WELCOME to the concluding part of the Advertiser’s annual sporting review. Last week we focused on the first six months of 2008 and now July through to December comes under the spotlight. The back end of the year had sensational highs galore for Salford’s sporting fraternity, plus a few soul destroying lows. Let’s just hope that the new year brings as many highlights for all of you sports fans out there.

July

IT was a landmark month for Salford with the Reds being one of 14 rugby league clubs to gain a three-year Super League licence. They also won the Northern Rail Cup with a 60-0 success against Doncaster in Blackpool and they signed highly-rated Aussie prop Ray Cashmere from North Queensland Cowboys. In National League One, they beat Dewsbury 22-8, Leigh 46-12 and Halifax 36-18. But they could only draw 30-30 at Feartherstone and Peel Holdings took over Salford’s new stadium project after original project managers Red City Developments went into administration. Swinton Lions began training at their rented site in Agecroft, signed rugby union convert Dave York, were deprived of Phil Wood due to a broken collarbone and their losing streak was extended to seven matches following defeats to London Skolars (26-22), Doncaster (44-16), Keighley (40-6) and York (66-12). Former Salford player Mark Edmondson was appointed joint head coach of Irlam Hornets with John Brookes after a shoulder injury had ended his playing career at the start of the year. Salford boxer Jamie Moore claimed the Irish Light Middleweight title with a three round victory over Ciaran Healy in Dublin. And Salford trainer Billy Graham retired from the sport after being sacked by Manchester golden boy Ricky Hatton. Salford-born boxer Lee Meager also walked away from the sport after losing his all-Manchester British Lightweight title fight with John Murray in five rounds. In football, Salford’s Liam Dickinson left Stockport County for Derby County in a £1million deal, Walkden eight-year-old Dylan Bradbury signed for Everton and Salford City lifted the inaugural Salford Advertiser Challenge Trophy with a 3-2 win over Irlam. Salford’s Phil Hamer was the leading scorer in both in-line roller hockey events as Great Britain under-18s won the FIRS Junior World Championships and the AAU Junior Olympics in Philadelphia. Salford Harrier Andi Jones made history by winning the Snowdon International Race for the third successive year. Fifteen-year-old Little Hulton cricketer Joe Davies was selected to play for England at the first opportunity after excelling while representing the North of England team at the Bunbury Festival. Wentworth High School’s girls won a national competition – the English Schools Basketball Association Finals. In swimming, Salford’s James Doolan won a gold medal and helped smash a 100 metres medley relay world youth record at the FINA World Youth Swimming Championships in Mexico. Daniel Phillips (2) and Elliott Hynes won gold medals at the National Age Group Championships while Amanda Nugent and Heather Frederiksen took gold at the National Youth Championships. The Salford gold medal winners at the National Welsh Championships in Swansea were Anthony Moss (3) and Kurtis Sandlan.

August

SALFORD Quays resident Chris Hoy became Scotland’s greatest ever Olympian with the cycling ace winning a record equalling three gold medals for Great Britain at the Beijing Games. But Swinton’s judo star Michelle Rogers and Salford Quays-based rower Olivia Whitlam failed in their Olympic medal bids. James Doolan scooped a relay gold medal and an individual silver while representing Great Britain at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Belgrade. And the Advertiser revealed that fellow Swinton resident Katie Cassidy had swam five lengths of the Worsley Pool at the age of two. Walkden teenager Aimee Backhouse won the women’s section of the New Jersey Triathlon. Salford speedway star Ricky Ashworth broke his wrist while riding for Sheffield. Walkden Thai Boxing Club 15-year-old Rebecca Edge added the English ISKA junior title to her north west area belt. Salford Harrier Rachel Jones claimed her first European Biathle Championships title at Salford Quays. Clifton eight-year-old Taylor Share joined Everton Football Club. Worsley bull fighter Frank Evans retired from the sport at the age of 66 and Worsley sailor Alison Greenan was victorious in the National School Association Regatta in Derbyshire. In cricket, Monton and Weaste beat Heywood by seven wickets in the Central Lancashire League’s Wood Cup final and league champions Walkden overcame Tonge by three wickets in the Bolton League’s Hamer Cup final. Salford City Reds rugby league club continued their preparations for their return to Super League in 2009 by signing New Zealand international half back Jeremy Smith from South Sydney and Aussie forward Luke Swain from Gold Coast Titans. Stephen Nash, Stefan Ratchford and Adam Sidlow penned contract extensions but the Reds turned down the chance to sign St Helens legend Paul Sculthorpe. Karl Fitzpatrick and Stuart Littler were named in Ireland’s World Cup squad. And, on the pitch, Salford defeated Dewsbury 58-6 and Batley 46-0 but lost 20-10 to Celtic. Swinton failed to make the League Two play-offs, finishing 10th after beating Hunslet 36-20 but going down 50-26, 38-20 and 31-12 to Rochdale, Oldham and Barrow respectively. But Bruce Johnson, Ben Williams, Chris Frodsham, Craig Ashall and Barry Hamilton all agreed contract extensions with the club.

