A Salford youth club that became a tourist destination after featuring on the inside sleeve of a Smiths album is marking the 40th anniversary of its appearance with a special poetry reading.
Mancunian poet Tony Walsh will perform a poem about Salford Lads Club as part of a programme of events being held this June to celebrate its association with the band’s seminal third album, The Queen Is Dead.
Walsh, who received an honorary degree from Salford University in 2018, is one of the UK’s most widely acclaimed poets and appears regularly on national television and radio stations.
He will perform a poem celebrating the historic Ordsall youth club on Saturday 13 June at a special open day featuring a string duo playing The Smiths’ songs and a lino-print workshop with artist Jantze Holmes.
“This is a dream job for me,” Tony said. “I’ve variously lived, worked, studied and performed in Salford for over 40 years now, and I’m a great admirer of the city’s proud and distinctive spirit. I’ve been a huge fan of The Smiths too since the very early days.
“I tuned in for their first John Peel session and was lucky enough to see them at GMex in the summer that The Queen is Dead was released. I was on the dole when the album came out and vividly remember scraping the money together for the gig and LP.
“I first performed at Salford Lads’ Club more than 15 years ago and I have huge respect for the vital work that goes on there. I used to manage youth and community programmes in inner-city Salford myself and so I really do understand what that takes and what it delivers.”
He added: “To be invited to celebrate The Smiths and Salford Lads Club in a single poem has been a huge challenge, but also a very great honour. I’ve been spending a lot of ‘warm summer days indoors’ lately, writing ‘frightening verse’ but I’m confident that I’ve got something really special to share with people. Frankly, Mr Shankly, I can’t wait!”
Photographer Stephen Wright positioned Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce of The Smiths outside the youth club in 1985, framing The Smiths beneath the building’s iconic terracotta arches for an album photoshoot.
The following June, that photo appeared on the inner sleeve of The Queen Is Dead, and since then fans from across the globe have been making the pilgrimage to Salford Lads Club.
Leslie Holmes, the Artist and Project Manager at Salford Lads Club who created the Smiths room memorialising the club’s connection to the band in 2004, is delighted to welcome Wright to perform this summer.
He said: “With Morrissey choosing Salford Lads Club as the location for their now famous photograph, it changed the profile of the club forever and continues to bring visitors from all over the world to the venue. In 2025, visitors came from 73 countries!
“We’re absolutely thrilled that Tony agreed to create this special poem for the 40th anniversary of The Queen Is Dead. This specially commissioned work is part of our Salford 100 project where we are also lighting the dome of the club each night.
It comes on the back of Historic England restoration work over the last six months, enabling us to continue ‘to brighten young lives and make good citizens’ or – in the words of Morrissey – ‘There is a light that never goes out’.”
Alongside Tony’s special live performance, visitors will be able to enjoy the club’s regular Saturday open day, with the cafe open and access to The Smiths Room and Wall of Names.
Merchandise will also be on sale, including a special new range of gladioli-inspired designs created for the anniversary celebrations, alongside a few additional surprises for fans and visitors.
Tickets for the special anniversary event on Saturday on 13 June 11am-3pm are available here.
