Mancunian Matters visited Salford City Football Club as the latest stage of major ground redevelopment nears completion.
Owned by Singaporean businessman Peter Lim along with five former Manchester United players – who each have a 10% stake – the club was thrust to national attention with ‘The Class of ’92’ BBC documentary a couple of years ago.
And since Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt got involved, Salford have had two successive promotions as they target a Football League place by 2020.
But the club’s rapid rise has brought its challenges with Moor Lane being the smallest ground in the National League North at the start of the season and the FA required Salford to improve facilities to the standard of the sixth tier.
Despite opposition from hundreds of Kersal residents, the planning application was approved in December and the ground has suddenly been transformed with the construction of two sparkling new stands – including the all-seated North Stand.
Upon completion of the other sides of the ground, Moor Lane’s capacity will have doubled to more than 5,000.
Meanwhile, average attendances of just a few hundred people in 2014-15 have been boosted to well over 1,000 this season as Salford chase promotion to the National League.