September

SALFORD City Reds rugby league club added the National League One title to their Northern Rail Cup and league leaders’ trophies with a thrilling 36-18 Grand Final success against Celtic in Warrington. They began their play-off campaign with a 44-18 defeat to Celtic before beating Whitehaven 62-18. The Reds signed centre Mark Henry from North Queensland Cowboys, forward Rob Parker from Warrington and winger Dean McGilvray from St Helens for the 2009 campaign but released Paul Highton, Mat Gardner, Andrew Brocklehurst, Andy Ballard, Chris Borgese, Daley Williams and Leon Walker. Craig Stapleton became the first Salford player to ever win four Reds player of the year awards. Richard Myler took Salford’s and National League One’s young player of the year gongs while head coach Shaun McRae was unveiled as the League One coach of the year. Swinton Lions, who were linked with a controversial move to Darwen, snapped up second rower Mike Wainwright from Leigh after he had impressed on loan but Swinton’s Chris Morley announced his retirement. A disillusioned Steve Foster Junior pulled out of his English Super Featherweight title fight with Bradford’s Femi Fehintola on the back of being overlooked for a rematch with world champion Alex Arthur for a second time. And fellow Salford boxer Jamie Moore was frustrated by the second postponement of his scheduled European Light Middleweight title fight with Ukrainian Zaurbek Baysangurov. Salford trainer Oliver Harrison announced that he was branching out into the world of promotion and management to give himself more control of his Oliver’s Gym boxers. In swimming, Salford-based Heather Frederiksen won a 100 metres backstroke gold medal and a 100m freestyle silver while breaking world and European records at the Beijing Paralympics. She also took silver in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 200m individual medley while Katrina Alder won three gold medals at the UK School Games. Walkden Cricket Club completed a hat-trick of Bolton League triumphs by seeing off Farnworth Social Club by 51 runs in the Barclay’s Wealth Lancashire Cup final, Little Hulton beat Atherton by 61 runs at the second time of asking in the Bolton Association’s Cross Cup final, Monton and Weaste seconds edged out Littleborough by two wickets in the Central Lancashire League’s Burton Cup final and Winton won a first team trophy for the first time in 20 years after defeating Wythenshawe by 23 runs in the Manchester Association’s JW Lees Twenty20 Cup final. Salford-based Dave Smith edged out Swinton Park’s Lee Parr in the single’s section of the MENWN Golf Trophy and Ellesmere Golf Club’s young guns won the Manchester Junior League by a whopping 64 points. Thirteen-year-old Ellenbrook footballer Jack Willison signed for Bolton Wanderers.

