The Salfordian Issue 8

12 NOV 2012 / ISSUE 08 FREE

WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COMSALFORD’S ONLY STUDENT NEWSPAPER

This week, as a student at the University of Salford, you will get the chance to have your say when voting polls for the new NUS delegates for next year’s NUS National Conference open.

The University of Salford Students’ Union is directly affiliated with the National Union of Students and as such, sends a delegation of elected students to represent the university at the conference each year.

The National Conference will be held in

April 2013. The election is an opportunity for Salford students to choose the delegates who will best represent their needs and opinions on a national level.

In total, 20 students have put themselves forward in the elections, but only four delegate places are available so competition is fierce.

Each of the four elected students will have the opportunity at the conference to express both their own views and those of their fellow students on matters that affect the Salford student body. They will also have the chance to be involved in debates that will shape NUS policy.

Representative students from universities across the country will also be able to cast their vote on the election of the NUS President, Vice Presidents and the NUS executive committee whom direct the work of the union as well as the direction of NUS activities and campaigns.

The NUS represents the national voice of students, lobbying the government and universities for changes that impact on the lives of students on a national level. Amongst the issues campaigned for are funding, welfare, student rights and employment issues.

With the significant rise in tuition

fees, changes in legislation that affects international students and funding for post-grad courses being dropped or reduced, there has never been a more important time for the student body to get their voice heard.

Voting will open at 9am on Tuesday 13 November and close at 4pm on Friday 16 November. All voting will take place online via Blackboard. To find out more about the conference, visit www.salfordstudents.com/elections Click the link at the top of the page or go to www.salfordstudents.com/elections/content/615303/your_candidates/ to read about the candidates.

VOTETHIS WEEK

Jessica Wilby picks the best independent brands on page 4

Want to revamp your w a r d r o b e ? Tweed is the way to go, says Lowri Williams on page 6

Wilf Reeve explains why joining a society or team is a great idea on page 31

Spotlight on...

Weekly fashion fix

Sports and activities at Salford

Cassandra WardNews editor

in the NUS Delegate elections

Editor: Amanda MaceEmail: [email protected]

Postal address: Univerity of Salford Students’ Union, University House, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WT

News Editor: Cassandra Ward [email protected]

Comment Editor: Jonathon Norrey [email protected]

Arts Editor: Sally Leibovici [email protected]

Features Editor: Lowri Williams [email protected] Sports & Activities Editor: Bryony Pearce [email protected]

Careers: Amanda Mace

Advertising : Stefan [email protected] Tel 0161 275 2930

ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM02 : NEWS

Visit Our Website www.salfordstudents.com

Salford graduate plans to knit Manchester’s longest scarf

Artist Jim Giles, aged 83, is looking for volunteers to help assist with the project – a

scarf that will wrap around his Victoria Square home, a Grade II listed retirement scheme in Ancoats that is home to over 170 residents.

“”I want the scarf to embody

the feeling of security, warmth and comfort that this building has given me for the last eight years that I have lived here.”

The municipal building circumference measures 1050

feet and so the scarf will have to be at least that long for the project to be a success.

Mr Giles graduated from the University of Salford last year from an MA in contemporary fi ne arts. He decided to launch the project following a fi nal composition he completed for his degree in which he knitted a Manchester United and a Manchester City scarf.

“My fi nal piece was about my father who was a football fan. I knitted two scarfs as I wanted it to represent Manchester football culture and not a particular team.”

The artist is a member of three knitting groups and is aiming for the scarf to become a community project and involve as many people as possible in its creation.

Mr Giles is planning for the fi nal piece to be sold in sections to raise money for various charities. One organisation is Mustard Tree, who runs the fi rst knitting group that the artist joined, cultivating his interest in knitting.

If you are interested in taking part in the project please contact Jim Giles on 07761054735.

ContentsPages 1-3NewsPages 4, 5 and 6Features7CommentPage 28ArtsPage 29CareersPage 30Your UnionPage 31ActivitiesPage 32Sports

The University of Salford has signed an agreement with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue service to work in partnership to deliver exciting projects that will aff ect the health and wellbeing for fi re fi ghters in Manchester.

The signing took place on November 5 at the University’s old fi re station building which will be 100 years old this year.

One of the proposed projects is a ground-breaking virtual reality

incident training programme to be based at the university’s MediaCity campus, which will work with new media-based technology to deliver training to fi re fi ghters and senior offi cers on major incident command.

County Fire Offi cer, Steve McGuirk said: “This is a really exciting partnership with so many areas that we can touch upon. It will help us blend disciplines and make simple interventions that could save thousands of lives.”

The University’s College of Health and Social Care also have several

proposed projects including fi tness projects specifi cally designed for fi re fi ghters by sports scientists and specialist rehabilitation services.

Vice Chancellor Martin Hall said: “This new partnership is part of a process we have in place of connecting with organisations across the city region.

“There are tremendous possibilities in this partnership with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and we can both learn and contribute a great deal.”

University in partnership with Manchester � re � ghters

EditorialHi all -

I know the mid-semester slump is looming, but do keep your wits about you; there’s plenty going on at the minute. This week you can vote in the NUS Conference Delegate elections. If you haven’t already, have a

read of the information on the front page and head to Blackboard to vote between 9am on Tuesday 13 and Friday 16 November. The beginning of this week is your last chance to get tickets for #demo2012 and ‘reclaim your education’, so get on it! If you’re not satis� ed with the way the government is handling higher education, the demo will be a fantastic opporunity to stand up for students nationwide.

Have a lovely week!

Amanda MaceEditor



News: 03ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

In recent weeks, students at the University of Salford who use Vodafone were left with no signal coverage and no explanation, causing frustration and angst.

Students were left feeling confused and frustrated when they were unable to send texts, make phone calls or access the internet as soon as they stepped foot onto the Peel Park Campus at the University of Salford.

Students Matt Dickenson and Yvonne Luong took it upon themselves to visit one store in Manchester and were told that the problems were due to workmen on campus, saying that they had drilled into one of Vodafone’s towers.

A Vodafone spokesperson confirmed that the lack of coverage was indeed due to damage to the mast that provides coverage for the whole of Peel Park Campus but at the time could not confirm when the problem would be resolved.

Salford student, Jayna Patel,

18, stated that she wanted some form of explanation for what had happened and felt that compensation should be given. Many students are paying for contracted phones and the signal was lost for nearly three weeks, which is almost a full month’s line rental. Miss Patel feels that students haven’t got their value for money.

She said: “From university I’d call my family from home because I miss them and it’s the first time I’ve been away. I got no texts or notifications telling me what was going on and I went to a Vodafone shop and they didn’t really tell me much. They weren’t very helpful.”

