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Salford v Swinton has it all

Liam Chronnell
16/ 1/2003

OVER the decades, the fixture has seen it all - from last-minute drop goals and length-of-the-field tries to pitch invasions and death threats. So if you were wondering whether to stay at home and listen to the match on the radio - take a look at our top 10 derbies... it might make you change your mind!

No 1 - April 9, 1938: Challenge Cup Semi-final - Salford 6 Swinton 0

THE most controversial derby of all time was played in front of an official attendance of 31,664 at an inadequate Belle Vue Stadium. It is reckoned as many as 50,000 packed in to see the game after fences were broken down and the encroaching crowd would play a major part in the procedings. The score was locked at 0-0 at the interval, and although Swinton had held the balance of play, it was Salford who took the lead with a Paddy Dalton try. The Lions were desperately trying to equalise when Salford broke away and scored a killer try through Jack Feetham. The Salford winger had reportedly been held in play on the touchline by his own supporters, who also allegedly obstructed would-be Swinton tacklers! Salford went on to win the cup, but the arguments raged on in the stands for years.

No 2 - April 28, 1900: Challenge Cup Final Swinton 16 Salford 8

THIS epic battle took place at Fallowfield and remains the only occasion on which the Lions and the Reds have met at this stage of the Challenge Cup. At half-time the scores were locked at 8-8, but the Lions gradually gained ascendancy and when Salford forward Billy Brown was sent off for a reckless kick the writing was on the wall. Swinton's try scorers were Jack Lewis, Bobby Messer, Bob Valentine and Dai Davies, while skipper Jim Valentine added two conversions despite having a dislocated shoulder. Williams and Pearson scored tries for Salford, with Griffiths kicking a goal.

No 3 - March 14 1885 - Swinton 0 Salford 0

THIS bad-tempered game signified the `true' arrival of the Swinton-Salford derby! Swinton's legendary winger Jim Valentine had received a pre-match death threat and this set the tone for an extraordinary sequence of events. Fights, full scale spectator invasions, pitched battles - the lot! Afterwards the Lions suspended fixtures against their neighbours, and when they resumed two years later they had to be played at a neutral venue!

No 4 - April 20, 1992 - Swinton 18 Salford 26

SALFORD saved their top-flight status in what proved to be the last game at Station Road. The Lions had already been relegated - but victory over their time-honoured rivals would take Salford with them. The game ebbed and flowed like a cup-tie but the Reds clung on, outscoring the Lions four tries to three - with Adrian Hadley scoring a hat-trick of long-range tries for the visitors. A try scored by Swinton's Ian Pickavance would prove to be the last on the Station Road ground, because none of the 3,487 crowd was aware of the consequences awaiting the famous old venue.

No 5 - April 8, 1964 - Swinton 47 Salford 0

THE LIONS were on the brink of retaining the Championship when they destroyed Salford in this Western Division match at Station Road. Alan Buckley scored a record-equalling five tries in a match, while others were added by John Speed (2), Johnny Stopford (2), Derek Clarke and Ken Gowers. To prove it was no fluke the Lions won the return at The Willows a fortnight later 43-0. However, it would be Salford who finished the 1960s `on the up'.

No 6 - October 21, 1972 - Salford 25 Swinton 11

THE REDS' first postwar piece of silverware came at the expense of the Lions in this Lancashire Cup final at Warrington. Salford were putting together a fine team, and it was a number of these new heroes who settled the issue. Tries were scored by Maurice Richards, David Watkins, Paul Charlton, Phil Eastham and Peter Banner, together with five goals from Watkins. Thanks to a try by Bobby Fleay, a drop goal by Peter Kenny, and three goals by Ken Gowers, Swinton fought back to 13-11 at one stage, but it was never going to be enough.

No 7 - April 29, 1933 - Salford 15 Swinton 5

UNDER Lance Todd the Reds were fast becoming a major force in the game - underlined when they won their second Championship Final at Wigan's Central Park. After leading 8-5 at the break, Salford wrapped up a deserved victory with a late try by Jack Feetham. Other tries for the Reds came from Bob Brown and Emlyn Jenkins with skipper Gus Risman adding three goals. For Swinton, Billy Shaw scored a try and Bob Scott kicked a conversion.

No 8 - April 8, 1985 - Salford 5 Swinton 9

THE LIONS claimed the Second Division Championship with this hard-fought victory over their derby rivals at the Willows before a crowd of 4,972. Two tries by Ken Jones and a Les Holliday drop goal proved enough, despite the sending-off of Alan Hodkinson.

No 9 - December 21, 1901 - Salford 2 Swinton 0

THIS marked the official opening of the Reds' new ground at The Willows. Before a crowd of 16,891 Salford emerged victorious thanks to a single drop goal from their legendary captain, James Lomas.

No 10 - December 4, 1880 - Salford 0 Swinton 2

THE first-ever derby (a game which was played under rugby union rules) was fought out at Salford's New Barnes ground. The old ground stood by the side of Manchester Racecourse - a site later covered by the docks and what is now Salford Quays. The return match at Swinton's Stoneacre ground was won by the Lions by 14 tries (seven of them converted) to nil.

Archive pictures courtesy of Steve Wild