Salford City had their best ever season in League Two, achieving their highest ever points total and scoring the most goals in the league. Sadly, however, it was overshadowed by a devastating penalty shoot-out loss at Edgeley Park.
It is a feeling of what could have been for the Ammies, having finally reached the play-offs after narrowly missing out on them in 2020/21. But even with the disappointment of the semi-final, it was still a good season for the club.
Salford went out of the last campaign having sacked Gary Bowyer, after missing out on the playoffs. They quickly moved to appoint Neil Wood, Manchester United’s under-23 head coach. Wood, having previously worked with the Class of 92, came into a job with a great track record of developing younger talent, with 17 of his academy players making first team debuts at Old Trafford, including Anthony Elanga and James Garner.
The first signings for the Ammies reflected his desire to play attacking football and developing younger talents. Callum Hendry was the first to join, coming from St Johnstone, followed by the arrival of Elliot Watt from Bradford City. The 22-year-old did not shine at the Bantams, making the leap over the Pennines with Neil Wood’s experience being a big factor in his decision.
Ryan Leak was also signed from Burton to replace the outgoing Jordan Turnbull. Stevie Mallan arrived from Turkey, to bolster the midfield options available, but injuries ultimately kept him out of the side for most of the season. Wood went to his old club, and picked up youngster Ethan Galbraith on loan for the season.
The season started in amazing fashion, with wins against Mansfield, Crewe and Newport, putting the Ammies at the summit of the league after four matches. A loss to Doncaster meant that wouldn’t last, but a win at home to Stevenage meant the Ammies kept pace at the top. A sour note was a heavy 5-1 defeat to local rivals Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.
But last season’s star man, Brandon Thomas-Asante, wasn’t to stay. Having already scored five goals in seven matches, West Brom moved in and bought the striker for £300,000 plus addons, begging the question of if the four forwards of Conor McAleny, Matt Smith, on loan Lorent Tolaj and the incoming Hendry could provide enough goals to cover his departure.
Elliot Watt quickly became the team’s essential player. His defensive work and accurate passing which he showed in glimpses at Valley Parade had blossomed under Wood, with man of the match performances against Newport and Crawley. Him, alongside Ryan Watson and Matty Lund, ensured Salford’s midfield was one of the best in the league throughout the campaign.
A slightly disrupted September kept Salford within the play-off places, eeking out last-minute winners away at Harrogate and Sutton, along with a hard fought victory away at Northampton at the start of October. The goals, however, were coming from the midfield, with Watson and Lund leading the way.
A 1-0 loss at home to Bradford began a slump for the Ammies, losing five matches out of seven, including a defeat against relegation strugglers Rochdale at Spotland and rounded off by a 4-1 humbling against Carlisle. The poor form raised questions as whether Wood, who has never managed at senior level before, was the right man for the job.
The FA Cup campaign started in November, a 0-0 draw away at Peterborough led to a 3-0 loss in the replay. Also beginning was the EFL Trophy knockout stage. The Ammies finished first in their qualifying group, beating Bradford 1-0, followed by a win against League One Port Vale in December.
The hole left by Thomas-Asante was another cause for concern. By December the front four had only scored four goals between them in the league, and three of them courtesy of Callum Hendry. The team looked to be low on confidence, and an unexpected two-week break seemed to come at the perfect time for Wood.
Frozen pitches meant games against Walsall and Colchester were postponed, and the rest period allowed the side to reset. They came out of the gates firing, with a Matt Smith hat trick in a 4-1 win against Grimsby and three goals from Conor McAleny against Northampton and Sutton. The return in form finally put Salford back in the play-off spots.
January brought reinforcements to the side. Alex Cairns was loaned in from Hartlepool, with existing first choice keeper Tom King leaving for Northampton. Lorent Tolaj returned to Brighton, being replaced by Aston Villa’s Louie Barry. Callum Morton was bought from Fleetwood, giving the attack enough depth and perhaps motivation to perform to avoid being dropped from the starting XI.
An inconsistent January began a period where Salford scored much more often. Wins against Walsall and Rochdale saw the front line begin to click into place, with Smith and McAleny beginning to strike consistently. The Ammies also bowed out of the EFL Trophy, a 3-1 loss to Cheltenham.
Despite the goals, it was clean sheets that the Ammies desperately needed. The Walsall victory saw the start of an unwanted streak, conceding in every match from January 31 to April 18. Wood tried to change the end of the poor form by signing Premier League veteran Adrian Mariappa on a short term deal in March, but even his experience couldn’t stop it.
