A historic amateur rugby league competition will be revived in Salford’s centenary year after a 13-year hiatus.
The Valentine Cup will be contested by amateur rugby clubs across the city for the first time since 2013.
Folly Lane were the last team to lift the illustrious trophy manufactured by world-famous jewellers Fattorini and Sons, who created the FA Cup and Challenge Cup trophies.
For the first time in over a decade, amateur clubs will participate in a full day of tournament fixtures at Salford RLFC’s CorpAcq stadium, with the winning team having their name engraved on the famous silverware.
Described by the tournament’s organisers as the “cornerstone of Salford’s rugby league culture for over a century,” the return of the competition is being paid for with money from the Salford Centenary Fund, reserves earmarked to support community-led events in the city’s centenary year.
It is hoped that the return of the Valentine’s Cup will be a landmark occasion for players, supporters, and communities alike as the best amateur rugby teams across the city look to claim the bragging rights for their area.
Deputy City Mayor of Salford, Councillor Jack Youd, has been part of the effort to resurrect the competition and hailed the return of the Valentine Cup as a “special moment for our City.”
He told Salford Now: “To see this historic competition brought back in our centenary year is a powerful reminder of where we have come from, and where we are going. It is not just about celebrating the past, but about inspiring the next generation and strengthening the future of the sport across Salford.”
Adrian Morley, Salford-born former international player and one of the city’s most celebrated rugby league figures, said: “The return of the Valentine Cup is fantastic news for Salford. I had the privilege of playing in the competition myself, and I know first-hand what it meant to players, clubs and communities across the city.
“Competitions like this are part of what made rugby league so strong in Salford, bringing people together and creating a real sense of pride.”
He added: “This is exactly the kind of investment we need to inspire the next generation and keep rugby league thriving in the city.”
Until the start of the Second World War, the Valentine Cup was awarded to the local Salford and Manchester league champions, with the Salford-based Egerton club winning the inaugural competition in 1903.
Cadishead & Irlam, Pendlebury, Radcliffe Rangers, Seedley Rangers and Swinton St Peter’s are among the Salford sides to have their names etched on the famous trophy and its plinth.
As the number of local teams diminished after World War Two, the Valentine Cup rebranded as a knockout competition between the areas represented by surviving clubs.
The exact date of the change is unknown, yet records show a Valentine Cup contest took place in 1953 as Salford Juniors won the storied tournament.
The Valentine Cup survived two world wars and a 13-year hiatus and organisers hope its latest resurrection will breathe new life into amateur rugby league across the city as a key peice of Salford’s identity is restored.
Organisers are yet to confirm the date on which the tournament will be played.