The problem is now solved but Vodafone have still not given any indication about compensation that students believe they are entitled to.

Miss Patel added: “We are students and we don’t have a lot of money to spare and we’re paying for contracted phones that we thought would give us a reliable service and they’ve let us down.”

Students left stranded by builders’ mistakeLucinda Parker

The University of Salford has suffered losses following a reduction of 440 students for the 2012/13 academic year.

Professor Martin Hall, Vice Chancellor at the University of Salford, said higher education faced its “biggest challenge in 50 years” after numbers fell by 3% this year.

He said: “Finding £4m in the middle of a year is a difficult thing to do; so it is a big challenge.

“We now know across Britain as a whole there are up to about 60,000 students short across the sector.

“It’s not just us with our 440 places; there are 60,000 students simply gone missing.”

Amongst those 60,000 ‘missing students’ are a significant level of mature students, which are reported to have reduced by up to 50 per cent.

The massive reduction in mature students has been primarily attributed to the hike in course fees and the fact that people can no longer afford further education. The University of Salford have raised their tuition costs to £8,500 - £9000 for this academic year, approximately a £5000 increase on last years’ fees.

The last academic year saw a reduction by the equivalent of 400 students, reportedly as a consequence of the governments ‘core and margin’ policy and changes to immigration laws which resulted in far fewer international enrolments.

This reduction in enrolments for 2011/12 forced the university to publish speculated job losses of 65 academics. 2011 saw 218 university job losses announced.

Conservative MP and Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts acknowledged that the total number of students was ‘rather lower’ than forecast.

Mr Willetts said: “Universities are in a more competitive market and that means some will lose students and others will gain students.

“That will arise not because of a decision by government in Whitehall but because of choices by individual students about where they wish to apply.”

University revenues down by £4m

The University of Salford is holding a Business and IT Recruitment fair on Wednesday 14 November with over 30 top employers to exhibit. The fair is an excellent opportunity for any student interested in a career in business and IT.You will have the chance to introduce yourself to employers in person and get invaluable advice on pursuing your dream job. Whether you are seeking more information on the different types of careers and placements, or information on finding career pathways and graduate recruitment opportunities, you will have the chance to ask any burning questions you may have about your future.Some of the top businesses in the industry will be coming to the event. With such a variety of employers already booked into the fair such as Fujitzu, HM Revenue and Customs, Intel, Matalan and the Trade Media Group, to name a few, It really will be an amazing opportunity for everyone who attends.Suzanne Hitchman from Careers and Employability said, “Recruitment fairs allow students to meet a number of organisations directly which can prove more productive than just reading their websites. Many students who attend the fair successfully secure placements and graduate employment for when they complete their studies.”Be sure to have your CV checked by Careers and Employability in the University House prior to the event, and look smart! First impressions count and employers will be looking for potential recruits!The fair starts at 1:00pm in the Sports Hall in the University of Salford Sports Centre on Wednesday 14 November, and finishes at 3:30pm.

Over 30 top employers to attend Business and IT recruitment fair

Postgraduate students from the University of Salford’s School of the Built Environment have won the CIB Sebestyén Future Leaders Award, beating teams from around the globe.

It was the students’ proposal for a cost / benefit analysis of building information modelling (BIM) in the USA, UK, Brazil and Nigeria that earned them the first place.

The CIB Guyla Sebestyén Award was first launched in 2002, and has been awarded yearly by the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB). The subject for this year’s proposals was ‘economics, construction and society’.

The team plan to investigate how successfully BIM is being used in different countries and to help promote the efficiency, environmental performance and time benefits that using computer technology in construction projects can provide.

The students are part of a CIB Student Chapter which aims to develop postgraduate students’ skills, especially in the areas of worldwide co-operation and the exchange of research and innovation

in the built environment.PhD candidate Audrey Schultz,

leader of the Salford Student CIB Chapter said: “To get to this result we’ve had great support from the academics in the School and we really feel that once put into practice our proposal is something which the global construction industry can learn from.”

PhD Candidate and Associate Lecturer, Georgios Kapogiannis, who is the immediate Past President of the Salford Student CIB Chapter, added: ““I am pleased and excited to see our team win such as prestigious award.”

The Salford winners will carry out their proposal and present a report in May 2013. Next year they will take their findings to the CIB World Congress in Brisbane, where globally leading academics and business people will attend.

This is the third time Salford has won the prize after victories in 2002 and as part of a multi-university team in 2006.

Leader of the Economics Group of the CIB, Professor Les Ruddock, said: “Their proposal was ground-breaking, well thought out and compelling, and fully deserved the win. When we talk about future research leaders, these Salford students certainly fit the bill.”

Jayna Patel

Success for built environment graduates


Daemon Walton

Photograph: JonoMueller @

www.flickr.com

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As the winter nights draw in we’re spending more time hiding under the covers with a cup of tea, complaining about the weather. We’re British, it’s what we do! With that being said, student accommodation isn’t always the warm, cosy abode we’d like to return to after a full day of lectures. Therefore, this week I’ve had my eye out for some unique home ware stores for you to turn a cold cave into your ideal pad.

Thimble and bobbin is an online store created by Lauren Crawford. She started her textiles business after teaming up with Middleborough council as part of their project to help start up local businesses. “I applied thinking I wouldn’t be selected, but I was.” Lauren explains, but the council recognised her passion and offered her business mentoring and six months free retail space.

After building her skills, Lauren decided to focus her efforts onto the online market. Supplying quirky designs such as scrabble cushions and retro bunting, her store is now part of the BigCartel network.

Lauren graduated with a BA (hons) in Textiles & Surface design and uses her skills to stitch, screen print and design all

her creations. All of the items are handmade and personalised items may take up to 10 days before being sent.

You can visit Lauren’s store at www.thimbleandbobbin.bigcartel.com .

This next store may appeal more to the ladies. Fess up girls, how many of you still like the idea of fairy lights? I suppose it’s certainly one way to brighten up your flat.

MarwinCraft, is a Thai company on Etsy, that supplies a variety of handmade fairy lights.

From Rattan Ball style to skeleton leaf lights, these are more than your average ikea bargains. What drew me in most, was the intricate pink rose fairy lights. Made by hand out of dried skeleton leaves, the 3 meter trail glows an intense shade of pink.

Although many are advertised for weddings or Valentines Day decorations, the lights are versatile and would fit with many themes. The prices are also not what you’d expect for the wedding industry, with lights

strings costing around £10.You can find MarwinCraft

at http://www.etsy.com/shop/marwincraft?ref=seller_info.

The final store that I selected this week, Katie Parker’s Cabinate of Curiosities (KPCC), steers away from homemade

and stocks a variety of trinkets to personalise any home.

