[themaclad]

Preston North End v Salford City

DEEPDALE

No previous meetings

https://www.salfordcityfc.co.uk/

https://salfordcityfcfans.proboards.com/

HISTORY

Salford City Football Club is a professional football club in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system.

The club was founded as Salford Central in 1940, and played minor local league football until winning a place in the Manchester League in 1963. Salford were winners of the Lancashire Amateur Cup in 1971, 1973, and 1975 and the Manchester Premier Cup in 1978 and 1979. The club joined the Cheshire County League in 1980, which amalgamated into the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) two years later. They changed their name again in 1989, to Salford City, and secured promotion into the Northern Premier League (NPL) in 2008. The club survived in the league on the final day of the following season, an achievement known in club folklore as The Great Escape.

In 2014, Salford were taken over by former Manchester United players Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes, who each own 10% of the club, with Singaporean businessman Peter Lim owning the rest; David Beckham purchased a 10% share from Lim in 2019. Under the management duo of Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley, they were crowned NPL Division One North champions in 2015, won the NPL Premier Division play-offs in 2016, and the National League North title in 2018. This success was followed in 2019 with promotion to the English Football League (EFL) after winning the 2019 National League play-off Final, under the stewardship of Graham Alexander. Salford won the EFL Trophy in their début campaign.

Salford play their home games at Moor Lane, which underwent a major transformation between 2016 and 2017, and is currently known as the "Peninsula Stadium" for sponsorship purposes. The club have primarily worn tangerine shirts and black shorts throughout their recorded history, before switching to red shirts and white shorts following the takeover. The club's nickname, The Ammies, stems from their name from the early 1960s to the early 1970s, Salford Amateurs. The club's anthem is The Pogues cover of "Dirty Old Town", a song written by Salford local Ewan MacColl.

MANAGER

Neil Anthony Wood (born 4 January 1983) is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of EFL League Two club Salford City.

As a player, Wood played as a midfielder. He began his playing career in the academy of Manchester United, though he never appeared for the first team due to several injuries. He was sent out on loan several times, first to Belgian club Royal Antwerp where he made his professional début in 2001, and later to Peterborough United and Burnley, before departing the club in 2004 for Coventry City. Wood struggled for regular appearances and after 18 months was loaned to Blackpool, who signed him permanently shortly after. Wood then moved first to Oldham Athletic and then to Bosnian team Željezničar. He returned to England in 2009, spending time with amateur side Atherstone Town before retiring in 2010.

Upon his retirement Wood began coaching, beginning with Aston Villa in their academy before moving back to United, where he rose through the ranks to become U23 manager in 2019. After three years in the role, Wood was appointed manager of Salford City, his first role in senior football.

FORM GUIDE

Beat Vegan Just Stop Oil Dick's Forest Green 2 - 0

Previous Meetings

None



MACS VIEW

The joy of the League Cup again, and a first ever competitive game against Salford City a club who over the last nine years have had a significant financial benefit against virtually all the clubs they have played in non league football
Saw them a few times in non league days the Cliff as the ground was known then had toliets in the main stand between the two dressing room. One particular game Lancaster had there I heard the most magnificent rant by whoever was the Salford Manager was at the time as his side trailed by three goals at the interval
Since those heady days they have risen through the leagues built the ground up but crimally have changed the colour of their strip to resemble a mini United.
Hopefully put out a strong enough side to win this, suspect Ramsay and Stewart will get some game time and a victory

[themaclad]

Who’s Available?

Competitive debuts were handed to new signings Duane Holmes, Mads Frøkjær and Will Keane on Saturday, and all three could make their official Deepdale bow in this fixture.

The club’s newest recruit Jack Whatmough was an unused substitute and is expected to start on Tuesday night, however Calvin Ramsay and Layton Stewart are unlikely to play a part.

The same can be said for Greg Cunningham who is back in full training after a slight issue, but Tuesday will come too soon.

Pre-Match Chat


Hear from manager Ryan Lowe and midfielder Duane Holmes ahead of this Carabao Cup tie.

