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