The store holds many random items and has a feel of the old ‘Eden’ novelty shops you’d often come across years ago. Unlike most stores, there doesn’t seem to be a theme, which is almost

like a breath of fresh air when you’ve been trawling through badly executed vintage inspired bazaars.

Butterfly pictures frames and Russian doll saltshakers are amongst the kitsch items you can expect to find, but stock changes

regularly. KPCC has many items on sale at the moment and you can expect to pick up a new ornament for around £5.

You can visit the store by heading to www.kateparker.bigcartel.com.

04 : Features ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

Spotlight on: Indie brands

When you are taking your first tentative steps so far away from home, everything seems strange. The currency is different, the

language is different, the food is different, and the very culture and social etiquettes are different. It takes a little while to realise, but the thing that is different is in fact you. You have been taken out of your comfort zone and placed in an environment where YOU

are the odd one out. You’re the foreigner.

Of course you don’t feel like this for very long – well, hopefully you don’t. Humans are quite adaptable creatures to their environment; well the most of us are anyway. The

weirdness goes somewhere into the background as your day to day life consists of spending euros instead of pounds, being spoken to in Dutch and replying in English (be warned, they may not be able to speak it but make no mistake, most of them can at

least understand it). We start to flow better with the society that we are in.

What becomes extremely strange, however, is when we do something that we associate more with home than abroad. I watched an episode of

Only Fools and Horses the other day on Youtube. For some reason watching it here felt different to watching at home. It felt like a little piece of home had been brought into a place where it doesn’t belong.

What the most surreal feeling though was when my parents visited. When they visited I felt uncomfortable to be around them. I love them dearly but I couldn’t help feeling that they didn’t belong there. They were part of another world, a different culture. I was of course happy to see them (they had my Xbox 360 with them for one thing), but as much as I was happy to have them there, I felt slightly at odds with them. When I visited home a couple of weeks later I felt fine with them. Everything felt right with the world again. But what was this feeling? Cultural displacement? Lack of belonging to one’s own family? A feeling that I might have outgrown my parents? Of course not, I think I might have just been uncomfortable with the knowledge that I was playing host for an entire country to parents that that played host with the world for me all my life.

But this feeling wasn’t pleasant and at times it was stressful. If you are planning on going abroad make sure you plan the few days as best you can. It’s likely they won’t care about the place, only you. Thing is, though, you will care.

Going Dutch!

Jessica Willby

The Salfordian’s features writer picks the best of online independent shops

Nathan Thompson

Salford student Nathan Thompson is studying in the Netherlands this year as part of the University’s exchange programme. Every week, he shares his experiences living abroad.

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Features : 05ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

If I had to choose the aspect of Manchester that appeals to me the most, I would have to say the abundant creativity and esotericism that can be found across a city firmly rooted in both the visual and audible arts. You can find creative experimentation almost anywhere, from graffiti and street performers to the varied haunts of lifelong locals and students from everywhere else. With so many disparate people creating so much disparate art for disparate reasons, what really intrigues me is when the twain converges, whether by accident or design, or in the case of Video Jam, both.

Video Jam is a hub of creativity which has been consistently well-attended and received since its first installment last January. The premise is the live conjunction of music and video

from different artists, a simple and unrestrictive concept which has set a stage for some of the most remarkable and unlikely displays I’ve ever witnessed. I asked the organizer Sarah Hill to explain what it’s all about:

“Video Jam is an evening of short, silent films, each of which is scored by a different live accompaniment of some kind. The films come from professional and amateur artists alike, the majority of which live locally. I feel our focus on contemporary filmmaking/video art and emerging artists is what makes our event special. We are open to any genre, and welcome unconventional approaches.”

“As the curator, I collect together a programme of around 12 films, sent in through our online submission form or sourced online, and pair each of these with a local musician/band/sound artist/writer who is then left to their own

devices,” said Sarah, “My main motivation in making pairings is to achieve an interesting result, to challenge, and to avoid the obvious. As a rule, once the film is out of my hands I have no control over the finished accompaniment. What makes the event, I believe, original and exciting is that it is entirely experimental - the outcome is unknown, it may very well go wrong – and works as a ‘blind collaboration’ of sorts, both parties remaining anonymous to one another until the night.”

I found out about Video Jam almost a year ago, when Sarah had an email forwarded to the Media, Music and Performance students at Salford inviting any interested parties to get involved with the debut event in January. As a music student whose output has a demonstrably limited demographic appeal, I seize such open invitations when they come along, and having frequented so many experimental showcases,

I expected the usual, which is to say, a tepidly received succession of overly-ambitious demonstrations and a rising tide of ennui. It didn’t take long for me to realise that Video Jam was different.

What set Video Jam apart for me, and which has made me a stalwart attendee of subsequent events, was that the individual artistic personae of the various contributors took a backseat to the unforeseen emergences which arose from their respective works coming together. The audience, one of surprising size and diversity for a debut night, were genuinely enthralled by each of these hybrid third meanings, which were all the more exciting for the fact that they were unique occurrences – the result of a great deal of planning to produce something unplanned.

Sarah said: “The purpose of Video Jam is not only to provide a platform for local artists

making interesting work to exercise their ideas, but to open up new spaces for conversation about the nature of moving image and sound – to challenge the ways in which they may be encountered and perceived. I don’t mind whether people think each accompaniment is a ‘success’ or not, as long as it gets them talking and engaging with what they experience. It has also been hugely rewarding to see artists prolong their collaboration with one another and to continue to make work together. If not for anything else, it is simply a great opportunity to meet interesting and interested people in Manchester.”

And so it has been, for me at least. As well as seeing some very interesting performances and screenings, I’ve met some very interesting people and become involved in other hidden gems of this city’s unofficial arts programme. For anyone who shares such intrigue, Video Jam

is the place to be, and the next installment is this very weekend.

“Though I don’t like to give too much away about future events, we have as eclectic a programme as ever - one that I can guarantee will produce interesting results,” said Sarah, “Film includes animation, abstract, narrative, split screen, text based film, found footage, a Cannes film festival nominated piece and, new to Video Jam, promise of a ‘live’ film. Music includes electronic, improvised jazz, acapella, a ceilidh band, 10 electric guitars playing at once, an original voice/over, narration and more…”

The next Video Jam will be held on Sunday the 18th of November at Antwerp Mansion, Rusholme. Doors open at 7pm and entry is £2. Anyone interested in contributing to future programmes can visit the blog at http://videojammanc.wordpress.com/ and fill in a submissions form.

Local events guide: ‘Video Jam’Adam Hart

I made this cake for my work’s “bake off” and its safe to say it won.

