Sorry for filling up the forum but, as you can tell, I've not got too much to do in my week off



Anyway, I was wondering, I went past the site of our old home the Willows in August whilst on a drive on Weaste Lane. I dont live all that near to it so it was the first I'd seen the site for quite a while. I was surprised to find that, although the stadium had obviously been demolished, other than that there had been no change on the site. I even saw whats left of some of the old entrance gates, but there was no new buildings. I could swear that I read somewhere last year that the City Housing Association had plans to build on the site, so whats happened to these proposals? With Koukash saying on twitter last week that he wishes he got involved with us while we were at the Willows, is there a chance (however slim) that we could return to our ancestral home? After all, do we even know who owns the land any more?

I`m not certain but think the Official Receiver may have a say in this.

I think City West have plans to build a substantial number of houses on the site.

I would love to know how much Godliman Watson Homes paid for the land, no doubt it was a vastly under valued 'official' figure. It still amazes me how a man who had owned the club for so long and loved everything about it and the City could shaft us so badly with the whole new stadium affair.

I nearly bit
You're entitled to your opinion,let's leave it at that.

Taking nostalgia out of it, and bear in mind that I was born and raised in Weaste, I can only see two certain benefits for moving back. One is that it seems to be easier to access and quicker to get to for a greater number of people, which is saying something. Then there’s the ‘proper’ Salford issue, which appears to be a thing for some folks east of Eccles and west of Manchester.

However, any new stadium would have to be designed right. Plonking a similar build to that of Barton on the old Willows site would still suffer many of the problems we complain about today. There is less scope for expansion. And there is no guarantee that local residents on Weaste Lane and Kennedy Road would not object to a new build.

The things I miss the most really, if I'm being honest, is the old Shed atmosphere – which was a figment of our imagination anyway long before we left and the South Stand shows signs now and again of getting something good going – and the booze before and after the game in The Willows, the Cons and the like, and some of those hostelries have since gone.

In my job I know for a fact that if a housing estate and apartments can get permission on some land then a new stadium almost certainly can - trust me on that.

My point was that Koukash was moaning a lot about the prices that the Stadium company were charging the club (anyone know how much this is?) just before he said he wished he got involved with us whilst we were at the willows. Im no accountant, but if we did (unlikely, I know) manage to get a stadium at the site of the Willows it would all be on a loan most likely and if the repayment rate of this was cheaper than the rate the stadium company charge us (bear in mind if we did we'd get more ticket revenue with bigger attendances) we could benefit significantly if we did rebuild there. Its unlikely, but not as impractical as our Barton fans like to think.

I disagree. Salford Council would do everything in their power to stop a stadium being built on the Willows site, they've got their own business interests at Barton to look after.

Exactly. No matter how much fans want a return, there is no way we are going back to the willows site and anywhere else for that matter. Once we get pubs, eateries and the other bits built then things will get better. At the moment though it's just a stadium with challenges to get too. I expect that in a few years time this will be much different and an all round better game day experience for all.

It's dead , and buried .

The ideal relocation of the ' New ' Willows would have been anywher along the Eccles New rd corridor - Ladywell - West One - Lankro Way .
It would have been close enough for the existing fans to walk up , & allow visiting traffic off M602 & centenary Bridge .
and have Metrolink access for public transport .


Outside of the Chorley Rd Venue getting planning permission and proceeding.

THe relationship with Peel / SMC at the AJ Bell seem to be going downhill rapidly.
so much so they are looking to agree a Cup game at the City's EDS Academy Stadium ( 7,000-capacity stadium )



only other New stadium nearest completion is in Moston FCUM's ground
5,000 Capacity.

[urlhttp://www.airviews.info/fc_united.html[/url

It's actually down to be a maximum of 4,440. Council and the dibble may yet decide otherwise.

The problem with the Willows was that it was hemmed in on both sides by houses. The people living in those houses wouldn't be too pleased to see a gigantic stand suddenly appearing at the bottom of their back yards, and I doubt the club would ever have got permission to build anything bigger than what was already there. There probably wasn't enough land to build a big stand either. If the club is ever to progress, it needed to move away.

The problem is we haven't progressed. I understand the AJ Bell is more modern but I feel as if we've gone backwards since leaving the Willows.

Why did we have to leave anyway? I can swear it was a better stadium than Wakefield's.

who also would have moved if financial issues had not stopped them.

I loved the Willows, and miss it every game, but recognise that we had to move: RL would not allow us to stay and retain our Super League status.
Like two other favourite grounds: the Athletic ground at Rochdale and the iconic Watersheddings, they have gone. As have so many others.

