Just a few weeks ago we spoke about Salford winning at St.Helens for the first time since 1980. Well that was quite a significant year for Rugby League in the capital. Later that year in the following 1980/81 season Fulham entered Rugby League’s second division. It turned out to be a very successful year with the club finishing third just behind York and Wigan. A crowd of over 15,000 watched there home match with Leeds and the club averaged over 7,000 for the season. Four teams got promoted at the end of 80/81, York as champions along with Wigan, Fulham and Whitehaven.
A lot has changed since that first season, the club has rebranded with different names a few times as well as playing at a good number of different grounds! That spirit is still there though and despite a difficult start to 2024 the team are working hard to improve.
Last year London gained promotion against the odds with some wonderful away victories in the playoffs! This club continues to battle against adversity and if Salford want to take two points back north this Saturday they will most certainly have to earn them!
Super League away record
London 10
Draws 1
Salford 10
1997 London 48 Salford 12
1998 London 21 Salford 12
1999 London 28 Salford 14
2000 London 24 Salford 33
2000 London 10 Salford 16
2001 London 14 Salford 37
2002 London 26 Salford 19
2004 London 35 Salford 30
2005 London 34 Salford 18
2006 Harlequins 40 Salford 18
2007 Harlequins 18 Salford 18
2007 Harlequins 22 Salford 16
2009 Harlequins 22 Salford 26
2010 Harlequins 22 Salford 26
2011 Harlequins 16 Salford 24
2012 London 40 Salford 28
2013 London 30 Salford 44
2014 London 18 Salford 44
2018 London 11 Salford 8 (qualifiers)
2019 London 10 Salford 30
2019 London 28 Salford 58
They played for both.
Since Fulham made there debut season in 1980 there have been a lot of players to represent the capitals team (Fulham,London,Harlequins)and Salford, here are a selection;
Steven Bannister, Radney Bowker, Andrew Brocklehurst, Luke Burgess, Mason Caton Brown, David Cruikshank, Luke Dorn, David Driver, Carl Forster, Matt Gardner, Matty Gee, Tony Gourley, George Griffin, Gareth Haggerty, Tim Hartley, David Highton, Andy Johnson, Ben Jones Bishop, Olsi Krasniqi, Tommy Lee, Ian Maccorquodale, Martin Offiah, Rob Parker, Gareth Price, Jon Roper, Darren Shaw, Andy Smith, Anthony Stewart, Trevor Stockley and Josh White.
A match to remember Sunday 1st July 2001.
London 14 Salford 37
Martin Offiah chalked up 500 career tries with a brace against one of his former clubs when Salford beat London at The Valley in 2001.
Only Billy Boston and Brian Bevan had scored more tries in the British game than the former Great Britain flier.
But it was the Broncos who got off to a dream start with two tries inside the opening quarter of an hour.
However, Salford launched a fightback and, on 21 minutes, Mike Wainwright collected his own kick to score. Once Offiah had ran in his two tries, there was no looking back.
Just before the half-hour, he pulled his side level when he pushed his way past Brett Warton and Andy Johnson.
He then reached the 500-try milestone after 35 minutes when he collected Michael Hancock’s pass to roar under the posts. Star stand off Steve Blakeley capitalised on some hesitant Broncos’ defending, picking up his own kick to score an easy try two minutes before half time to double Salford’s lead.
Bobbie Goulding dropped a goal after 51 minutes, before Warton reduced the arrears with a penalty seven minutes later.
Offiah came close to his hat-trick on 61 minutes with a majestic break – only to be caught by some desperate defence.
But the last ditch tackle just delayed the inevitable when Francis Maloney put Kris Tassell over in the corner.
Further salt was rubbed in the Broncos’ wounds when old boy Karle Hammond scored with his first touch 12 minutes from time following another Maloney pass. A day to remember for Salford and Martin Offiah!
Teams that day;
London: Sykes, Warton, Johnson, Roy, Houles, Dymock, Moran, Cram, Air, Mestrov, Millard, Retchless, Parker. Replacements: Dooley, Hughes, Sozi, Iwenofu.
Salford: Broadbent, Pinkney, Maloney, Littler, Offiah, Blakeley, Goulding, Coley, Alker, Harmon, Highton, Wainwright, Tassell. Replacements: Hancock, Baynes, Arnold, Hammond.
Saturday’s match.
Both sides have had a good break since their last matches a week last Friday. Salford were beaten at Castleford and London were thumped at in form Hull Kingston Rovers.
The Broncos have shown glimpses of promise so far this season particularly in home matches at the Cherry Red Records stadium.
The Red Devils are big favourites with the Bookmakers with the Broncos having a 26 point start on one handicap coupon.
It will be interesting to see if Paul Rowley makes any changes to his side. David Nofoaluma, Deon Cross and Ethan Ryan will be after the two wing positions and let’s not forget Chris Hankinson who is currently injured but was in really good form prior to that. Competition for places is something every squad needs.
The Broncos have plenty of pace in their back line, Alex Walker plays at fullback and can be a very dangerous support player. Former French international Hakim Miloudi has a wealth of experience having played with eleven different clubs. He also possesses a very potent try record. In the pack Will Lovell has spent over ten years in the capital playing for the Broncos and London Skolars racking up over two hundred appearances.
This is a very important game for Salford. It’s an old cliche but you get two points no matter who you beat so this match is just as vital as that win at St.Helens was. Going into next Saturday’s home game with Warrington with ten points would be a very solid start to the season and a start that many people didn’t see coming.
A professional performance is needed on Saturday. Mistakes kept to a minimum and discipline needs to be strict. Rugby League is all about momentum in the modern game now and if Salford allow London a leg up it could be a hill to climb on Saturday.
The Broncos will be much like Castleford, desperate to get their first win. That makes them dangerous and yes this game will be another banana skin their is no doubt about that.
Salford have the tools to get the job done. With Marc Sneyd and Cade Cust pulling the strings and creating chances we should be able to post points. The defence needs to be tighter particularly on the edges because Castleford exploited that and I am sure the Broncos will be looking to do the same.
The action gets under way at 3pm.
Safe travels and enjoy the match.
Paul Whiteside.
Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos and the Salford match day programme.
Paul Whiteside Rugby League 