Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club has just celebrated its 120th birthday and to mark the momentous occasion, the legendary Manc institution has released a limited edition t-shirt to raise funds for the historic building.
Starting back in 1903, Salford Lads’ Club has remained a cultural cornerstone in the local community for well over a century, providing young people with sport, regular activities and a recreational outlet as well as serving as a storied tourist attraction for several decades.
From serving as a practice space for The Hollies back in the ’60s and featuring as the backdrop to one of the most iconic images of The Smiths, to hosting the likes of John Cooper Clarke and Kristen Stewart ahead of Manchester’s famous Chanel show in 2023, these walls have seen all kinds of history.
With that in mind, the people who help run the Ordsall gem are making such that its legacy continues for another 120 years and beyond by selling off a limited number of these special shirts to pump funds directly back into the club.
The shirt, the club and the first-ever card given to members.Salford City FC stars Ethan Ingram, Curtis Tilt and Alex Cairns show off the limited edition Lads’ Club shirt.Credit: Salford Lads’and Girls’ Club
This isn’t the first time they have teamed up with the local community for a foray into fashion, having put out a similarly sought-after collaboration kit with Salford City last year, as well an official Adidas Classics track jacket which has gone on to become a real collector’s item.
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In all of these instances, one thing has remained the same: the profits go straight back into keeping the club alive and allowing Salfordians and Greater Mancunians to use the facilities, support other local organisations and charities, as well as further raise the profile of the already iconic club.
With more than 200 members still regularly attending, not to mention countless Manc music artists and even companies like Marks and Spencer embracing the rich Northern heritage, Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club continues to stand as one of our region’s most important landmarks.
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From its working-class roots and influence on the Manchester music scene to its significance in the city borough of Salford, specifically, it’s hard to overestimate just how important this location is to us Mancs — as tokens like this limited edition shirt and what comes with it just pays homage to.
The first ever invite/entry card given to new club members.The Daily Dispatch news report on one of the Salford Lads’ Clubs first meetings.Credit: Supplied
Available for the anniversary this year only, the shirts went on sale as of Wednesday, 31 January with each limited edition t-shirt costing just £25 from the club itself or online.
Better yet, not only does each purchase come with a commemorative card mirroring the first-ever print shown above — the first 100 coming numbered just like the originals — but all the money goes straight back into keeping the club not just running but thriving.
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Funds go not only towards helping organise activities for young people each and every week but also towards the annual trip club camping trip which has been running since 1904. Incredible stuff.
This isn’t the only way Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club is commemorating 120 wonderful years either, as they’ve also teamed up with local brewers Seven Brothers to create a special craft lager that you can also check out down below.
Manchester United fans planning another major protest amid more upheaval around the club
Danny Jones
Manchester United supporters look set to stage another high-profile demonstration in protest against the INEOS Sports ownership group.
This is the latest response to the club’s continuing struggles, and not just the first proper organised mobilisation of the year, but the first since the most recent major march last spring.
Following the sacking of ‘manager’ Ruben Amorim, despite co-owner Jim Ratcliffe and his board of executives insisting that the Portuguese head coach (that distinction proving to be a crucial detail), the local sporting giants are once again starting from scratch and looking for another replacement boss.
With that in mind, militant fan group The 1958 announced their most recent protest ahead of a home fixture next month in a rather bold fashion…
As announced we protest against this dysfunctional co-ownership before Fulham.
Yep, neither Amorim, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, nor any face even remotely associated with Old Trafford/Carrington is safe from an AI parody.
As for The 1958 group’s actual protest plans, speaking via the BBC this week, the supporters’ trust has confirmed that they will be making a vocal statement outside the stadium on Sunday, 1 February.
Travelling Reds already made their thoughts known with a very blunt, provocative and somewhat controversial banner in the away end at Turf Moor for the 2-2 draw against Burnley.
With Man United approaching a third-round FA Cup tie against Brighton and two big games in the form of a Manchester Derby at home and a trip to Arsenal, they have decided to choose the Fulham game at Old Trafford to stage the march.
Despite admitting that the results under Amorim were no way near good enough, they insist that the – most notably the overarching and Glazer family shadow ever looming over the organisation.
Further details around the actual timings and locations are still yet to be shared by the organisers, but you can expect this to be a well-attended, large-scale event.
Often convening at The Tollgate pub near regular matchday tram stop, Trafford Bar, before walking down Talbot Road towards the ground itself, we imagine Reds will then descend upon the Theatre of Dreams in their thousands.
In case you didn’t already surmise from the video itself, Ratcliffe and co. will be no doubt the subject of the usual chants, as well as more banners and flags.
What do you make of the latest plans, Man United fans?
Nothing will ever be quite as bold as the infamous Old Trafford break-in from 2022 (Credit: The Manc)
More Greater Manchester football matches called off as Storm Goretti sets in
Danny Jones
Yet more scheduled football matches in Greater Manchester and the surrounding regions have been postponed and/or cancelled due to Storm Goretti.
The increasingly cold, blustery and icy conditions moving over from France and across more parts of the UK have already caused schools to close, flights to be grounded, and plenty more disruption.
Another such inconvenience has come in the form of live sports, large swathes of which now look like they simply won’t be taking place.
One of the latest to be called off is Salford City‘s upcoming game against Swindon Town in the FA Cup this weekend, with various other games involving teams up and down the footballing pyramid now facing uncertainty over whether their third-round fixtures will go ahead as planned.
Ironically, this is just the tip of the iceberg, if you’ll pardon the very obvious pun.
Another game that was called off late last week, between Chadderton and FC Isle of Man, is yet to be rescheduled; the same is true of Rochdale AFC’s meeting with Brackley Town, Radcliffe v Oxford City, as well as games involving Bury, Stockport Town, Irlam, Cheadle Town, Prestwich Heys and more.
Other nearby outfits, such as Chorley, Warrington Rylands and Ramsbottom United, just to name a few, are also still unsure of when their next game will be.
In many cases, it is simply a matter of the grounds being largely or completely frozen and deemed unfit for use following pitch inspections.
Oldham Athletic – which has already been hit with plenty of snow and frost – yesterday confirmed that their Notts County clash wouldn’t be going ahead due to that very reason.
With winds of up to 90 miles per hour also being reported, yellow and even red weather warnings have been issued across various parts of the country, with people being urged to check their routes home from work by local authorities.
Storm Goretti should start calming down this evening (Fri, 9 January) and into Saturday morning, but the after-effects could still play havoc over the next few days.
For instance, over in Cheshire, Macclesfield FC are going so far as to call on nearby residents to help clear their playing surface from heavy snowfall.
So, if you’re in the area and fancy helping out, they could sure do with your help.
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Macclesfield FC are once again requesting the help of the fanbase and the local community to help clear the remainder of the compacted snow from the surrounding areas of the https://t.co/fL99QEEJ4D Stadium.
Danny Jones -
1st February 2024 
