season we had won 1 lost 3 scored 82 against 136 diff - 54 points 2

now this season after 4 we have won 2 lost 2 scored 82 against 102 diff -20 points 4
both years scored 15 tries
so defence appears better but attack is the same.

Stats mean nothing. I can see what's good and what's not good. The attack looks a whole lot quicker from 1st to 2nd man which is key.

If Long stays I agree,as for his employers,It is not respect he wants,It the tools to do his job,yes the team are
together,and that's great,this is are last chance,we have got to take It.

can't give it up eh lad, just like an alchoholic itching for one more pint.

Well said Daz: you know how pi**ed off I've been about things, and it's almost been the last straw when some of our "Johnny come latley's have weighed in and put the boot in.

I know how "The Butcher" has felt too. It's nice to see the "old guard" telling it like it is.

Regards to (almost) all.

I think the squad depth and balance is actually better this year than last.

Consider that on Friday night we were without Godwin, Williams, Moon, Gledhill and Anderson through injury. All positions were ably covered. All the players who have stepped in when called upon this season - Gibson, Boyle, Sidlow, Owen, etc - have performed well.

When you look at last season's departees - Stefan Ratchford, Ray Cashmere, Mark Henry, Jack Spencer, Rob Parker, Adam Clay - how many will we seriously miss? (Clue: any answer above 2 is wrong!)

Factor in that we have an all-new-Feka, a more settled Patten, a more consistent Jewitt, a half back pairing that appears more in-tune, along with all the new signings - Shannan McPherson, Ben Gledhill, Josh Veivers, Stuart Howarth, Joel Moon, Jordan James and Matty Ashurst - the future is rosier than I thought after seeing us humbled by Leigh last month.

On top of all that we have a team that appears to want to play for each other and the coaching staff - and that for me is the most optimistic sign of all so far this year!

On wins-losses, Veivers is at the same level as Andy Gregory was two matches before the end of the 2007 season. Numbers-wise, including his stint as interim coach last season, his is a far better start than any head coach before him in Super League bar Gregory. That's quite an achievement... so far.

Furthermore, if Salford were to finish in the top 8 this year, using recent placings history as a guide, Veivers's win-loss record would more than likely overtake Gregory's at the same point of their respective tenures.

HERE'S A POSITIVE:
the team continued to plug away all game on Friday. Hull are not easy to beat home or away. The effort was rewarded by one of the longest standing ovations (remember more of us sit than when at the Willows) I remember.

Very well said michegan. At last someone with a positive attitude whos see good times are only round the corner.

Brilliant thread!! Salford Reds are rising!!

When quoting posts it helps to actually quote something!! Whoops! D1ck

Seriously though its a change to read some positive things on here,at the end of the day we all want the same thing regardless of differences in opinions. Here's to hoping we keep this up for the rest of the season.

Since we arrived back in the SL the first 17, on paper, looked it should compete. This year is the first squad looks like it has some back up, which has previously been a major problem. Especially, when you compare the new recruits to the players that were let go, at the end of last season:

Cashmere > Gledhill, o.k. bad example to start with, but the potential is definitely there

Parker < Ashurst, can't believe he was ever a Salford player, good guy but past SL standard

Henry < Williams, Williams is superior to Henry in nearly every aspect, quicker, better attacker and puts it bigger hits

Howarth/Owen > Smith the Hooker, Smith is a far better scrum half than hooker and everything appears much less laboured than when Smith was at hooker towards the end of last season.

Ratchford < Moon, tricky one this running with the ball Ratchford had some moments of sheer class, but was a liability in defence, whereas Moon is much more of a team player, understands the game and how to put a winger in much better. It was a shame to see Ratchford leave, but the current situation is better all round, Ratch develops his game under Tony Smith and We've got the better player.

Didn't know I had quoted anyone?!

I think he meant himself and his previous 'blank' post.

Good thread. It's the pure team effort that is making the difference. The lads are really playing for each other and the stadium felt a bit more like home on Friday. There'll be some heavy defeats along the way this year but if we can improve on defence a bit more then there's some real potential here and some real entertaining rugby league being played. Keep playing like this and the 5,000 crowds will soon turn to 6,000 and then upwards and onwards.

Ha! Fair enough!

I did mean myself and my previous braindead blank post! May have sounded like it was aimed at ledge though!

P.I.R. Not a problem mate, my bad, I didn't see your previous 'blank' post otherwise I would've got it.

Thank God the likes of Dantes Infernal and the rest of the doom mongerers didn't attend tonight (I am right in thinking they didn't want to shell out any more hard earned?) or we might have had to read some groveling appologies.

REAL PROGRESS.
REAL TALENT.
REAL JOY IN THE STANDS.

Perfection.

Dantes Inferno: I am one among thousands of Salford fans who are not happy with the way the club has been run especially relating to the marketing of the club, but please give it a rest. You will have, I am sure plenty of time in the future to say I told you so but for the minute lets us POSITIVE fans enjoy POSITIVE rugby the likes we have not seen for many years.
It is a pleasure to watch the brand of rugby being played, its a pleasure to see the style from POSITIVE coaching, its great to see a small increase in the crowd, its great to play in a brand new stadium, I am looking forward to next weeks trip to Perpignan full of POSITIVE energy, come on you reds!
PS: Lets just enjoy the small steps forward we have had enough doom & gloom!

Well, I for one am not merely pleased, but amazed at our play and results this season so far.

I predicted a battle for the wooden spoon this year, I'd given up on DJ and Patten and Jewitt and a few others to ever achieve their potential and was conducting the perennial handwringing regarding our Clubs woeful marketing and management skills. I described PV as an 'average' coach......................well Marketing and Management ARE still woefull BUT what a fantastic effort from the Coaches and Players.

I would have ended my self imposed exile last night but for illness, and I'll definately be there for the Leeds game. It feels GREAT to support Salford again, long may it last.

Thanks guys, you've made an old man happy!

P.S. Moon is already the best Centre I've seen wearing a Salford shirt for the last 20 years!

not been for years , but they finally seem to be playing good attacking rugby , think a will give it a try against leeds , do the club run a coach to barton or is it start in witherspoons and work your way up ,

they run buses from the willows for £1 every 20 minutes or so, get to the ground early and get your ticket sorted or go in the week as expecting long Q'S