FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED stars Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt watched their Salford City team hold Hartlepool to an impressive 1-1 draw in the FA Cup second round on Friday.
Scholes and Butt, along with fellow Class of ’92 United greats Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville, own non-league minnows Salford and have been in attendance throughout their memorable Cup run.
Although the Neville brothers were otherwise engaged following Gary’s surprise appointment this week as manager of Spanish club Valencia, where Phil was already working as a coach, Scholes and Butt saw part-timers Salford secure a replay against fourth-tier Hartlepool with another spirited display at Moor Lane.
The League Two visitors took the lead in the eighth minute through Rhys Oates’ penalty before Salford’s Stephen O’Halloran, a former Ireland international, equalised from close-range in the 23rd minute.
28-year-old O’Halloran moved over to Aston Villa in 2006 and has had spells with Southampton, Leeds and Coventry during a fairly nomadic career in England.
The Cork-born defender played for the Boys in Green in friendlies against Ecuador and Bolivia under Steve Staunton in 2007.
Salford, who play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and are 52 places below Hartlepool in the league structure, had never gone beyond the third qualifying round before this season.
But they followed up their memorable 2-0 first round victory over Notts County with a solid display to ensure their name will be in the hat alongside Manchester United and the rest of the Premier League big guns when the draw for the third round is made on Monday.
