Karl Robinson predicts happy new year for Salford fans despite Fleetwood draw

Salford manager Karl Robinson is predicting a happy new year for the club’s fans despite Monday night’s goalless League Two draw at home to Fleetwood.

The Ammies end 2025 in fifth place and – viewing it as a point gained – the boss is adamant there is more to come from his side.

“I thought we looked very composed,” said Robinson, who was back in the dugout after illness ruled him out on Boxing Day.

“In the second half, we were trying to do the right things, Fabio (Borini) had the best chance and I’d have to see it again but we should have had a penalty for handball.

“We’re conceding less, which is important. Everyone said, ‘you’ve got to stop conceding all these goals’ and people are going to start coming to me now saying ‘start scoring more, please’.

“I’m really pleased, we’ve got a lot more to come as well.

“Let’s make 2026 our year. Let’s make the fans’ year because they deserve it. The members deserve it, the players certainly deserve it, but you’ve got to work hard to achieve that.

“About eight of our squad have been wiped out by this virus going through the club. It gives somebody else a chance and that person never, ever lets me down.

“I’m so proud that, every time they put that Salford shirt on, no one can ever say they don’t put everything into it. I think that’s certainly a given right now and we can only go in one direction.”

Fleetwood boss Pete Wild was equally happy with a share of the spoils as they end the year in ninth and he is also looking forward to more progress next year.

“I think a draw’s a fair result,” he said. “Both teams have gone bang at it and Salford have run all over teams here recently, so what we had to do is stand strong, we had to be aggressive and match what they’re really good at.

“I thought we did that in abundance tonight, we were great.

“We had guile and determination. We haven’t had many clean sheets this year, so we’re really pleased to keep a clean sheet, but they put us under a lot of pressure.

“They put a lot of balls in our box and we defended set-pieces brilliantly and our keeper’s had to make a couple of good saves. I thought it was an exciting encounter.

“When the games are coming so quickly you have to make sure you utilise your squad and I think we’ve done that tonight. I think lots have stepped up and done brilliantly. That’s a fantastic point on the road.

“We’re ninth, I think we were 17th this time last year, so to be ninth at this point in the season is great.

“We’ve got to make sure we keep moving forward, that’s the big message.”