You will need: 2 1/2 cups plain flour2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp salt1 cup unsalted butter, room

temperature1 cup packed light-brown sugar1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs1 tsp vanilla extract1 cup sour cream2 cups blueberries2 tablespoons grated lemon

zestInstructions: 1) Preheat oven to 180C2) In a bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups

flour with baking powder and salt; set aside

3) In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed

until light and fluffy. 4) Add eggs, one at a time,

beating until incorporated. 5) Beat in vanilla. 6) Reduce speed to low; add

flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of sour cream.

7) In a small bowl, toss blueberries and zest with a teaspoon flour and then gently fold into batter.

8) Grease your cake tin (preferably a bundt tin) with butter and icing sugar so it doesn’t stick!

9) Bake the cake for about 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean and enjoy

Amy Hughes

Recipe of week: lemon and blueberry cake

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06 : Features ISSUE 07 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

Country attire is huge this season. The autumn / winter 2012 runways turned back to the classics and were bursting with rural colours, fabrics and designs. The fabrics focused on this season were mainly cashmere, tweed, plaid and wool.

In terms of designers, Missoni displayed large blankets to be draped over the shoulders, which looks perfect to me as I walk around the house dressed in a blanket most of the time, so you can be bang on trend even at your cosiest…

The designer to watch this season is most definitely Ralph Lauren. The autumn 2012 ready to wear collection is inspired by English fashion circa World War one. Feathered accessories, three-piece suits, and Jodhpur pants, Ralph Lauren’s latest collection is faultless.

The countryside trend conveys rural style and sophistication, and is perfect for the upcoming weather. All the country

classics were revisited this season, knee high leather boots, tweed blazers, corduroy jackets – traditional tailoring that will never tire in the fashion world. Cosy knit trousers paired with a sheer blouse and tweed blazer will look chic and classy. Zara, Mango and Reiss are the top high street stores I would recommend for this trend. Tweed blazers over chunky knits, paired with drainpipe jeans and knee high boots will look countryside chic this season. Long leather boots are everywhere at the moment, and you certainly do not have to be a horse rider to carry the equestrian look. Pair your boots with silk shorts and a chunky polo neck knit and you will look effortlessly chic.

The new trend jumps back into the twenties and offers history and class. A trend that simply cannot go wrong.

Follow my blog at www.lowriwyn.blogspot.co.uk or follow me on twitter @LowriWyn_1

You can also read the next ‘Lowri Loves’ in the next issue of The Salfordian, which is out on Monday 19 November.

Lowri Loves...tweed

Lowri Williams Features editor

Every week, The Salfordian’s features editor shares her fashion tips. This week, Lowri is embracing trends of the past.

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When watching 999: What’s Your Emergency?, you may be forgiven for thinking Blackpool must be a God-forsaken cesspit of debauchery and idiocy. Partly, it is – but just as much as anywhere else.

I come from Blackpool and, I will gladly admit, I’m not its biggest fan. However, 999 focuses solely on Blackpool’s negative aspects. I appreciate that a show of this nature will do that and that really makes for good television.

What I don’t appreciate though, is the lying and

manipulation the series does. For instance, in episode seven of this show which, according to Channel 4’s website ‘looks at Britain through the eyes of the emergency services’, the narrator tells us the police are rushing to a crime on Hill Street (which is on the south side of Blackpool), while the camera pans around Queens Town flats; the only set of high-rises in Blackpool (and, on the north side...)

This may sound like a petty complaint, but if you lived in one of the flats, you’d probably be rather insulted. For instance, the flats look very similar to the Eddie Coleman building. So, by Channels 4’s stereotyping, we should believe everyone who

lives there are criminals? What is disappointing

too, is the fact that they don’t show any of the classy areas of Blackpool. If you’re familiar with the area, namely Poulton, or Cleveleys (classier still, that’s where I live).

Perhaps I am speaking too soon. By the end of the series, we might see at least an inclusion of the bigger picture. We might not. All I know is, as contrived as it is, I’ll still be watching next time – if only to complain again.

Are you from Blackpool? Do you agree with Johnny? Tell us your thoughts on Facebook by searching for ‘Salfordian’. You can catch 999: What’s Your Emergency? On Channel 4, Mondays at 9pm

999: Yes, you’re being lied to

Johnny Blackburn

Channel 4’s ‘999: What’s Your Emergency’ presents an inaccurate representation of Blackpool, says Johnny Blackburn

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The colossal entertainment news from last week has obviously been a massive move made by a veteran entertainment heavyweight. Yes, Robbie Williams has released a new single and successfully defied the critics…by demonstrating that despite their opinions, absolute sh*te can make it to the top of the charts.

Disney have bought LucasFilm and have decided the best thing to do is release more Star Wars films. They have also bought Frank Sinatra’s back catalogue and decided the best thing to do is to exhume his body and stamp on it in front of a crowd

of fans, then release the noises wheezing out of the corpse as a new album because no matter now disrespectful or rubbish it will make them money.

It has been revealed that conman Selva Carmichael has, for the past few years, been targeting minor reality TV stars. These include X Factor contestant Chico who believed that he was targeted so that Carmichael could access his plethora of rich and famous friends. Nice to see the delusion has stayed strong after the X Factor. Mr. Carmichael was extremely clever here, as when you think of people who will have a massive fortune they can be conned out of, Big Brother contestants from about seven years ago and talent show drop-

outs are probably the first that spring to mind.

The massive environmental story of last week has obviously been Hurricane Sandy (Michael Fish said it would be a nice day! – topical humour from about 1987) which became a factor in the last minute vote canvassing for the presidential candidates. I am sure the 69 people who lost their lives would be happy to know that the storm that caused their death was being used by Presidential candidates for rather limp publicity stunts. These have mainly consisted of them giving out pizza…practice for the new job? Although the presidential election results will be known by the time this is printed!

The weekly round - up

Carl Spurling

Carl casts a caustic eye over current affairs

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Arts : 27ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

When Ian Fleming wrote the first James Bond novel in 1953, I bet he didn’t anticipate twenty three popular British espionage films and a famous franchise with a huge fan base. In fact Bond has become such a renowned franchise that I had to sit through an array of pre-film adverts promoting everything from cars to phones all endorsed by the iconic British spy. But the danger with franchises like Bond is that they often get built up into this great phenomena and face the possibility of being anti-climactic, failing everyone else’s sky high expectations.

Bond it seems, is immune to such a danger. Released on the October 26th, Sam Mendes’ rendition of Bond in Skyfall delivers an explosive escapism into Bond’s world of secrets and shadows, fast pace car chases and tense gun fire with, of course, Bond’s trademark smooth charm and witty one liners.

