Salford University Boat Club was conceived almost forty years ago by two second year civil engineering students, friends since they both became original residents of the Joule Hall student residence.  It was the autumn of 1965 and Dave Stocker and Neil McDonald decided that the transformation of Salford Royal College of Advanced Technology into Salford University was a great excuse to start a rowing club.  Both had rowed previously, Dave at Shrewsbury Grammar School and Neil at Chester City Grammar School, now Queens Park High School, followed by Royal Chester RC.

The Irwell was definitely not a pristine waterway, but it did wind lazily through the main campus and also ran quite close by the three new Halls of Residence. The elderly (even then) Agecroft Rowing Club facilities were obviously very under-utilized and there seemed to be good potential to negotiate an arrangement to share this venerable boat house and the slightly less elderly equipment. The handful of active Agecroft members were both enthusiastic and co-operative.  So were a number of other students, mainly also second year Civils. Within a short space of time, a new sports club was formed and Wednesday afternoon rowing commenced on the Irwell at Littleton Road. None of the other SUBC members had rowed previously, so Dave, now SUBC Captain and Neil, SUBC Secretary, focussed on teaching basic rowing skills.

Borrowing boats was socially acceptable but, with dreams of future regatta glory, the purchase of a brand new set of oars quickly became a top priority. At that time tulip shaped blades were only just starting to replace the traditional shapes that had been in use for at least fifty years. However only a fortunate few rowing clubs already owned this new style of oar. So it was with great excitement a few months later, that a crate containing a set of Ayling’s latest and greatest was carefully unpacked at the Agecroft site. Within days, some background black paint and then the application of the university colours, banded near the blade tip, produced a wonderful sight. To compliment the oars, the SUBC rowing vest was also created.  Solid black with a band of the university colours running diagonally across the chest, over one shoulder and down to meet the front slash again at the waist – a radical colour scheme in comparison with those used by many other more conservative crews.

The smart new oars and crew vests seemed to endorse the early vision that competitive success must surely follow quickly and automatically. Ah…..the optimism!

Reality proved to be somewhat harsher. As the winter set in, the rains appeared, the days shortened and the consistency of the Irwell seemed to become even soupier. Almost adding injury to insult was the unknown youth that periodically appeared for air gun target practice on the far bank of the river. He seemed to consider a moving target more of a challenge than an old tin can, but SUBC crews were less than amused to see slugs plopping into the water around them.  Without access to a motor boat and with a riverbank totally unsuitable for bikes, the coaches were not having much fun either.

It was not long before minds starting turning to the potential attractions of the Bridgewater Canal in Sale. Near Dane Road, Manchester University (MUBC) owned a relatively new boat house, but for good reason they did not welcome the idea of another student group sharing their facilities at the same times each week. However, a few yards away, the Metropolitan Vickers Company had a small staff rowing club and sharing this facility looked a much better possibility. Metrovicks extended a welcoming hand and, before long, rowing moved to this new location. The new site, with cleaner water, excellent coaching towpath and totally gun free spectators was a significant improvement.  The first SUBC women also started rowing at about this time and club morale quickly rose.

The only major down side to the location was having to stop to allow another boat the room needed to pass. When SUBC pulled over to allow the then mighty Manchester University VIII to go by, it was a good chance for a relaxed break. However when MUBC stopped to allow the lowly SUBC crew to pass, the difference in ability was immediately evident to all. Although MUBC were polite enough to not show disdain, the difference in skill levels was embarrassing and the SUBC crew would become subdued for quite a while afterwards.

As planning for the development of the Salford campus evolved, Dave and Neil were one day summoned to the Vice-Chancellors office to discuss the rowing club. This great man, who it was rumoured had never previously been seen by a living student, pointed at a newly finished model of the proposed campus. Perhaps thinking of the prestige that rowing might one day bring to his blossoming university, he indicated a small rectangular blob near the new Irwell footbridge. “That”, he intoned, “is where we will build your new club house”.  Apparently this has yet to happen, but perhaps the model still exists, gathering dust and mildew somewhere in a forgotten storeroom.

Somehow SUBC managed to share these facilities with Metrovicks without totally turning their backs on Agecroft RC. As a result, the first ever SUBC regatta entry was a joint SUBC/Agecroft coxed four at the 1966 Agecroft Regatta. The crew, with Neil and Dave representing SUBC, lost easily in the first round. However a few minutes later, the same SUBC members – now quite tired -  were on the water again in the first ever all SUBC regatta entry – a coxed pair. Although the result was the same, they did manage to bring the crowd to their feet with a strong late rally near the clubhouse that almost snatched a finish line victory.

SUBC rowing continued at a relatively social level, mainly focussed on the various Head of the River races in Northern England.  Once these were over, interest in rowing was soon replaced by the realization that final exams were just around the corner. The first competitive SUBC crew, a coxed four, came together in the spring of 1968. Chris Lewis, Roger “Pop” Bate, Peter Booth and another, coached by Neil McDonald, worked hard and had some success at several events. At the Northwich Regatta, everything finally came together and the crew won the Novice Fours event for the first ever SUBC regatta victory. Reports indicated that the subsequent crew wind down session was irreverent, rowdy, involved excessive drinking, some swimming and much splashing, and that the victory celebrations turned quite a few disapproving heads in the crowd.

And that was how SUBC was started!

Neil McDonald
November 2001