The start of spring put a spring in Salford’s step, including a memorable away day at a strong Mansfield side, winning 5-2. Two goals from Matty Lund, with Hendry, Luke Bolton and Theo Vassell also netting, in a dominant display that established Salford’s place in the play-off spots. Bolton’s goal marked the beginning of a stellar end-of season for the winger.
Despite a strong run in, play-off contenders Bradford and Mansfield pushed ahead, picking up points when Salford dropped some. This knocked the Ammies out of the top 7 going into the final matches. Missed opportunities at home against Tranmere and Swindon, along with a 4-3 thriller away at Crewe could have put Salford in a much more comfortable position, and a possible shot at automatic promotion.
Wins against Doncaster and Stevenage preceded the toughest part of the run-in, drawing against rivals Stockport and losing to runaway leaders Leyton Orient put Salford on a knife edge as they travelled to Plough Lane against Wimbledon.
It was a frustrating match that Wimbledon really should have won. But up stepped Callum Hendry, Salford’s number nine, to save the day. A missed penalty should have put the game out of reach, but the Scot hauled his team across the line, scoring goals in the 95th and 96th minute. The winner sent the travelling fans and Gary Neville watching from home into delirium.
A 1-0 loss at home against Colchester undid that late comeback, but went the team went three wins on the bounce, including a crucial victory away at Carlisle meant Salford only needed to draw against 18th place Gillingham to get into the top 7.
May saw the coronation of the King, and it should have been a crowning moment for the Ammies as they had the chance to finally reach the play-offs. But in true Salford fashion, it wasn’t to be so easy. A Salford loss opened the door for eighth-placed Mansfield to sneak through, Despite a 2-0 win for the Stags, they missed out on overtaking the Ammies by only a single goal.
This set Salford up for the semi-final against Stockport. A 1-0 win, thanks to a Matt Smith header, had Salford fans dreaming of Wembley. Edgeley Park was to host the second-leg spectacle, a second half goal from County sending the tie to extra time. In Salford’s time of need, up stepped Stevie Mallan. Only making his debut in February, he struck a 30-yard screamer to put the Ammies only eight minutes away from a trip to London. Moments later, Jack Stretton levelled the tie, sending it to penalties. Saved penalties from Lund and Mariappa condemned the Ammies to a defeat and dreams of what could have been.
Despite the heartbreak, it was a successful campaign. Salford finally reached the play-offs after the fourth attempt, and with a squad that can contend at the top of the league. Neil Wood undoubtedly had a good debut season in senior management, rescuing his side from a slump and pushing forward to their best ever finish. Salford’s star man was Elliot Watt, topping the assists chart with 15 goals and was an assured presence in front of the back line. The club were the highest scorers in the league, with 72 goals, and a record points total in the division.
However, next season will prove to be a tough test for Salford. Play-off rivals Stockport will be looking for revenge for their Wembley defeat to Carlisle, as will Bradford City, who have re-signed League Two’s top scorer Andy Cook. Mansfield Town will look to get into the top 7, along with Doncaster looking like an optimistic shout for promotion with the return of manager Grant McCann and the rumoured signing of Billy Sharp.
New teams will also enter the fray, with Hollywood coming to the league with the promotion of Wrexham, headed by Phil Parkinson and star striker Paul Mullin. Notts County also return, looking to be as strong as the Welsh side in the National League. Both sides look like contenders to go up straight away next season. MK Dons look the strongest of the relegated sides, with Forest Green and Accrington likely to mount some sort of challenge to go back up to League One.
Salford will have to strengthen. The defense, despite the great performances of Theo Vassell and Ibou Touray throughout the season, was too leaky after January despite reinforcements. Games such as the Colchester loss highlighted a lack of final third finishing which could have put the season to bed much earlier than it was. Neil Wood himself talked throughout the season about the lack of finishing costing the team dearly in matches. Whilst the goals of Hendry, McAleny and Smith were enough to carry Salford through the season, a front man who can consistenly score week in week out akin to Andy Cook, Sam Hoskins or Kristian Dennis could elevate the Ammies to the level needed to maybe challenge for the League Two title come next season.
It could be a massive chance missed for promotion for the Ammies, with the difficulty of the league ramping up, Salford’s chance to finally escape League Two and rise the leagues could be delayed once more. But the promising signs of Neil Wood’s first season in charge at Moor Lane should give fans optimism to be fighting at the top once more.
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