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Rugby league needs to help save Salford


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1 hour ago, whatmichaelsays said:

I don't think anyone has an issue with what Salford have achieved on the field in recent times, but the truth is that that Million Pound Game, the Grand Final appearance and everything else doesn't really seem to be translating into increased interest in Salford, the competition or more cash in the till. 

The argument is not about whether or not the sport needs "underdog stories", but whether the sport needs clubs that seem to go from crisis to crisis, bucket collection to bucket collection, still can't pay a salary cap that is way lower than it should be and still can't generate interest despite their successes. It's possible to have the first one without the second. 

I think that's harsh when they played in the Grand Final in 2019 and we've had Covid practically since the start of the following season. They also got to the Challenge Cup final in 2020, in a year when due to Covid no fans could go. Any club would struggle to capitalise on their relative success in those circumstances.

As is their attendances did rise around the Grand Final and the very start of 2020 and they took great support to Old Trafford. It's just a pity covid struck when it did.

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3 hours ago, whatmichaelsays said:

I don't think anyone has an issue with what Salford have achieved on the field in recent times, but the truth is that that Million Pound Game, the Grand Final appearance and everything else doesn't really seem to be translating into increased interest in Salford, the competition or more cash in the till. 

The argument is not about whether or not the sport needs "underdog stories", but whether the sport needs clubs that seem to go from crisis to crisis, bucket collection to bucket collection, still can't pay a salary cap that is way lower than it should be and still can't generate interest despite their successes. It's possible to have the first one without the second. 

And yet many people clamour for the likes of Bradford, York, Featherstone, Leigh etc who have all had financial crises and issues to replace the likes of Salford, Huddersfield, Wakefield etc.

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4 hours ago, meast said:

And yet many people clamour for the likes of Bradford, York, Featherstone, Leigh etc who have all had financial crises and issues to replace the likes of Salford, Huddersfield, Wakefield etc.

Who's clamouring for us Meast ? 🤔😀

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22 hours ago, whatmichaelsays said:

I don't think anyone has an issue with what Salford have achieved on the field in recent times, but the truth is that that Million Pound Game, the Grand Final appearance and everything else doesn't really seem to be translating into increased interest in Salford, the competition or more cash in the till. 

The argument is not about whether or not the sport needs "underdog stories", but whether the sport needs clubs that seem to go from crisis to crisis, bucket collection to bucket collection, still can't pay a salary cap that is way lower than it should be and still can't generate interest despite their successes. It's possible to have the first one without the second. 

But there have not been any fans for a year.

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18 hours ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

Errr...... None of them? 

Does anybody outside the Rugby League fanbase even know (or care) what the "million pound game" is? 

People I work with non league fans all saw the result and watched the replays.

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Its a shame that after all the publicity that the Dr brought SRD followed by the 2 finals hasn't increased the crowds (Pre covid) I met a couple of Salford directors by chance at a lunch in Spain a couple of years ago and the situation that the Dr left the club in was not a pretty picture there still seems to be a lot of debt.

I still feel sorry for John Willkinson he put his heart and soul into the club and a lovely guy to boot.

 

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6 hours ago, Red Willow said:

People I work with non league fans all saw the result and watched the replays.

Fair enough. I presume they are from Salford or thereabouts.

Most people I know would have no clue who Salford Red Devils are, or Salford Reds, or Salford City Reds. They certainly would have no idea about a "million pound game".

I think the situation is tragic. Salford were moving to their new stadium in a blaze of publicity. The stadium (below pictured in the MEN) never materialised and they ended up with 4 ikea-style stands. Still - a nice new stadium.

Then Sale appeared on the horizon.

Now, somehow.... Salford are looking like becoming tenants of a rugby union club, while Sale Sharks, who already own a top of the range training facility, and are not from Salford..... are now going to buy the stadium from what is effectively Salford City Council (partnered with a developer). 

Utterly tragic chain of events. I wish Salford all the best - the game (I firmly believe) needs a strong Salford team. They are one of very few city-based clubs we have at pro level, and without them we run the risk of filling the League with small towns who nobody has really heard of. 