Following Bond (Daniel Craig) and Moneypenny’s (Naomie Harris) failure to retrieve a stolen list of all

NATO agents undercover in terror organisations, five of the agents’ names are realised on the internet. Bond, presumed dead after Moneypenny accidently shot him having been ordered to take the risk by M ( Judy Dench), returns to duty, having heard the that MI6 was hacked and several employees are dead as a result of an explosion at the MI6 offices. With the promise that five more agent’s names will be realised each week, Bond soon becomes locked in a furious battle with an ex-agent turned cyber theorist with a vendetta against M, Raoul Silva ( Javier Bardem), who always seems to be one step ahead.

Refreshingly, despite scenes in Shanghai and Turkey, the film has a very British presence as you would expect from a British creation, something you just don’t get in high flying American Hollywood blockbusters. With the Union Jack frequently depicted, a heated pursuit on the London Underground and the BBC’s very own Huw Edward’s briefly appearing reading the news you can’t help but feel, as a British viewer,

a sense of loyalty to the film.

There is a theme of the inevitability of time catching up with us, of aging, the past coming to haunt you, with M’s retirement brought to the forefront following a sentiment from the Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) “you’ve had a good run”. M is also forced by Silva to reflect on her past judgements and handling of decisions she made about agents. Bond, meanwhile appears to be a little out of shape following his period of laying low pretending to be dead but is encouraged by Moneypenny to be “an old dog with new tricks”. Safe to say both M and Bond prove they’ve still got it, with Bond proving that his hobby, as he tells Silva is indeed resurrection.

Bursting with suspense, action, and a convincing chemistry between Bond and Moneypenny, Skyfall is a difficult film to fault, making it a perfect way to mark the franchise’s fiftieth anniversary since its beginning in 1962 with “Dr. No”.

Film review: SkyfallJayna Patel

TV review: Fringe

The final season of “Fringe” is well on its way to the crazy dénouement everyone is expecting. It’s sad that they’ve decided to finish the series, as it is one of the best sci-fi on any network. Almost every episode has done the viewer justice, bringing odd and mysterious cases and exceptional acting by the whole cast.

The fifth season seems to be rushed. With the finale of the fourth season ending in such a way, probably all viewers were perplexed at the start of the final season. This is the way the creators probably wanted to end the series, but they probably didn’t think they would be cut short a few seasons. Kudos to the network for making it choppy!

The viewers are thrust into the future where Observers have taken over. It’s a tiny bit like 1984 except this time nobody’s thoughts are safe. We’re introduced to Peter’s and Olivia’s daughter, Etta who is part of the resistance. The whole fringe team including Walter and Astrid are brought out of amber and they’re now on the run to save the world.

While only in the last season they were fighting William Bell and his plan to destroy the universe in order to create a new one it seems kind of odd to take part in this storyline. It feels like there are lots of details missing, but it is good.

The acting is flawless, John Noble is just as sweet as ever and both Olivia and Peter are still who they were, with a few minor differences.

It’s obvious what this season is going to be like, but for any fan of this series it’s going to be a good watch. Walter came up with a plan to defeat the O b s e r v e r s thirty years ago and has hidden bits and pieces in different areas so it doesn’t get into the wrong

hands. This final series will be a treasure hunt laced with fringe memorabilia.

Let’s just hope the final episode is not as

disappointing as the X-Files!

Sally LeiboviciArts editor

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Since the formation of the coalition government we have seen a number of policies that have rocked the British public, such as certain benefits being scrapped for those who need it most, the winter allowance for the elderly being cut, charging charities a percentage on donations made to them, and many more ridiculous money making/saving schemes. The problem with these schemes is that it seems to be the working class population that are paying the price and it’s never the rich who have to suffer.

It’s been well known for a long time that the wealthy like to hide their money in overseas ‘tax havens’, whether that is in Switzerland, The Cayman Islands et al., where taxable income totalling millions of pounds can be placed (obviously depending on how rich they are) without the government knowing or being able to do anything about it. This is just one strategic and sneaky way adopted by the ‘greedy’ in avoiding tax payment to the country and

the government, despite them earning a great deal more than the majority of other citizens. It’s plainly clear that no matter how large their income, it will never be enough for them, and they’ll use whatever devious methods they can to attain more wealth at the expense of others.

A prime example of the greed of some, which has been well-documented over the past few years, is the parliamentary expenses scandal which sparked well-deserved outrage from the public towards guilty Members of Parliament – people who are expected to be the most upstanding and trustworthy.

MPs claim expenses from the money paid by the hard-working taxpayer on top of their own salaries (around £65,000 pa) and, in my view, this shouldn’t be allowed as excessively as it currently is (it is now the job of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to police this). This money should be going to fund public services instead of them being drastically cut like they currently are.

The Prime Minister has taken some action by accepting resignations but

then that was only in the face of media scrutiny, so I think David Cameron was just putting on a show for his voters so that they believe he has actually taken some initiative about it when, in reality, he had no other choice.

The only realistic and relevant government expenses all MPs should be awarded is for travel, and I don’t mean to buy a car! I mean for significant petrol costs, long distance train journeys to London on Parliamentary business at Westminster, and economy plane tickets to other countries on diplomatic visits provided there is sufficient reason for the visit (to avoid them attempting to claim a free holiday!)

This government needs to realise that the current economic climate shouldn’t be a burden to people who have nothing comparatively, and that they can reduce the deficit more effectively by acting quickly and decisively in punishing tax-dodging people and businesses, and getting the wealthy to start paying a fair amount that is currently being covered by the poor.

For richer, not for poorer

Modern day slavery

Slavery should be a thing of the past but with the recent Rochdale grooming case and the first conviction under the new slavery offence – Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act (2009) – when four people were convicted of forcing a group of destitute men into servitude (www.jrf.org.uk) – it seems that slavery is still prevalent today.

Last month marked the second annual anti-slavery day in the UK and with it the latest government figures were released which suggest a rise in human beings being trafficked into the UK for the purpose of domestic servitude and illegal organ removals.

It was as late as March last year when the UK signed up to the EU directive on trafficking. Perhaps many officials thought Wilberforce had abolished slavery in 1807 but those working on the ground with victims may tell you otherwise.

I have spent the past few years working with people who have survived human trafficking and there is no ‘one’ story or ‘one’ background that people come from but there is a definite link with employment and poverty. Human beings are not only trafficked into the UK but around and within the UK. Trafficking is not an immigration or a ‘foreign’ issue (that’s not to say that better border control could potentially save victims) but it is a serious organised crime.

