memorys of my 25 year plus association with the ground i love
being a junior devil
my 1st rugby shirt, hat and scarf
going to the ticket office and getting my free junior devils ticket each home game
dad parking in car park over the road so i could wait and see players arrive
going in the dressing room aged 9 on my birthday meeting kevin ashcroft and his lads and having photographs taken with the worlds best fullback mr garry jack
dad joining the lifeline bar so i could get autographs of all the players after the game in my red book
me doing scrap books of anything to do with the reds from all papers and also other rl clubs as well
watching salford win a trophy at home when the league was presented to us in early 90s
seeing paul shaw the aboriginal superstar play for my team and nearlt win us the lancs cup
doing my rugby league coaching certificate at the willows with batley bob marsden and other players
getting my programme from doris infront of the willows every game hope she will be watching from above vs catalan
going into the shed and the smell of the wintergreen and dad saying never forget that smell from when i played
choosing man of the match vs oldham bears in super league as a guest of the sponsors and watching my dad present it to cliff eccles
doing a survey for my university dissertation at an a team game and going into the press box to speak to coaches players and officials about super league
beating wigan in the cup and also betting on us as massive outsiders for the game
cougar crawling vs keighley
lance todd trophy doo in the willows when henry paul got his award in late 90s surrounded by greats of the game
john wilkinson making time to talk to my dad as he was involved in supporters association
tetleys bitter sponsored doos before the grand final , on several occasions always wearing salford colours
sponsorship packages from brewery meeting the players and ex players gibbo, birkett shane hansen and many more, listening to the drivel simms comes out with, getting a fully autographed shirt framed for my dad 60 birthday which sits proudly on a wall at his home
being gutted when games were called off
the whole peter kay thing , sunday was going to the game home for sunday roast love boat had just finished bullseye was starting having your tea on a tray , biscuits and a brew and the antiques roadshow / songs of praise, sunday is a rugby day for me
coming back to the willows on a fleet of coaches from headingley where all my dreams were shattered as we lost in cc semi final to sheff eagles, going to the tavern and getting on the willows pitch showing my mates the art of drop kicking and nearly putting the willows windows in
getting to become a ballboy at a game but not getting picked as numbers were too high
meeting lads who played for salford who i played rugby against as a kid, ian watson, carlo, nathan mcavoy, me and ian you to knock lumps out of each other in schools rugby
going to a salford school to do coaching and the players were training, didnt do much coaching as my own team were on the next field, the lads who i paid to watch at the willows were right next to me
meeting the aussie tourists at school and proudly telling them i was a salford season ticket holder and they should all sign for my club and play at the willows
screaming and shouting in the shed at opposition players, and giving encouragement to the salford lads
going to the games with my dad, brillo , duncan in the old days, mum becoming a cas tigers fan and standing with the away fans and text abuse being hurled
going to eccles and having a few pints before games then not remembering half the game
celebrating wins by a few more pints inmanchester on a friday night me and dad putting the world to rights
being relegated
being promoted
the recent fans day , sitting on the salford bench and having a pint looking out onto my field of dreams and having my photo taken as the only man in the shed
a team games watching the stars of the future with another 150 hardy soles on a friday night
the bloke who jumped out of the plane and landed in thenorth stand
there are so many more, all the minutes silences for the reds who are no longer with us
love the willows and had so many good times there nearly all spent with my dad
thanks for the memorys dad , we will still follow to barton unsure if it will be the same
but
BORN RED LIVE RED DIE RED FOREVER A SALFORD RED