DAVID Cameron was to follow his musical heroes The Smiths today by posing in front of Salford Lads Club.

The Tory leader was visiting the club more than 20 years after the Manchester band was photographed outside the venue in what became an iconic image.

Mr Cameron will be fulfilling a long-cherished ambition - in 2005 he told the M.E.N. he was a `massive fan' of the Smiths and wanted to visit the club.

His appreciation comes despite singer Morrissey having expressed strong anti-Tory views. He once recorded a song called `Margaret on the Guillotine' - a jibe at Margaret Thatcher.

As reported in the M.E.N. last month, Morrissey has donated £20,000 to the club on St Ignatius Walk, Ordsall, which needs £1m for urgent repairs.

And now members of the club are planning to record a single to raise money for the appeal.

Stunt

Mike Joyce, the Smiths former drummer, welcomed the Tory leader's visit. The Green Party supporter said: "It is clearly a publicity stunt, but I don't care who goes there as long as it brings to the fore what a great place Salford Lads Club is.

"I've heard that Cameron is a bit of a Smiths fan, which is quite interesting. He was once asked what he thought of the Queen Is Dead, but skirted round the question like a politician.

"I think Cameron is trying to change the image of Tories and is trying to be one of the lads - just like Blair did by getting Noel Gallagher into the Britpop thing."

Mike, who has given musical equipment to the club to auction off, is full of praise for its work.

He said: "The club does fantastic work in a great environment. The place is like a huge family. Cameron's visit will show the importance of the club not only in the work it does with kids but aesthetically as a building.

"Every time I have been there about 20 to 30 kids have been running around, playing football, which is a far better way to burn off some adrenalin than being on the street or chucking stones at cars."

Mr Cameron is to visit Salford Lads Club with shadow home secretary David Davis. They will tour the club and meet volunteers and organisers.

Mr Cameron will also deliver a speech on Tory proposals to tackle crime.

It is his second visit to Greater Manchester this month.

Last week, he gave a speech on health service reform in Trafford before heading to Manchester town hall to welcome defecting Liberal Democrat councillor Faraz Bhatti to the Conservatives.

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