I have spoken to many young women who have been forced to skip childhood and education as they were conned into coming to the UK, we have also aired an exclusive on Channel 4 news where men were being forced to “work as slaves” last summer and then this year I have worked closely with ITV News revealing the extent of grooming and internal trafficking in the UK which linked into the Rochdale grooming trial and scandal of some private care homes. Most recently a lot of emphasis has been placed on the Olympic games and the potential for traffickers to exploit the influx of tourism as well as need for skilled labours but trafficking is not just a thing of last summer – it goes on around us in many forms – where people maybe ‘pimped’ from party to party or people maybe forced to work for little or no money and kept in squalid housing conditions.

Trafficking is a global problem and according to the International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet, an estimated 2.5 million people are in forced labour (including sexual exploitation) at any given time as a result of trafficking. The amount of ‘known’ victims in the UK is relatively low compared to other countries but nonetheless, there are 17,000 migrants working in UK brothels. There

are believed to be 400 women out of this who are victims of trafficking and a further 4,128 women who the police to believe to be ‘vulnerable.’

It is essential to raise global awareness of the problem through campaigns targeting vulnerable people across the globe, and even Hollywood is set to release a film entitled The Whistleblower, based on

a US woman who uncovered sex trafficking whilst she was working in Bosnia.

More focus however, needs to be on victim care as they are often scared, traumatized and usually don’t speak fluent English. There are a few UK based charities that assist the police with a care centred approach but for many victims who are discovered in other

countries – there is nothing.Nick Kinsella who founded

the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) which has now transferred to the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) said:

‘The most effective way of combating human trafficking is through a multi-agency approach. We must remember that Trafficking is a serious

organized crime – it is not an immigration crime. It is a form of modern day slavery.’

Read the story of a survivor in the award-winning article: “Sex Trafficking – a family affair”

w w w . v e r i t a m a g .com/2011/01/18/sex-trafficking-a-family-affair/

Find out more about Verita Magazine at veritamag.com. Head to Twitter to follow Sophie at @SophieMeiLan and the magazine at @VeritaMag

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Sophie Mei LanFounder of veritamag.com

Analysis : 29ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

The Siege of Al-Eker Bahrain The siege of Eker refers to the

Bahraini security forces imposing a lockdown of the village of Eker, situated about 20km south of the capital Manama, Bahrain.

On the morning of Friday, October 19, 2012, the government announced without any evidence that a police officer of Pakistani origin had been killed by a homemade bomb in the village of Eker. The government deployed police in SUVs and armoured vehicles to Eker, and sealed off all routes leading to and from the village. Checkpoints were set up at various locations, and security forces carried out house raids, arresting at least seven people, who the Ministry of Interior (Bahrain) claims may have been involved in the alleged explosion. Bahraini human rights activists have stated that the raids carried out against citizens’ houses are unlawful, and the arrests are arbitrary and without reasonable grounds.

A statement released by Bahrain’s largest licensed opposition party, Al Wefaq described the siege as state-sponsored “terrorism”. The statement also said that extrajudicial raids were carried out on over forty houses in Eker, detailing property damage and harassment during the raids.

Security forces have enforced a blockade, denying entry and exit to the village for over 48 hours. Regular food deliveries have been turned back, and ambulances have been denied access. Within the village, police have prevented residents from attending school.

Al Wefaq and other licensed opposition parties, including National Democratic Action Society (Waad), Ekhaa, Qawmy, and Wahdawy, have collectively announced that they will be sending a joint delegation to Eker on the morning of Sunday, October 21, 2012, to try and peacefully break siege of the village. The opposition parties

also plan to hold a protest Sunday afternoon.

The regime forces have attacked a group of opposition figures, medics, activists and journalists that headed people to Al-Eker which has been under the inhumane siege of the regime for three days.

The forces used lethal teargas and chased the people who gathered in attempt to break the siege. The area is under tight lockdown.

The team asked the forces for their legal justifications and reasons to lockdown Al-Eker, but was not given any answers in response except striking violence that reached the traffic on the nearby main road.

People inside Al-Eker gathered far enough from security checkpoints, to welcome the team but were attacked by the forces. The attacks included houses in the village which have already been subjected to repeated raids and vandalism during the past three days.

The area of Al-Eker is still under siege and nobody is allowed in or out, even cars carrying food supplies are prevented from reaching the people there. Daily prayers in mosques are stopped and even garbage-collecting companies are not allowed in.

The opposition has announced steps to break the siege including the team’s visit to the area. The opposition has called on people to deliver humanitarian aids to Al-Eker in every possible non-violet way.

An activist has posted to say that “The human situation inside Al-Eker is unbearable; it looks like a ghost town, empty streets, closed schools and mosques, stores without adequate supplies and injured people in need of medical attention”. There is an armed vehicle in front of the school with no children playing on streets; all you can see is the cries of the mothers and detainees and people who are walking long distance to carry food into their families”.

Elham Ali

Bahraini security forces and police SUVs patrolling the besieged village of Eker, Bahrain, 20 Oct 2012

Bahraini security forces and police SUVs patrolling the besieged village of Eker, Bahrain, 20 Oct 2012

Young people respond to the government’s violence and human right violation in Bahrain.

Opposition parties gather to discuss releasing the siege of AL-Eker

Tear gas has been used

30 : Your Union ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM

[email protected] 351 5400


Tom DoyleVice President Science

and Technology

Eli ProdromovaVice President Arts and

Social Sciences



Mishal SaeedVice President Health and

Social Care

Christina KennedyPresident

Having any problems with your course? Is there any issue that you would like to raise? Find out how to contact your sabbatical officers below

The University of Salford Students’ Union’s snowsports team have been recognised for their continued commitment and hard work. SUST were presented with certificates in two categories at The Club and Volunteer Awards 2012, which is organised by ski and snowboarding governing body Snowsport England. The group came second place in the ‘University Snowsports Club of the Year’ category, while society chairman Joe Woods was a ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ runner-up. The awards were presented by Gold Medallist Paralympic Rower, David Smith.

Joe Woods said: “The club over the past three years has grown exponentially. We have now over 50 dedicated members and a competitive race and freestyle team. The club three years ago was just more than a

friendship group, we have since grown to the University of Salford Students’ Union’s largest sports society and we are taking 95 people to the Alps this winter. Not only this, we have also increased the number of sport events that we attend so that we can promote Salford on a regional, national and international scale. We also offer lessons and taster sessions to beginners, which raises awareness of the sport and provides members with a hobby they will enjoy for the rest of their life.”

Jan Doyle, Senior Development Officer at Snowsport England said: “We are really impressed with the work SUST are doing to not only grow the number of students taking part in Snowsports in Salford but also the quality of the experience they get as a member of the club.”

