...... part 2!

The Shed being rammed against Leeds/Hull in the 90's and the hostile yet brilliant atmosphere.

Korky's 'kick'

Spanking a really good Widnes team of the early 90's and the atmosphere on a bitterly cold night.

The team try against Saints (07?), try against Hull from kickoff, Youngy running one in from near halfway (or am I dreaming that one? )

I love everything about The Willows and I still get the same buzz walking through the turnstiles as I did as a 12 year old all them years ago. The only thing missing from those memories is success on the pitch. I guess having so many lows over the years makes the sporadic highs seem that much sweeter.

Singing in the shed and the great atmosphere and banter with away fans !
Listening to the Brother In Law shout his favourite quote in the shed "RIP HIS SPLEEN OUT !"
The KH years when we were a force and turning up at the Willows with hope !
Sunday Rugby and arriving at the the Willows vault bang on opening time for prematch drink, discussion and laughter !
Reading the Scarlet Turkey and having a laugh at it's content post match.
Apart from the KH years, in a wierd way I liked the relegation dog fights at the Willows as well !
But most memorably for me, playing at the Willows for the A team and also for the Manchester & District team and scoring a few tries at this very special place !

I find it difficult to remember specific games except for the odd outstanding victory like the Wigan Cup win.

I first went to the Willows during 1949 - 1950 season. I have no idea who Salford were playing as I was three at the time. My mother was pregnant with my younger brother and my dad, having worked Saturday morning because he was in the Building trade, took me to the Willows so my mum could have a rest. That was when my addiction started. I'm sure I used to just play on the empty terraces then, bur Salford RLFC got to me.

I remember players who were my heroes like Wally MacArthur, Arthur Gregory, John Cheshire, Dai Davies and Albert Baines.

There was a sense of excitement as players like Billy Banks and the great Jackie Brennan joined the club and then along came Brian Sparks as the team began to improve, with the start of the Snape years. I remember during the Snape years drawing 5 -5 with Saints at the Willows and beating them 8 - 3 (I think) at Knowsley Road when Les Bettinson had a magnificent game. We went to Wigan in the next round and won comfortably despite having Frank Collier sent off. We all thought it was our year for the cup - until we lost 7 -5 at Dewsbury in the Quarter Finals. That memory is as painful as losing to Castleford at Wembley, and to Sheffield at Headingley.

As the Snape years progressed we became fashionable and successful. We saw some great players in the red shirt. We were privileged to be able to see Charlton, Fielding, Watkins, Hesketh, Richards, the great Ken Gill, Nash, Banner, Coulman, Dixon, Smethurst, and Prescott at the club. Other superb players like Butler, Colloby, Rule and Williams almost had supporting roles.

Yet the crowd was always critical. After one typical Friday night match which we'd won with a splendid display of attacking rugby, as the tightly packed crowd was making its way out onto Weaste Lane the guy in front of me said, 'Watkins had a poor game tonight.' Somewhat surprised, I said, 'Come on! He kicked nine goals, scored three tries and laid on three more!' 'Aye, but what else did he do?' came the response which caused all around to laugh at him.

Those were great years and we did not appreciate them as much as we should have done as since then we haven't enjoyed the same quality of rugby, except for the odd occasion. We've seen some talent though in Neil Baker, Paul Shaw, Garry Jack and Michael Hancock. It's a shame that young talent has left us as we do need to build for the future.

This addiction still rules my life. I've passed it on to my son and my grand daughter shows signs of the same disease.

At times I've been miserable in lots of places like Bradford, Perpignan, Wigan and Saint Helens, but there have been times when I've loved those same places - though not as often as I would have liked.

In sixty odd years I haven't missed more than ten matches at the Willows and think I will find tomorrow a strange day. I still can't believe that it's my last ever match there for some reason. Someone must be having us on!!

But it is and I've got my season ticket for Barton. I've been very impressed by Matt Parish and I really hope it will be onwards and upwards.

I really hope there will be a great atmosphere there tomorrow. Over the years I've stood in various specs at the ground but I'll be in the Shed tomorrow where I've been for a good few years. I can't wait.

Come on you Reds!

Beating Wigan with a Holroyd (?) drop goal, 31-30

When that Toulouse player wasn't too happy with the Shed's reaction to his sinbinning.

Just remembered the time we beat Les Cats and the shed song to them Au Revoir, Au Revoir, possibly the best bit of off the cuff banter I've ever seen.

As we have now started life in the new ground and left the Willows behind, I thought I’d share some of the photos I took during the last season. My aim was to document the last season and capture all the things the things that were so special to so many of us. In the end I only started the project in earnest from Good Friday so I missed a good number of the early home games. The photos can be found here rl]rl] www.flickr.com/photos/andrewnoon ... 881328653/ All the photos were shot on a compact camera and I wanted to capture the atmosphere of game days at The Willows and all it entailed. Whatever we all think of the new ground The Willows was special to so many of us and holds so many great memories and will always remain our spiritual home. I loved going there over the years and it still hasn’t quite hit home that we won’t be playing there again. I imagine it will hit me at some point whilst watching a game at the new ground where I realise this is now what we call home. If there is enough interest I will look at doing a book that people can buy online using the website Blurb.

As we have now started life in the new ground and left the Willows behind, I thought I’d share some of the photos I took during the last season. My aim was to document the last season and capture all the things the things that were so special to so many of us. In the end I only started the project in earnest from Good Friday so I missed a good number of the early home games. The photos can be found here rl]rl] www.flickr.com/photos/andrewnoon ... 881328653/ All the photos were shot on a compact camera and I wanted to capture the atmosphere of game days at The Willows and all it entailed. Whatever we all think of the new ground The Willows was special to so many of us and holds so many great memories and will always remain our spiritual home. I loved going there over the years and it still hasn’t quite hit home that we won’t be playing there again. I imagine it will hit me at some point whilst watching a game at the new ground where I realise this is now what we call home. If there is enough interest I will look at doing a book that people can buy online using the website Blurb.