In Part 1 of this article, we looked at four happenings that kind of encapsulate Salford over the last 15 years from MediaCityUK, to the University of Salford, Manchester, to the riot on the Precinct and the cladding scandal - click here to read Part 1.
For Part 2 we look at some other happenings that have helped to define Salford's recent history
While the riot of 2011 showed what underlies the shiny, glossy Media City image that authorities would like to perpetuate, the flood that hit the city on Boxing Day 2015 showed the best side of the community, as people from all walks of life and all areas came to Lower Broughton to help clear up the devastation that the River Irwell had left when people were least expecting it.
Groups including the Salford Angels Women's Institute, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association and Helping Hands came forward, while donations of food, clothes and cleaning equipment piled up at rescue centres..."It's heartbreaking" said Susanne from Salford Angels, "the whole of people's Christmas is on their front lawn..."
The Boxing Day flood showed that the Salford community spirit is alive and well, and comes to the surface when it's needed, as it has done during the pandemic.
The community also came out in force for Paul Massey's funeral in 2015; a huge show of 'old Salford' in the face of gentrification and redevelopment. Opinions are split on the gangster-cum-politician but Massey's funeral felt like the end of an era and possibly the start of an even worse one...
Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn came to Salford Precinct in 2017 for the first stop of his 'battle bus' in the General Election campaign, promising a political route out of Salford's problems: "I am fed up with the levels of inequality in Britain. I'm fed up with the levels of poverty in Britain" he said "The I, Daniel Blake Generation will be a thing of the past with a Labour Government..."
To an ecstatic welcome from hundreds of supporters, Corbyn railed against the obscene growing wealth of the rich contrasted with the poverty of millions of people under Tory rule..."If I was asked to give a present to any Tory Minister I think I would give them a copy of Love On The Dole by Walter Greenwood" he said, adding that a Labour Government would "properly" fund the NHS, social care, local government and education.
Corbyn was offering a message of hope that didn't involve turning the city into a Monopoly board for developers and investors. In September that year he made a keynote speech at the Labour Party Conference, also railing against 'regeneration'...
"Tenants are not being listened to" he said "After Grenfell we must think again about what are called 'regeneration' schemes. Regeneration is a much abused word. Too often what it really means is forced gentrification and social cleansing, as private developers move in and tenants and leaseholders are moved out."
We invited him to come to Salford again to see the front line of 'regeneration' in the constituency of his lieutenant and Salford MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and under the tutelage of a supposed Corbyn-supporting City Mayor.
It showed the leaders of the city walking a tightrope between sorting out social and economic problems, and falling into bed with developers and capitalists, and rolling over for them. A contradiction at the core of the city's future. With Corbyn and Long Bailey now sidelined from national politics, the City Mayor now looks to be hitching his wagon to Andy Burnham...
And then there's Salford City FC, and Gary Neville and co. When the Salford Star was first published, the Ammies were in the North West Counties League, before getting promoted to the 'big time' of the Unibond First Division North. The Salford Star reported on virtually every game, home and away, for almost seven years, as the tangerine team performed the Great Escape from relegation, signed Mario Balotelli's brother, Enoch, had Rhodri Giggs managing, and almost got to the final qualifying round of the FA Cup.
The Chairman at the time used to say that if Salford City could get another two dozen people through the turnstiles they would get promotion. It never happened, as 'crowds' averaged around 100, unless really big teams like Chester and Halifax came to town. Nobody wanted to know. And Salford remained one of the only cities in the country with no professional football team.
The Salford Star broke the story on how the Class of '92 were about to take over the club, although for some hard core supporters it all went wrong when Gary Neville held a fans' meeting showing a new badge, red shirts and Premiership ethics. Overnight, Salford City became big news, with a tv documentary and loads of fans suddenly appearing, as old fans left.
It was a community, family club and its growth was not organic. Players were brought in from two divisions above as the team won promotion after promotion, crowds swelled and the Moor Lane ground was redeveloped into a Football League stadium, much to the anger of the local community, many of whom opposed planning permission and unseated the sitting Labour councillors. Now Salford City are in the big time League 2, have billionaire and Valencia owner Peter Lim as a shareholder, are half registered offshore in the British Virgin Islands and sack managers who fail to deliver instant success.
It's the total ironic opposite of a short film called The Miracle of Moor Lane made by the BBC for the Salford Film Festival in which Ammies' manager Rhodri Giggs and Chairman Darren Quick save the spirit of football from a herd of ghouls and monsters representing greed in the modern game.
So what ties together Salford City FC, Paul Massey, Jeremy Corbyn, the Boxing Day Flood, the cladding scandal, Salford University and MediaCity UK? Each has shone a light on how Salford is evolving, with the spiritual, psychological, political and social fall-out that goes with it...
Previous articles on the Salford Star Closure...
Salford Star To Close After 15 Years click here
The Star Is Born click here
Alice's Story: Injustice From South Africa to Salford click here
Salford Stars Part 1 click here
Salford Stars Part 2 click here
Real Salford Heritage - Inside The Cliff Man United Training Ground - click here
The Battle of Barton Moss click here
Nigel Pivaro Looks Back Over 15 Years of the Star click here
Planning Scandals and the Affordable Housing Crisis - click here
Campaigns, demos and protests click here
Guy Griffiths on the Pathfinder Demolitions - click here
What's Left and What's Worth Saving in Salford - click here
Eight Happenings That Encapsulate Salford: Part 1 click here
Guy Griffiths on the Pathfinder Demolitions Part 2 The Human Cost - click here
How Salford City Council Tried To Stop The Star - click here
How Salford City Council Tried to Block and Discredit The Star click here
The Salford Star Closes After 15 Years of Attitude and Love xxx - click here
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