This year The University of Salford Students’ Union’s Netball club has set up links with soldiers who serve in 8 Troop, 73 Armoured Engineer Squadron (AES) on Operation Herrick 17. This troop is part of the 21 Engineer Regiment, a Task Force Engineer Group, who were deployed at the beginning of September to Afghanistan. In September the netball team filled up shoe boxes to send to the troops with donations from the students union and team members. We have also launched the British Legion’s annual remembrance poppy appeal across University of Salford campus .

But we thought why not do something that can get our whole university involved.. and what do our sports teams do best... a fundraising - night out at the SU! We will be raising money so we can fill up some more shoe boxes and send them out to our affiliated troop on the front line! We will have the ‘press up challenge’ where you will see rival teams compete: hockey will compete against football, rugby league will compete against rugby union, to see who can gain the title of ‘Salford Soldier’. Shock radio will be live, and you might even get to see some SUDS throw out some moves! We will also be hosting the Mr and Miss University of Salford competition and we will be asking for your votes on the night. Public services fancy dress is option but here is some ideas of what our teams are doing: Netball – Army, Rugby Union- Top Gun, Hockey- Lollipop Ladies , Men’s

Football – Sailors , Women’s Football – Bin ladies, Women’s Rugby – Police Detectives

We hope that you can come down and join in the fun, for what really is a worthy cause. If you have anything that you would like to donate and send to the troops feel free to bring it down with you on the night. Alternatively when you’re doing your shopping add in an extra packet of noodles, harribo or lucozade as these always seem to go down well! We hope to see you all from 7pm on Wednesday 14 November at Bar Yours, University House on Peel Park Campus.

Awards success for SUST

Netball club to host fundraising night at SUNetball Committee

All readers, may I just start by greeting you with the greeting of Islam – peace be unto you! Charity is one of the five pillars of Islam; Islam encourages the sharing of wealth with others, and to becoming productive members of society. There are lots of different forms of charity, one of them being the most widely known Zakah (2.5% of one’s wealth) - obligatory charity, and of course helping the poor and less fortunate.

For Charity Week this year Salford ISoc have chosen to work alongside the well-established charity Interpal: with a 100% donation policy with all money going toward our brothers and sisters (in humankind and Islam), suffering in and around Palestine. Their website explains that the donation use varies from “providing urgently needed clean water in the Gaza Strip, funding vocational training in Lebanon, providing everything a child needs to continue her education in the West Bank and supporting refugees in Jordan”. Their philosophy is “to respond to greatest need, whilst laying the foundations for a brighter future”. At Salford next week, you will have your chance to contribute to this worthwhile cause, with five days of fundraising events next week – be sure to not miss out!

We will be selling a variety of things during the week one of them being baked goods in our bake

sales (including home-made cakes and Krispy Kreme doughnuts), hot beverages for this chilly weather (including hot chocolate, tea and coffee) as well as beautiful Arabic calligraphy canvas art. Not to be missed! Think about it: it could be as simple as buying a cup of tea, and a child in Gaza may have the opportunity to have a sip of clean water.

On Monday, our stalls will be set up in Maxwell, Allerton campus on Tuesday, on Wednesday in Students Union foyer, the field opposite the Union on Thursday. During Friday prayer, Jummah, there will be a khutbah (essentially a ‘talk’) in relation to charity and donations will be collected after prayer. It is also the last chance to buy tickets for a charity dinner with a three-course meal that very evening, which will take place at Manzil banqueting hall at 6:30pm, with Ibrahim Hewitt, Lauren Booth, Hamza Fletcher and Kamal Uddin as guests and speakers. A photographer will also be present for a chance to take pictures of the will-be memorable evening. Be sure to be a part of it!

Contact Hussam Zeid for more details/purchasing your ticket on 07938097279

So come along, take a look and be a part in making a change!

May your intentions and deeds for charity week be rewarded. Peace be unto you!

And remember, in Islam, even a smile is a form of charity!

ISOC CommitteeUSSU Islamic society to host charity events

ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM Sports and Activties: 31

Sports and Activities at SalfordFor more information about Students’ Union sports and activities, visit www.salfordstudents.com

You read that you will never meet more people than when you are at university. You’re told that you will forget about all your old friends back home, and that university is the chance to start again. Get rid of the embarrassing friend who never took your hints to leave, or the one that always smelled.

You get the chance to spend your student loan on brand new clothes, walk through campus

believing you are the coolest and most ‘individual’ student that has ever lived. In reality, the novelty of the “what’s your name, where are you from, what course are you doing” conversations grow tiresome after the first few weeks of term.

This is where a sports team or society should come into your life. You get the chance to play

competitive sport or spend time with people so similar to you that you begin to believe you may have actually been separated at birth. The chances are, whether you are competing with 10 other guys in the cricket team or your doubles partner in a badminton match, you will be spookily alike.

After being part of the cricket club that influenced me and made my first year so enjoyable I wanted to help keep the club running. I was elected as club captain and from that position I have gained so much confidence and experience. It has led me to nominating myself for a position as NUS Delegate in upcoming elections. I am running for the role as I know that I would love having the opportunity to help influence student’s lives.

I know how important student representation is. Without

the many hours that society committees

put into the groups they run, many societies would simply not exist. If you are not involved in a

sports team or society you should take up one of the opportunities on offer and join a group. I joined the cricket club just over a year ago as a fresher just looking for something to fill my Wednesday afternoons. I am now leading a winning team, have gained invaluable skills and have a great group of friends. You will not regret getting involved.

What are the advantages of joining a society or team?

Wilf ReeveUSSU Cricket club captain

Last week, instead of our Chess Society meeting up in the usual boardroom in University House, we were invited for a friendly match with University of Manchester’s Chess Society. It was a good opportunity for us to meet other students who have the same interest and the evening went really well.

I remember walking into the room after spending about 15 minutes looking for it because their Student Union is really big compared to ours. And when

I finally found the room on the third floor, I opened the door to a really tiny room and when I say tiny, I mean there were about 16 of them sat in rows of four, just inches away from one another. All were in deep thought which

is normal for chess players, and silence is generally required within the room. But this was a friendly match and gathering so when conversations arose, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

It was nice to meet their society who were very welcoming and at times, talkative. In the future

we hope that they too will come down to Salford for a friendly match and it gives us something to look forward to.

We hope to organise an outing with the society very soon too, so that we are not always just meeting on the Thursday evenings in the same room

playing the same game.

Chess is for everyone so do come along and get yourself involved.

Beginners, do not be afraid, you too are very welcome.

I am the secretary for this society so get in touch if you have any queries contact me at [email protected], or join our Facebook group.

USSU chess club in friendly match against Manchester

Last weekend, the University of Salford Students’ Union’s fencing team went to Leeds University to take place in the Leeds Open Competition. It was a national open competition, and entrants could gain British National Ranking points from it. The team were entered into the following three categories; men’s foil, men’s epee and men’s sabre.