October

SALFORD City sacked manager Gary Fellows following a poor start to their debut season in the UniBond Football League. Former Bridlington and Woodley Sports boss Ashley Berry was named as his successor. Swinton FC’s Aaron Smith was snapped up by Stockport County. Eccles husband and wife Barney and Sarah Storey won four cycling gold medals between them at the Paralympics in Beijing. Walkden’s Andrew Rushton moved up to second in England’s table tennis rankings after retaining his Six Nations title in Scotland. Worsley’s Vicky Botwright signed off her 13-year professional squash career in style by reaching the final of the Hi-Tec World Championships. In boxing, Steve Foster Junior won an eight rounder with Birmingham’s Jason Nesbitt on points to secure a world title fight with WBO Super Featherweight champion Nicky Cook, Salford’s Lee Beard was appointed a full-time trainer to super star Ricky Hatton and Swinton 12-year-old Charlie Rooney won a British Youth Boxing Federation title. Swinton Park assistant David Smith secured the Lancashire PGA Championship at Hesketh by two shots plus the Manchester Alliance individual and pairs titles at Wychwood Park. Walkden Judo Club won 15 medals at their first official tournament – the Lancashire Area Championships – and Salford Gymnastics Club picked up the novice and pre-novice titles at the North West Team Championships. Swinton Lions rugby league club decided to remain based at Sedgley Park after turning down the opportunity to move to Darwen. They brought in prop Paul Southern and highly-rated stand off Graham Holroyd from Halifax, second rowers Tommy Grundy and Danny Heaton from Oldham, hooker Alex McClurg and utility back Dave Hull from St Helens plus half back or hooker Matty Ash from Rochdale and centre Charles Rimmer from Warrington Academy. They also released seven players in Rob Ball, Rick Jones, Matty Bryers, Chris Brand, Ryan Mirfield, Dave York and Chris Hull. Salford City Reds snared top class centre Willie Talau from St Helens. They got Luke Adamson to sign a new deal but Luke Ambler moved on after failing to come to a new contract agreement. Richard Myler excelled after being handed a surprise England debut. He scored two tries in a 74-0 victory over Wales but he failed to make England’s World Cup squad.

November

HEATHER Frederiksen broke four world and two European records at the Disability Sports Event’s National Short Course Swimming Championships in Sheffield while Worsley’s Richard Howard broke a world record as well as a European and British record in winning three gold medals and four silvers at the event. Essex boy Nicky Cook pulled out of his world title fight with Salford’s Steve Foster Junior due to flu. And Salford’s Daitan Jackson claimed the ISKA Light Middleweight English Thai Boxing crown. All four of the Salford City Reds players who took part in the Rugby League World Cup in Australia and New Zealand performed well. John Wilshere’s Papua New Guinea side and Willie Talau’s Samoa team crashed out at the group stage but Karl Fitzpatrick and Stuart Littler helped Ireland to reach the first knockout phase. Salford signed teenage centre Andrew Thornley on a one-year loan deal from Wigan and released second rower Stephen Banister following a motoring prank at the end of the 2008 season. Swinton recruited former Lions player Wes Rogers as their new assistant coach. Prop Rob Lion penned a new deal but the Lions failed to come to new contract agreements with Andy Saywell and Liam McGovern. The local karate clubs shone at the Ken Yu Kai National Championships in Eccles. Langworthy Ken Yu Kai Karate Club won 22 medals, Eccles Karate Club took 15 and Broughton Ken Yu Kai Karate Club claimed 12. Eccles’ Matt Doyle won the LG Big Air Finals snowboarding competition in London. Salford Gymnastics Club enjoyed a medal haul of 33 at the North West Individual Championships and North Walkden JFC received an FA Charter Standard Club award for grassroots football from England legend Stuart Pearce.

December

IT was announced that Steve Foster Junior will have a shot at Nicky Cook’s WBO Super Featherweight title in London at the end of February 2009 and Foster Junior’s fellow Salford boxer Jamie Moore will fight Italian Michele Piccirillo for the European Light Middleweight title vacated by Zaurbek Baysangurov at the beginning of March. Olympic hero Chris Hoy was named the winner of the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Salford City Reds rugby league club were given permission to take Phil Leuluai off their overseas quota. Salford City Football Club sacked manager Ashley Berry but signed ex-Reading and Southend centre back Martyn Booty, who played more than 400 Football League games. Walkden Thai Boxing Club 14-year-old Rebecca Edge won her third belt of the year – the British Junior 50 kilograms title. Langworthy’s Dean Field made a spectacular return from a serious knee injury he sustained in 2006 by winning a gold medal at the European Shotokan Karate Association Championships in London. Disabled Worsley swimmer Richard Howard smashed his own short course 200 metres butterfly world record by a whopping 12 seconds.