472 replies to this topic

[Red Willow]

Just wish it was a done deal, the season is only matter of weeks away and we have a very thin squad, the club is operating under some very restrictive constraints at present.

I did hope it was done before Thursday.

[foozler]

^{Rumour is he now wants to buy the stadium as well as the club, that would be funny and really upset Sale.}

Would that be because the numbers simply don't add up for Salford as tenants at Barton and the only way to make the Reds work financially (ie maximising multiple off field revenue streams) is for them to actually own the place?

It is interesting though. I presume the local council has sunk multiple millions into the stadium, and I guess in these straightened public finance times that the council could be a willing seller to get some much needed cash into the town hall coffers. Peel on the other hand don't seem strapped for cash so why would they consider selling?

[duffymoon]

For all her faults, and lets face Blears has many...

She has always been very supportive of Salford RLFC. When Forever Reds Trust was first formed back in 2002 she joined and she also paid £100 as a member of 1,000 club. I don't know if she claimed it back but I do find it hard to believe she would try to block it.

Is this even part of her area, I thought it was Barbara Keeley?

. of course it's her era Hazel Blears is the MP for Salford

[duffymoon]

According to League Express still one or two hurdles to overcome.Koukash allegedly wants to buy the ground to maximise revenue but has offered less than the cost of construction.Also seems to be an issue with the amount of inherited debt any prospective purchaser would have to take on.

[Segovia Carpet]

. of course it's her era Hazel Blears is the MP for Salford

Barbara Keeley
Labour MP for Worsley and Eccles South (inc Barton Stadium)

[roughyedspud]

does anyone know how much koukash is worth?

[John Rhino]

does anyone know how much koukash is worth?

I've read he divides his time between the UK, USA and Dubai so that is something we will never know.

He breeds horses, so we have to accept "adequate" for the task in hand.

[tonyXIII]

Firstly, I cannot understand why Dr Koukash buying the stadium would upset Sale. It's just a change of landlord and that happens all the time. If it upsets Sale, surely it would upset Salford as well. (Unless Sale were planning to buy the stadium themselves )
Secondly, I still haven't seen a clear statement of who actually owns the stadium. It seems to be jointly owned by the Council and Peel Holdings, but is that 50/50 or not? Who put up the money, and how much did they put up? There are all sorts of rumours, but little in the way of hard fact, IMO. The most believable suggestion I've heard is that the Council put up around £16million (well below the oft-quoted £26million) and Peel put up little beyond some land and goodwill (whatever that might be). Peel are very sharp operators and could well have ended up with a valuable facility for next to nothing. (But it's all just rumour!)

[John Rhino]

Firstly, I cannot understand why Dr Koukash buying the stadium would upset Sale. It's just a change of landlord and that happens all the time. If it upsets Sale, surely it would upset Salford as well. (Unless Sale were planning to buy the stadium themselves )

Didn't i read on this very site that Sale were looking to sell the naming rights to the stadium?

I cannot imagine Kennedy sitting back and just watching this happen. He is after all on record as trying to sell the club to anyone who would take it off his hands.

I fear there is a long way to go yet. But i m a glass half full kinda guy.

[duffymoon]

Ultimately Koukash holds all the aces! It may well come down to a take it or leave it offer.

[John Rhino]

Any news on Salford after yesterday's meetings?

[Segovia Carpet]

Still negotiating I understand - several points at issue - Ground valuation - Lease variability - Council/Peel future input - Directors Bank Guarantees - Directors Loan Accounts - Share Issue etc - so seems some way off - apparently the Dr is being assisted by 3 from the NRL.

[Exiled Wiganer]

It bodes well that they are going into so much detail, even if the delay is frustrating. It suggests a high level of professionalism, a hard headed negotiator and someone who is going into this with his eyes wide open. If I were a Salford fan, I would hope for the very best at this stage.

[foozler]

Still negotiating I understand - several points at issue - Ground valuation - Lease variability - Council/Peel future input - Directors Bank Guarantees - Directors Loan Accounts - Share Issue etc - so seems some way off - apparently the Dr is being assisted by 3 from the NRL.

Given he's got 3 on board from the NRL, and the fact they like having precise geographic locations in club names, I predict the club name will indeed change and from 2013 the team will be known as the South Salford Devils.

[John Rhino]

Has flown Graham Lowe over from NZ to help according to Sky.

[Stan Doffarf]

Problems on the coaching front?

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ngland-21030937

[Segovia Carpet]

Problems on the coaching front?

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ngland-21030937

Innocent until proven guilty but still a top class coach in such a short time.

[Segovia Carpet]

'Racehorse magnate Marwan Koukash hopes to complete his takeover of Salford City Reds by Monday.
.
Talks with long-serving club chairman John Wilkinson and Salford City Stadium owners Peel Holdings and Salford Council are at an advanced stage, with Dr Koukash set to get the chance to transform the fortunes of the struggling Reds.

Flanked by former Wigan and New Zealand coach Graham Lowe, who is set to oversee player recruitment, and ex-New Zealand RL chairman Andrew Chalmers, Dr Koukash spoke of his ambitions after watching a makeshift Salford side go down 34-16 to a near full-strength Wigan team in a pre-season friendly at Barton.

"I hope it can be done in a few hours, certainly no longer than a few days," he said. "Hopefully by Monday we can announce the deal."

Earlier this month Salford avoided a winding-up petition brought by HM Revenue and Customs and former players Vinnie Anderson and Luke Patten over around £400,000 in unpaid bills.

Koukash revealed his first task will be to invite Wilkinson to become the club's president, and he passed a vote of confidence in head coach Phil Veivers while pledging to make funds available immediately for team strengthening.

"The first thing I said to John was how grateful everybody was for the services he has provided and that, once I sign on the dotted line, he's going to be my president for life because I think he deserves that role," he said.

"He's been extremely honest. He's supported the club for the last 30 or 35 years and he's a wonderful man.

"I've met Phil a couple of times and I would like to say that Graham (Lowe) is not replacing Phil.

"He will work with Phil to recruit the right players. They will work as a team. We have full confidence in Phil and I think he will do a wonderful job.

"Graham has had meetings with Phil and we've identified a number of players. Although we haven't signed on the dotted line, we have been speaking to a number of players, players that will bring the crowds in and players who could win matches."

Koukash, who booked a hospitality box for family and friends at the match, addressed the Salford players both before and after the game, which was a dress rehearsal for their Super League opener in a fortnight's time.

"I told them how grateful I was that they stuck around," he said. "The situation must have been horrific and they could easily have walked away.

"You could see their determination out there. They were young boys out their against big men but they fought."

Wigan led 24-4 at half-time thanks to two tries from England winger Josh Charnley, last year's Super League's leading scorer, and others from Sean O'Loughlin, Jack Hughes and Jack Murphy, plus two conversions from Pat Richards.

The Warriors added further tries through Iain Thornley and former Salford scrum-half Matty Smith to lead 34-4, but the City Reds produced a spirited late rally, with Marc Sneyd converting tries by Gareth Owen and Theo Fages.

[Finn]

Graham Lowe is 66 and has had some health problems over the years. Good luck to him and (hopefully) great to see him back in the British game.

[Dave T]

Looks to be very good news. Its brilliant that we have seen investors step up over the past few years, Wakey, Bulls, Fev, and now Salford.