Smith Joins Reds Until Season End

Salford City Reds have signed young powerhouse winger Andy Smith from the Bradford Bulls on loan until the end of the season.

The Reds have lacked support in the backs through injuries and Smith will bring some much needed size and pace to the backline.

Football Director Steve Simms told us: “Andy is a good lad. He has pace and strength and has what we have been missing recently. He’ll go well for us. He’s played a few times for the Bulls so has experience too which is a bonus.”

Andy made eight appearences for the Bulls last season and scored a try in the Senior Academy Grand Final win over the Leeds Rhinos.

He will take the number 28 jersey and goes into the squad for Saturday’s game with the Giants.

Hartley Becomes a Lifesaver

Reds impressive youngster, Tim Hartley joined the engage Super League crusade to encourage people to become lifesavers.

Tim and all the Salford City Reds, are backing the national UK Transplant campaign to encourage organ donation because it plays such a crucial life saving role within the NHS.

Although you may already carry an organ donor card, but you can also join the organ donor register by visiting https://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/servlet/mydetailsservlet

More than 6,000 people in the UK are waiting for an organ transplant, but less than 3,000 transplants are carried out each year. Last year 400 people dies whilst on the transplant waiting list.

Tim said “It’s a really difficult topic to bring up with people, but I think it’s important that people register to become organ donors. There is so much need for people’s help, and if we as professional sportsmen can help raise awareness it can only do good.”

Who’s The Daddy?

Well, when it comes to Salford City Reds the answer would be Ted Lewis!

Prior to the last round of Super League fixtures which coincided with Father’s Day, engage Super League fans were asked to nominate their “Super League, Super Dads” via club websites.

Lifelong Reds’ fan Ted who lives a mere stones’ throw from the Willows, was nominated by daughter Christine, and admits he was a bit surprised to be receiving his award at the Wolves game!

He said “It was a little bit embarrassing when I found out she’d nominated me in the competition! I couldn’t quite believe what she’d done.”

“Having said that it’s lovely to know that she cares about me that much and thought of this special way of remembering me on Father’s Day. I’m lucky to have such great kids.”

Ted wins tickets to all the Reds remaining home fixtures and a signed Reds’ shirt from engage which will be framed up and marked as “engage Super Dad”.

Better News for Stewart

Seven defeats and a ever-mounting injurylist will not make happy reading for coach Karl Harrison. The lastest long-term casualty is winger Anthony Stewart who left the field in agony in last night’s defeat against St Helens with a dislocated elbow

Reds medical staff confirmed that Stewart has not sustained a fracture and that his dislocated elbow was one of the “better ones” they had seen. Stewart is still expected to miss the next six games

Stewart was originally expected to join Kevin McGuinness in mising the rest of the season.

The Reds also have Karl Fitzpatrick, Ian Sibbit and Andrew Brocklehurst on the long-term injured list and with just 11 rounds to go Harrison will be acutely aware he is running out of bodies to drop on the front line.

Physio Chrissy Holmes said: “I’ve just seen Tony now. They put his elbow back in around 11.30pm last night and it was a bit of a nightmare and they had to near enough knock him out he was in so much pain, but there’s no fracture so the most he will miss is eight weeks.”

On the other injured bodies she said: “Fitzy is now getting himself mentally ready to play again, he’s fit but it may take a couple of games to start seeing the things he was doing before the injury. Ian Sibbit is still a way off. His ankle ligaments need to time to heal, he has no power in his running at the moment but he’ll get there.”

Other long-term casualties are Paul Highton who is waiting for scan results on a torn quad injury and Andrew Brocklehurst who is starting rehab after his shoulder reconstruction.

The news for McGuinness is not as good as he needs a knee reconstruction that will keep him out until January. Buddha is expected to have the operation in a fortnight.

Chrissy concluded:” We have a long list at the moment. Even Orang the masseuse is injured and been in for treatment. He’s hurt his back doing the massage last night!”

One plus is the emergence of teenage star Tim Hartley who has scored three times in the last two matches and looks like he will easily make the Super League grade.

Alan Hunte told us: “Tim is a cracking player. I’ve always said he could play six at the top level. I think he surprised a lot of people last night.”

Walk On By

Rebecca McGoff , Community Fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Relief, strolls by 12 of Manchester ’s monumental rugby players from the Salford City Reds and certainly looks like she is having fun.

But lets face it walking is fun when you have something nice to look at! Do the Quays to the City walk for Macmillan Cancer Relief on Sunday 19 th June, raising money to help people living with cancer, and you will see lots of other fantastic Manchester monuments.

This five mile walk starting at Manchester Cathedral gardens and finishing, just in time for lunch, at The Lowry in Salford Quays takes in some of the finest architecture in Europe and has the added benefit of lots of refreshment stops en route.

Salford City Reds are officially endorsing this walk and would encourage all to take part in it. “Macmillan Cancer Relief is a very worthy cause, like throughout the UK many people in the club have been affected by cancer and we are delighted to be able to promote this event” says Carolyn Derbyshire Media/Community Officer for the club.

For further details or to register for the walk contact please contact Jill Rowe on 0161 905 1133 or email jrowe@macmillan.org.uk