Too many memories I guess , not mentioning the obvious ones,

Early memories , the Salford - Widnes Centenary Game in 79 , having a argument in the North Stand with a Harridan Widnes Supporter who took exception to me accusing Reggie Bowden of being a ' Dirty Bar-steward ', she was knitted out of black & white.

The Salford team of the late 70's running on the pitch to the 'Radetzky March' ( Theme to Monty Pythons Flying Circus ) . bizzarre then, appropriate now.

A Match in the late 80's 88 I think ( still the Era of the Biff ) HKR's David Bishop's debut Game the self proclaimed ' Worlds Best Scrum Half ' getting a ' Nose Job for free from Darren Bloor.

Warringtons Steve Roach being sent from the Field 10 mins' into a match after an ' altercation with Stevie Herbert in the scrum , I suspect Mr Herbert introduced himself first , Roach retaliated and was sent packing with Herbert grining from ear to ear.

Alan hunte's 89Min winning try for Warrington after a brilliant CC cup game , that's how you lose a game , busting a gut amidst controversy not capitulating after 18mins !

Neil Baynes lambasting his teamates after a humiliating battering aginst Cas

Awesome Toulouse Bearded Prop Olivier Pramil 'raising his game' after the Shed raised the subject of his salad avoidance.

London Bronco's Ritchie Barnett incredulous reaction as his team were applauded off the field by the Shed after showing our side how to play entertaining attacking rugby. More poignant to show respect to a good winning team than to verbally abuse your own .

Gutted we couldn't be the last game at the willows! The stadium deserves a good send off with a great game and top atmosphere. Not sure that will happen with Catalans playing.

Indeed, strangely enough as someone who was deemed too young to be able to stay up & watch Monty Python but old enough to have been taken to The Willows every week that music will always mean Salford to me & on watching Python repeats these days I'm always transported back to cold winter nights sat in the North Stand with a cup of Bovril & the smell of linament in the air.

With regards to Salford players with a 100% goal-kicking record, didn't Mike Coulman pop over a late conversion in his swan-song for us at the North Stand end? I definitely remember him taking it & I'm almost certain he was succesful.

One memory for me was of the dreadful refereeing performance from Ronnie Campbell (IIRC) against Cardiff in the early 80's. I remember an elderly mainstander coming onto the pitch at one point to remonstrate with the official after yet another dubiously disallowed Salford try. The pelting that he received on his way to the dressing rooms is the reason that we now have a covered tunnel (by order of the RFL) and I recall a radio report saying that he was refused entry to the Variety Club after the game & then needed a police escort back to the motorway to avoid the baying locals. To those whio criticise today's referees believe me you've never seen anything like that man's dodgy display that night.

Whilst Wigan in the cup is obviously my greatest Willows memory i thought i'd put some of the least obvious ones.

My very first game against Whitehaven in the 1988/89 season.

Being Steve Gibson's pen-pal.

Hull in around 2001/02. We were losing by around 14-16 points with around 10 minutes to go but ended winning thanks to 3 converted scores. One of which was a full length effort from Offiah who left a young Brian Carney in his wake.

Fata Sini's performance against Saints in 97.

The reaction to Chris Hicks missed last minute conversion attempt on Good Friday in 09.

My step-mum chasing Russel Smith back to his dressing room after a particulary poor reffing performance against London in 97/98ish.

Steve Kerry being carried off the pitch after a win. Pretty sure it was against Leigh in the late 80's and it was on tv.

That tune is (I think) The Liberty Bell by Sousa. The Radetzky March by Johann Strauss senior is the one they play on the Last Night of the Proms.

Your right it was The Liberty Bells. rlTunerl

Oh please, please, please, pleeeeeeease make this the tune the players run out to for the remainder of life at the Willows!!!

Alan Hunte also kicked 100% for Salford. IIRC he had kicked 1 towards the end of a season (I forget who against) then in another game later in the season, as we'd scored a try, Steve Blakeley was being substituted on, as he wasn't allowed to be subbed on and take the kick, we had no goal-kicker, so Alan stepped up again making it 2 out of 2.

As for my own personal memories of The Willows,

5-2 v Harlequins (1st Super League game to contain no trys),
Playing in the kids game at Half Time in the 31-30 win over Wigan,
Martin Offiah's drop goal v Bradford to make it 1-0,
David Hulme nailing a young Andy Farrell,
A fight v Wakefield with Bobbie Goulding just running around giving players on the outside of the 'huddle' digs in the back,
The Devil Duck,
Steven Tyrer's flick back to Fitzy v Hull last season was also pretty special,
Being mascot in Steve Blakeleys return game after his 'spell' at Warrington,
Every time Blakeley made a sandcastle to kick from, he wasn't having any of the new modern tee's,
Everyone in the ground singing "Alker For Britain" every time Brian Noble walked across the pitch v Wigan,
Generally watching the game from right next to the tunnel (where the classroom is now) with my older brother while my dad stood in the shed.

great post mate - have got great memories as well stretching back to my first game at the Willows.Think I must have been about 5 sat with my dad in front of the main stand on the front row of the seats then moving over to behind the sticks with the big scoreboard at the back (before the North Stand was built)

Then standing fifth step down in the NS terrace to the left of the sticks (directly in line with the "e" on Pontinental advert.Great memories (all with my dad who sadly is no longer here)...fantastic team of the early to mid-70's/2 league titles/Cup finals (sadly not the Challenge Cup ).Great crowds/packed stands...then moving over to the one and only Shed early 80's.

Will deff be "Shed"ding a tear on 11th Sept - wonderful times at The Willows - let's hope we move on to bigger and better times at Barton !!!

our very own "9 11"

memories later after i have put the hankies away

Having read all the posts you have put on here I must admit I was feeling for you all at the loss of the Willows. As I have already said, and also being a Swinton supporter, I remember many good visits to the ground during the derby games and it is without doubt (after Station Rd's demise) one of my favourite grounds to visit due to the closeness you get to the players all the smells you refer to i.e the linement in the days when we had winter rugby and yes the smell of the dreaded death burgers which still exists today.
However my very lasting memory of the Willows if all goes to plan will be watching the very last trophy held aloft at the ground in Aug/Sep of this year by Mr Lee wingfield, captain of Swinton Lions.

Do you honestly think there will be any grass left to play on after our last game? B&Q had better stock up on extra spades! That turf must be the best in rugby league

Not to sure if we finish our games before you but I do agree the playing surface is without doubt second to none.