Editing Salford (section)

==Sports==

Salford has a notable history in sports, which includes hosting some of the events in the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]]: rugby league, speedway, and horse racing. Salford had a venue for horse racing since the 17th century; the earliest record of racing at [[Kersal Moor]] dates from 1687.<ref>"{{Harvnb|Brownbill|Farrer|1911|pp=217–222}}</ref>

[[Salford Red Devils]] is the city's rugby league club and has been based in Salford since 1873. They participate in the [[Super League]]. Salford now play all home games at the [[AJ Bell Stadium]]. Junior rugby league is also played within Salford's boundaries, with Langworthy Reds, Folly Lane and [[Salford City Roosters]] amongst other clubs providing playing personnel to the senior club.<ref>{{Citation | title = Rugby league clubs in Salford | url = http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/facilities/sports-clubs/sports-clubs-rugby-league.htm | publisher = Government of the United Kingdom | access-date = 6 July 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080328013547/http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/facilities/sports-clubs/sports-clubs-rugby-league.htm | archive-date = 28 March 2008 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

The [[English Premiership (rugby union)|Premiership]] side [[Sale Sharks]] play their home games at the AJ Bell Stadium since the start of the [[2012–13 English Premiership (rugby union)|2012–13 season]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.salesharks.com/club/stadium.php |title=The Stadium & Getting Here |access-date=9 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323212101/http://www.salesharks.com/club/stadium.php |archive-date=23 March 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref>

[[Salford Quays]] has been used as a major international [[triathlon]] site, but a 2009 [[aquathlon]] was cancelled because of a lack of competitors.<ref>{{Citation|title=Salford Marks Countdown to World Cup |url=http://www.britishtriathlon.org/news/article.php?id=9324 |publisher=britishtriathlon.org |date=27 June 2007 |access-date=6 July 2009  |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616051836/http://britishtriathlon.org/news/article.php?id=9324 |archive-date=16 June 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Aquathlon Series at Salford Quays cancelled |url=http://www.britishtriathlon.org/news/article.php?id=10239 |publisher=britishtriathlon.org |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=6 July 2009  |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613074625/http://britishtriathlon.org/news/article.php?id=10239 |archive-date=13 June 2010 }}</ref>

During the early part of the 20th century [[Motorcycle speedway|speedway]] was staged at Albion Stadium.<ref>{{Harvnb|Huggins|Williams|2006|p=65}}</ref>

Prior to [[Salford City F.C.|Salford City]]'s promotion to the [[Football League]] in 2019, Salford was one of the largest settlements in the UK without a league [[association football|football]] team;.<ref>{{Citation | title = The spy who snubbed me | url =https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-spy-who-snubbed-me-8z7rdmhbvl3 | author = [[John Motson]] and Adam Ward | date = 26 April 2004 | access-date=27 January 2009 | work=The Times}}</ref> In the formative years of the sport the region's football heartland was in east Manchester, with few teams to the west.<ref>{{Citation |last=James |first=Gary |title=Manchester&nbsp;– A Football History |publisher=James Ward |location=Halifax |year=2008 |isbn= 978-0-9558127-0-5|page=32 }}</ref>  [[Salford City F.C.|Salford City]] are Salford's only representatives in the [[Football League]], playing in [[EFL League Two|League Two]], the fourth tier of English football, as of the 2024-25 season.