I find this thread really encouraging. I've aired my views on creating a stronger rugby league culture in Salford and how this would benefit all Salford's sides (including Swinton
) before.
It's no coincidence that Wigan, Leeds and St Helens have succeeded at the elite level, when you look at the strength of their respective amateur teams. Furthermore, the schools in these areas often feature winners in school/college championships, showing that devlopment is multi-faceted.
Granted, Oldham bucks the trend but I should imagine this is an exceptional case.
A strong amateur scene in addition to continuing improvement in the work the club does with Salford/Manchester schools will surely pay dividends for Salford RL and Swinton in the future. One thing's for sure, it's imperative the amateur game sorts itself out generally speaking, as the recent cuts in Sport England funding for reduced participation in the game is a concerning trend that must be rectitfied