This Saturday Salford City FC take on FC United of Manchester (FCUM) in the biggest game in the Ammies history.
Salford stuffed FCUM in the FA Vase a few years ago, and FCUM have beaten Salford City when they were in the same league. But now FCUM are a full league above the Ammies, and going well (apart from getting shafted at home by Nantwich last Saturday) and the teams meet for the first time ever in the FA Cup in a David v Goliath tie.
It's Salford v Manchester in a huge derby. It's big money FCUM, average gates over 1000, versus skint Salford City, average gates over 100. With Moor Lane having a capacity of 1400, one thousand tickets have gone to FCUM. Salford City have 400 for home fans.
For Salford City fans only (keep your beaks out FC fans), the tickets will be on sale at Moor Lane, Kersal tomorrow night (Tuesday 18th September) between 7pm and 9pm, with any remainders being sold during the day on Friday. Tickets have been kept to the normal admission price of £7/£3concessions. The Salford Star urges everyone to get down there, get a ticket and support your city's top footy team – and stop us getting swamped by Mancs!
Salford City captain, Jimmy Holden, knows all about FC United, having played for them during the teams best ever FA Cup run, when they beat Rochdale and drew with Brighton away. He reckons Salford City can turn FCUM over on Saturday…
"Why not?" he says "The club I play for want to win. I owe FC United no favours and they owe me no favours. I've got respect for them but, on the pitch, no respect for no-one.
"The way we are playing, of course we can win it" he adds "We're on our home turf, they're only a league above us…it's not as if we're playing Barcelona or anyone. If we do what we do in passing the ball, no club can live with us really."
Salford City has had a great start to the season under new manager Darren Sheridan who's had loads of FA Cup experience, beating Manchester United as a player with Barnsley and taking former club Barrow to massive FA Cup ties against Premier League opposition. Shez and Jimmy will be instilling the magic of the FA Cup into the Ammies' players
"Shez gets it over to the players, because as a manager at Barrow he's had big ties against Sunderland and Middlesborough, and you can't play those games every week, or even once a season" says Jimmy "If you play them once in your career you're over the moon."
As an ex FCUM player, Jimmy's already had texts off his former team mates, and, when Salford City win he'll giving them stick back… "Of course I will" he laughs…
The full Jimmy Holden interview will appear in the Salford City v FC United of Manchester match day magazine
FA Cup
Salford City FC v FC United of Manchester
Saturday 22nd September
Moor Lane, Kersal, kick off 3pm £7/£3
Jimmy Holden photo by Andrew Goudie
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