The event welcomed some of the country’s best competitors, including British team members and international fencers from Italy and Romania. With 70 fencers in each category, the squad performed very well, with team coach and experienced competitive fencer Kieran Byrne achieving the highest position of

the day, finishing ninth out of a total 34 in the men’s sabre.

Other notable performances came from Bermudan international fencer Aden Peets, who was knocked out by one of the eventual finalists, but nevertheless finished a respectable 29th in the men’s epee.

Byrne and Peets were no stranger to the competitive fencing scene, but for the rest of the Salford competitors it was either their first National Ranking competition, or first competition altogether. All of the newbies fought brilliantly against a high calibre opposition, racking up a further four top 50 finishes.

Luke Magnall came 47th in the men’s epee, Matthew Holt 49th and Stephen Challinor 69th in the men’s foil, topped off with Richard Watson and Samuel Runcieman respectively

finishing 33rd and 31st in the men’s sabre.

The club have several other events planned in the coming weeks and months, including friendlies against Huddersfield and Chester University, and other National Ranking events, such as the Scottish Open in Edinburgh.

Membership for the club is just £50, and this provides you with all the equipment you need to fence within the club, a hall to practise in, and weekly training sessions with a professional coach.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the fencing team or would like more information, you can contact the squad at [email protected], or find the team on Facebook by searching USSu Fencing –Club.

Bryony PearceSports Editor

USSU fencing team excel in Leeds Open competition

Aden Peets (left) in a warm-up fight against team-mate Luke Magnall

Right: Wilf Reeve in action!

Fiza IkramChess society secretary

ISSUE 08 / 12 NOVEMBER 2012WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM Sports : 32

The battle for 2nd place in the BUCS Northern 5A league was sadly ruined by poor umpiring decisions, with Keele coming out on top beating the Salford girls 37-31.

The starting line-up for Salford was Alice Morton, Joanna Drake, Ellie Thomason,

Lauren Fenton, Lauren Mclean, Hannah Ayres and Leanne McKenna, with Louisa

Cork and Pujah Bhardwhaj as subs.

The game was a slow starting one, with both teams having equal amount of possession. Keele were first to break the deadlock but Salford soon bounced back and won the first quarter 6-5.

The second quarter continued to see both teams equally matched, with neither side

really dominating. Salford’s shooters Leanne McKenna and Hannah Ayres worked

the circle well, with Lauren McLean and Lauren Fenton feeding good passes to them. The quarter ended 16-16, though Salford deserved to be in front.

Louisa Cork came on to play WD in the third quarter. Keele began to break away,

with controversial decisions from the umpires helping them do so. The quarter ended 26-22 to Keele, causing Salford to protest against the umpires decisions in the break. The umpires were unhappy with the way some of the girls spoke

to them, and initially refused to continue umpiring into the final quarter. After apologising

and agreeing with Keele to continue playing, the game finally continued.

The final quarter saw the Salford Girls make up ground on Keele, and reduced the

gap to just two goals behind at one point. Defenders Joanna Drake and Alice

Morton worked well together to keep their shooters out, however Keele soon

changed their tactics and began to dominate possession, increasing their lead once

again and winning the game 37-31.

Player of the match was awarded to Alice Morton.

Netball: Salford 1st v Keele 2nd

Men’s rugby league: University of Salford men’s 1st v University of Manchester 1st

Placed two positions lower in the league table, Salford faced an uphill battle from the start as they took on visitors University of Manchester at Castle Irwell. Going into the match the Salford boys were yet to win a home game this season, and that trend unfortunately wasn’t broken by the end of the match.

Manchester got the better start to the match and within 10 minutes had gained a two-try

lead. The home side made valiant attempts to retaliate, but a couple of below par passes

and follow up chases left supporters and substitutes frustrated at the side lines, as they

watched their team struggle to get on the scoreboard.

Salford finally got a couple of points under their belt as Danny Kelly touched down for their first try just moments before half time, for Alex Davidson to successfully follow up with a conversion. Despite their gutsy effort, the home side were still left trailing by over 10

points at half time due to Manchester managing to continually break through the home sides defence.

The second half began similarly to the first with the local rivals racking up points, while

Salford were yet to make a mark. Our defence were making too many simple mistakes, allowing Manchester to easily break through, and with their pace, these were errors they just couldn’t afford to be making.

Salford came close to scoring more tries than they did, but Manchester’s well organised defence unit prevented the home side from getting too near their touch down line for a large part of their game.

An impressive run from Phil Lyon sidestepping several of his opponents saw Salford plant their second try of the day, as Lyon passed to Zac Donlon who went onto successfully touch down. Followed by Davidson’s second conversion of the day, the home side managed to double their scoreline, but they had left too little, too late as the final score reflected a dominant performance from Manchester, finishing 40-10.

Eleanor Thomason

Bryony PearceSports Editor

On a bitterly cold afternoon the University of Salford Students’ Union’s football team lined up against MMU Cheshire in what proved to be a closely contested match.

MMU Cheshire got their names on the score sheet first with an early goal which can’t have done the home side any favours in terms of confidence.

Soon after, MMU looked likely to double their lead, however with a well organised defence particularly by the two strong centre backs in Jack Gordon Brown and Carl Wilcock, Salford were able to hold on.

A few clear chances on goal from Cheshire put the team on the back foot as they split the

defence with some fine balls, but Salford’s keeper Jono Stainsby was on hand to keep out their efforts.

After the away team’s main threat was substituted with an injury, it gave Salford the bit of luck they had been rooting for as striker Isaac Jones was brought down in the box after 28 minutes and awarded a penalty. The decision could have been deemed controversial but Jones made no mistake as he slotted the ball coolly into the

bottom left corner, leaving the keeper with no hope of pulling off a save.

In the second half it was Salford who started more positively as another chance fell to Nathan Jacob from a defensive mistake, his shot just missing the bottom

right corner.Salford’s defence remained

solid throughout, and in the second half looked to be

making more progress in the upper regions of the field, mainly from Jones, whose skilful runs and sharp passes allowed the strikers to get involved and create more chances.

And the goal finally did come after 70 minutes as a middle of the park scrap which

had been fought well by Mark Chambers all game, fell to Striker Chris Mannion who, without hesitation, took a clean swipe at the ball from outside the box and straight under the keepers flailing body.But it wasn’t enough to keep the side out as MMU

Cheshire equalised in style in the 86th minute.

Men’s football: University of Salford 1st v MMU Cheshire 5th

Luke Betts

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The Salfordian Issue 8

Documents

Transcript of The Salfordian Issue 8