Opposition Focus


After a heartbreaking end to the 2022/23 campaign, with a Play-Off semi-final penalty shootout defeat, Salford City began the season well at the weekend.

The Ammies – managed by former Manchester United U23 coach Neil Wood – won 2-0 against Forest Green Rovers on Saturday afternoon, thanks to goals from Conor McAleny and Matt Smith.

In what looks like a strong Sky Bet League Two division this season, Salford are among those fancied to finish towards the top, such is the strength and experience in their squad.

Match Officials


Referee: Tom Reeves
Assistant Referees: Lewis Raper and Alan Clayton
Fourth Official: Robert Madley

Tom Reeves will officiate North End for the first time ever in this fixture. He oversaw an eventful match at the weekend, refereeing MK Dons’ 5-3 victory over Wrexham.

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Salford's ground was Moor Lane and not the Cliff as orinally put

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Preston North End 2 Woodburn, Holmes Salford City 2 McLennan 2

Salford win 4-2 on penalties

PNE line-up: Cornell; Storey (Hughes, 45), Bauer, Whatmough; Seary (Browne, 71), Leigh (McCann, 45), Taylor (Ledson, 45), Holmes (Frøkjær, 78), Best; Woodburn, Keane. Subs not used: Woodman, Lindsay, Rodriguez-Gentile, Mawene.

Salford City line-up: Cairns; Mariappa, Vassell, Tilt (Shephard, 72); Bolton (Lund, 8), Mallan, Watson (Ashley, 71), Garbutt; McAleny; Hendry (Smith, 71), McLennan (Bailey, 90+3). Subs not used: Wright, Berkoe, Dackers, Henderson.

Attendance: 6,790 (413 Salford City fans).

A game which started slowly and ended up a fairly entertaining game saw City win on penalties, six decent penalties a woeful penlty by Ledson and Mads put his wide of the post. Fair play to 17 year old Kian Best keeper wasn't saving his kick.



A decent night for the game, Lowe stated in his programme notes a side would be sent out to compete although personal view playing four youngsters was risk laden and so it proved.
Early home pressure first Salford attack and they score, Best is going to be a good player no doubt about it but Salford found a massiv e gap behind him on the right hand side, ball into the box not properly cleared and McLennan fired home.
This stunned the already quiet home crowd, with the goal Salford apssed it around nicely and our inexperience especially in the middle of the pitch showed, Holmes also making his debut showed a willingness to run at defenders and also have shots.
Getting to half time 1 down would have been probably acceptable with more experience players coming on. But that thought seemed distance when Whatmough making his debut as captain passed to McLennan advanced on goal and easily scored.
Arrears were soon reduced when we passed the ball about in front of the City box, Holmes played in Woodburn he slotted the ball past Cairns who stood with his hand raised waiting for the whistle that never came
Level soon after the break Cairns pass out to a defender was easily intercepted by Holmes no mistake level.
The pace of the game had increased and was decent entertainment, the unlucky Keane fired one in Cairns parried it but McCann's follow up header was blocked by the keeper.
Attempts rained in on the Salford goal twice the ball was in the net both disallowed efforts by Keane, buut close to trhe end the visitors should have wrapped it up, long ball in from the right Smith doing what he has done for years heads ball back into the six yard box were Matty Lund missed the target. Then came the ordeal from 12 yards



Good luck to Salford in the next round opportunity missed by North End, play a side that will win not one that will think win.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"The first half wasn't what we wanted. I know we've got a few youngsters in there, and there's no blame on them - we've got seniors in there as well.

"The second half was better after we made a couple of changes and probably should have had a couple more goals.

"We're disappointed going out of the competition but our number one priority is the Championship.

"Taking nothing away from them, they were good, especially first half, and dealt well with some pressure of ours. They were excellent and we just weren't at it."

Salford manager Neil Wood told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We wanted to try and follow up from Saturday and it was a game we knew we could win.

"By the end of the game they had a pretty good team on the pitch and caused us plenty of problems.

"Connor took his goals really well but conceding just before half-time was a killer.

"Second half we had some good moments but were masters of our own downfall with some mistakes and we don't need to concede that second goal in the way we conceded it."