The Mancunian Way: The secret behind Salford's footballing stars

Hello,

Phew…that was close, wasn’t it? I’m sure there are a few sore heads around this morning after England’s extra time win against Slovakia yesterday. It’s fair to say that England have been less than inspiring in Germany so far, but Jude Bellingham’s perfectly timed overhead kick seems to have reinvigorated the nation.

Even watching stone cold sober, covering the fan reaction to the match for the Manchester Evening News at Freight Island, I couldn’t help but celebrate. At just 21, Bellingham reminds us that football isn’t just about experience. It’s about talent, instinct, hard work, and a vision.

And one Greater Manchester borough has a particular knack for nurturing those things, writes our chief reporter Neal Keeling. He takes a look at the impressive history of the Salford Schools FA, as well as the pretty promising results from its current crop of players.

This year, three Salford Schools teams have each won a trophy in one weekend at the national FA finals. One of the three winning Salford teams was the first girls team to represent the city's high schools in the English Schools’ Football Association Competition Finals. No other city had more representation in the finals.

As well as enjoying success now, the Salford SFA has an impressive alumnus, boasting the likes of Manchester United and Wales star, Ryan Giggs; Manchester City and England player, David White; Phil Bardsley of Manchester United and Sunderland; Dean Holden (Bolton Wanderers/Oldham Athletic); Mick Kennedy (Huddersfield/Middlesborough/Portsmouth); Steve Hitchen (Blackburn/Macclesfield); and Terry Phelan (City and Everton).

You can read more about the secret that’s producing Salford’s footballing stars here.

‘UK’s biggest’ Euros fan park

Sticking with the football, following England’s win yesterday we swiftly got the news that the AO Arena would be transforming into the ‘UK’s biggest’ Euros fan park for the next set of games.

The AO Arena will be teaming up with Road to Victory, Manchester’s football fan zone experience, with all games from the quarter finals onwards will be shown inside the 21,000 capacity venue.

From Saturday, July 6, the AO Arena has announced it will be showing all future England games on the big screen, complete with beer pong, penalty shoot out and table football areas. More here.

July in Manchester

We’re officially into July, and as we keep our fingers crossed for more summer sun, there’s plenty going on in Manchester to keep you entertained.

July’s calendar is packed full of festivals, sport and live music - and there are indoor options too in case the weather turns.

Tourism writer Liv Clarke has put together a list of the 10 best things to do in Manchester this month. You can read it here.

Inside Manchester's first 'new town' in decades

Two years ago, the M.E.N were shown inside the early stages of Victoria North - a new development with big ambition to change the city.

Two years on from that initial tour, Ethan Davies has done the same route across five of the seven neighbourhoods that make up Victoria North to see the progress that has been made.

The Victoria North project area stretches from the north-eastern side of Angel Meadow, near to Co-op’s head office, along Dantzic Street. That road is sandwiched between the River Irk, which will become the focal point of the ‘City River Park’, and Sandhills Park — the site of a hoped-for Metrolink station. You can read more here.

Holding out for a hero

In Heywood and Middleton, voters have told the Manchester Evening News they want a local champion as they head to the polls for the general election.

Political disillusionment was a common theme when George Lythgoe visited. Voters told him they just wanted one thing - to be listened to.

Brian and Margery Thomson said that 'nothing changes no matter who is in power'. The couple have lived in Langley for 40 years. They added their neighbourhood has gone downhill.

"People are disillusioned, it's a forgotten place," Brian continued. "We want some proper shops again. We've got nothing here. A Labour government would be no different. We need something new.

"These politicians are all from the same mould, no matter which party they serve."

Heywood and Middleton was one of the red wall seats won by the Conservatives for the first time five years ago - but will it make a change on July 4? More here.

Weather etc

Tuesday: Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by late morning. 17C.

Roadworks: A6 London Road One Way Street closed due to roadworks from Store Street to Granby Row.

Manchester headlines

• Car fire death: A busy road in Heywood is shut this morning as fire crews respond to an 'incident'. The M.E.N understands a car smashed into the side of the pub on York Street in the early hours of this morning. This crash then caused the fire. One person has sadly died. More here.

• Attempted murder arrest: A second teenager has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an elderly man was stabbed in Wigan. Police were called to reports of the stabbing on Edge Hall Road, in Orrell, at around 4pm last Thursday (June 27). More here.

• Baby death: A baby has tragically died at a property in Middleton - with a police investigation now underway. More here.

Worth a read

How did a petty criminal from north Manchester become one of the UK's most notorious drug traffickers? That’s the question Damon Wilkinson asks in this deep dive into the life of Stephen Mee.

Now a successful artist who has turned his back on crime, Mee said: "None of it was worth it. I would change every bit of it for a week of freedom with my family." More here.