God the Willows was nice but some people must wear rose tinted specs.

Wazzing into an open drain, showered in rust every time a ball hit the roof, dodging dog turds on the walk through the back streets to get to the ground, Norman Collieresque sound over the PA even the threat once of decapitation when part of the roof fell in during a light zephyr.

No it was old and traditional but let's be realistic, we'd have been looking forward to the visit of Hemel, South Wales and the likes if we'd have stayed.

We might not have even made it this far.

Barton has it's faults, many will be ironed out when the road is finished (what many forget is that the facilities around the ground can't start until it is finished as part of the agreement when everything was signed), the main issue is the owners and the way what is already there is being run, you do suspect that soon one way or the other something will be done.

The longer people continue to cling on to memories of The Willows, the longer it will take for Barton to feel like our home stadium.

We really need to start doing things to improve the matchday atmosphere at Barton from next season onwards. It's time to finally move on from The Willows.

Fact the Willows was at the heart of the Salford Community which your club represented and sometimes with style.
Barton is a stadium stuck in scrub land in an area purporting to represent Salford which we all know was manufactured by boundary changes in the 70's, it is inaccessible as a walk to stadium and is a nightmare to leave if in a car. A new road will not change the fact that the move to that stadium has stopped the Salford club representing the community it once did.

Pretty much agree with all of this. We might never get the Willows back, but we will always have the memories.

Our highest crowd in recent times was 10k on the last day at the Willows. Yet now we're averaging 3k at Barton and the regime are looking for answers they seem to be wanting to move the club as far away from Weaste as possible. Baffling.

The fact that you agree with Marshy say's it all.

I wish my dear old Nain was still alive today as she used to love Tripe.

The Willows was a hole, nothing more and nothing less, we moved or we perished. It was anachronism and we have gone to a ground with better facilities, the fact that some could stumble from a local pub in Weaste into the Willows was the main concern when moving.

Mario why don't you grow some Cajonies and say you either don't like the Doc or the new regime as that seems to be the main basis of all your arguments.

Where do you get this figure?last season the average was over 4,500.
Someone asked if you are a wigan fan in another thread, are you?
Everything you come out with is negative about salford.

Oh give over Marshy. The only people fretting about what is and isn't Salford are a dwindling band of Swintonians who are still fighting a battle they lost over 40 years ago. Barton, like Swinton, is part of Salford, and has been since before most of the people living in those places were born.

You're OK with scrub land, semi-right about it being inaccessible as a walk (I walk it), wrong about it being a nightmare to leave (at least no more than any other SL stadium car park - obviously, you'll have to take my word for this), and way off mark with the community guff. You missed public transport, which is another factor. What keeps people away more than anything else is that the club has failed, so far, to give them a reason to go.

I hate the AJ bell stadium (as I've mentioned once or twice) but the willows as popular and iconic as it is, isn't the answer. I would love to see a new stadium built in Salford - there is plenty of spaces to go at but till we get decent attendances and genuine interest then it isn't going to happen. two words, vicious and circle.

Red, since the boundary changes took place in the 70's are you suggesting that everyone prior to that happening are now deceased who lived in the area of Barton? As for SL stadia I have been to all of them bar Catalan and it's fair to say Barton is the worst in my opinion.
Public transport..are you suggesting special buses should be operated on match day and because they don't it affects the crowds, I doubt it and without checking this I don't think any other club expects buses to operate in this manor unless paid for by the club itself.
You seem to think I am digging at the Red evils but communities is what made these clubs ....Wigan, Saint Helens and yes Swinton all originally owning stadia which the communities they represented could get to easily and what ever way you wish to look at it Salfords current home is a million miles away from that.

Not wishing to be picky Marshy,


a million miles is a trifle over elaboration, it's 3.9 miles away from all that ...

Central Park ( Tesco ) to the DW Stadium is 2.3 miles

Knowsley Rd to Langtree Park ( Mcmanus Drive ) is 2.4 miles

Now that's picky.

No.. actually it was sarcasm ,

In Truth all this reference to the centre of the community is overstated- it may have been true 70 years ago when the weaste locals & workers from winterbottoms etc would have walked up to the ground of a saturday afternoon.
the flaw in the argument is the stadium moves - Hull Fc - Warrington- Wigan - Saints are of similar milage, and some are equally as difficult to access & park , the main issue here is all the above clubs have had periods of success to maintain or recruit new fanbase to sustain the move.and not had a FA club neighbour to replace them as the community focus .
with the relocation aligned with sustained poor results it will be an uphill battle.
Lots of people on here have alluded that all the fuss & bluster about the AJ Bell would soon dissipate if we actually started playing to our potential .