Salford City FC fans have got their hands on the FA Cup – as the famous old trophy paid a visit ahead of their pre-qualifying second round match this weekend.
The club backed by the Class of ’92 travel to local rivals Ashton United on Saturday looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Fans posed with the world’s oldest football trophy at their Moor Lane home, as former England international Phil Neville outlined his ambition for the club.
Speaking to the BBC he said: “We want to gain promotion, we want to bring a really good standard of football to Salford City.
“There is a project now to put something back into the community and to give the city of Salford a football team to be proud of.
“Everyone at this ground is so excited with where this club is going – it’s real grassroots football.”
Chairman Karen Baird emphasised the growing profile of the club which she puts down to the leadership from Neville and his fellow investors – Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and brother Gary – who bought into the club in May.
“It’s good for the whole of non-league really, I mean everyone has heard of Salford now which they hadn’t before,” she told the BBC.
Joint-owner Butt highlighted the commitment of the five-joint owners and said that at least one of them is planning to attend every match and training session this season.
The club currently sit five points clear at the top of the table and are targeting promotion this season, according to three-time FA Cup winner Scholes.
And Phil noted the irony that the former Manchester United stars have become involved with the Evo-Stik League Northern Premier outfit.
“Within a mile radius of the ground nearly all of our names are on a road – it’s almost fate that we got involved in this football club,” he said to the BBC.
Image courtesy of FA Cup and Press Association via YouTube with thanks
