SETTLING IN
Manager Graham Alexander tells us about Salford EFL’s debut
GRAHAM Alexander believes Salford City are finally finding their feet after a shaky start to life in the Football League.
Famously backed by Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and half-a-dozen former Manchester United stars, the Ammies’ promotion from the National League last season was their fourth in five years.
And after signings like Brighton midfielder Richie Towell over the summer, they began the season as 10-1 joint-favourites for the League Two title.
Yet Salford won just two of their first 11 matches and briefly slipped to 19th before a recent surge in form.
And that inconsistency, says Alexander, is a more accurate reflection of Salford’s current status than any talk of blitzing the league.
“Coming into this division there was a high profile around our club,” says the former Preston and Burnley midfielder, who took charge in the summer of 2018.
“The expectation is for Salford to run away with the league, and we understand that. The recent history of success has been unbelievable.
“But the talk about us was all from outside. It wasn’t anything we were saying. The reality is that we knew it would be a tough jump.
“For a lot of this squad, it wasn’t just a step up from the National League. It was a step up from National North. They’ve gone up two levels in the space of 12-14 months. “You’ve also got to remember that we were very fortunate with injuries last year. This season, we’ve had to use three different goalkeepers. Liam Hogan, our club captain, was out from the start of the season. We’ve had virtually every player out injured at some point.
“So yeah, we’d obviously like to have more points on the board. We’d like to be higher up the table. But when we look at everything we’ve faced this season, we’re satisfied that we’re finding our feet.
“And as we’ve progressed, I think we’ve seen that a lot of these players are capable of making that jump.”
Not all, though. And with January hoving into view, Alexander is keen to turn a deep squad into one that can challenge for honours.
“Like every club, we have to wheel and deal,” he adds. “I’ve already got a squad that’s full on numbers, but we maybe have to improve it a bit in terms of quality.
“Don’t get me wrong. We think we’ve got enough players in the squad now to win games. But even if we were in the top two and flying, we’d still be looking to improve. That’s the same for every club and every manager in the division.”
Of course, for all his attempts to play down Salford’s ambitions, it is clear that League Two is not the limit. Paul Scholes, one of the club’s celebrity backers, has already targeted the Championship. Does that make Alexander’s team marked men?
“It certainly did last season,” he admits. “There was a little bit of a circus round it all and the games were very difficult. We saw a rise in the competitive level of opponents compared to when we analysed them.
“That hasn’t happened as much in this division. But we’ve noticed that when we play at home, every club seems to bring 1,000-plus supporters. It’s quite a contrast from last season.
“I think people just want to see what all the fuss is about. It’s a unique challenge, but we understand it. And there’s nothing wrong with having the ambition to be successful.
“I don’t think the club hides from that fact, and it shouldn’t. But, fundamentally, our job is the same as any other football club. To get results and blank out any outside noise.”