 

 

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On 06/05/2021 at 12:52, Whippet13 said:

I don't understand how any new owner can kick Salford out or put the rent up if they have an existing tenancy agreement in place. Unless it's full of regular rent reviews etc which is poor foresight by whomever owned Salford when it was signed.

Marwan Koukash said many times that the deal Salford had at the AJ Bell was the worst deal around.

So I assume that it was his predecessor John Wilkinson,so called”Mr Salford”who signed it.

Now a song by Alanis Morrisette comes to mind with the lyrics”Ooh this could be messy”with this situation.

 

And if I was a Salford fan I would be very worried right now.

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On 06/05/2021 at 12:52, Whippet13 said:

I don't understand how any new owner can kick Salford out or put the rent up if they have an existing tenancy agreement in place. Unless it's full of regular rent reviews etc which is poor foresight by whomever owned Salford when it was signed.

Marwan Koukash said many times that the deal Salford had at the AJ Bell was the worst deal around.

So I assume that it was his predecessor John Wilkinson,so called”Mr Salford”who signed it.

Now a song by Alanis Morrisette comes to mind with the lyrics”Ooh this could be messy”with this situation.

 

And if I was a Salford fan I would be very worried right now.

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On 06/05/2021 at 12:52, Whippet13 said:

I don't understand how any new owner can kick Salford out or put the rent up if they have an existing tenancy agreement in place. Unless it's full of regular rent reviews etc which is poor foresight by whomever owned Salford when it was signed.

Marwan Koukash said many times that the deal Salford had at the AJ Bell was the worst deal around.

So I assume that it was his predecessor John Wilkinson,so called”Mr Salford”who signed it.

Now a song by Alanis Morrisette comes to mind with the lyrics”Ooh this could be messy”with this situation.

 

And if I was a Salford fan I would be very worried right now.

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14 minutes ago, Robthegasman said:

Marwan Koukash said many times that the deal Salford had at the AJ Bell was the worst deal around.

So I assume that it was his predecessor John Wilkinson,so called”Mr Salford”who signed it.

Now a song by Alanis Morrisette comes to mind with the lyrics”Ooh this could be messy”with this situation.

 

And if I was a Salford fan I would be very worried right now.

You can say that again.

Like poor jokes? Thejoketeller@mullymessiah

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If Salford are looking to bid for Gigg Lane surely a bid for the A J BELL  would be feasible too ? 

In the 90s Leeds Rl were in severe financial trouble and nearly got bought out by Leeds United new owners Caspian and the RL side would move to ER 4 miles to the south of the city while the RU club would stay . I would not have moved with them . Not long after Caspian left and Leeds RL would have been homeless. I wonder what that great RU legend who is now part of Sale and once had a little stint with Wigan thinks to his club 

 Soon we will be dancing the fandango
FROM 2004,TO DO WHAT THIS CLUB HAS DONE,IF THATS NOT GREATNESSTHEN i DONT KNOW WHAT IS.

JAMIE PEACOCK

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No disrespect intended, but Salford RLFC had a perfectly serviceable ground situated between Kennedy rd, and Weaste Lane, they sold it and built an inaccessible pile of ###### in the middle of nowhere, shared with a Union club, sold the naming rights to a solicitor who supports Union, and now they expect the local council to pull them out of the mire, while Swinton are not getting planning permission for a stadium in the M27 postcode that they deserve.

The Willows could have been redeveloped. The North Stand was one of the best places to watch Rugby League from, although it was a long way from the nearest bar, and burger stall, the "Main Stand" could quite easy have been demolished and redeveloped within planning permission to accommodate decent sized changing rooms fit for the 21st century (Did anyone on here change in there? The rooms were appalling.), rebuild the Weaste Road stand, rebuild Kennedy Rd to a three tier full length stand, keep the social club, but revamp it, the church and school opposite had been demolished, so car parking was not a problem, reopen the burger/bars under the North Stand, and you had a place that Brian Snape suggested could hold Internationals.

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1 hour ago, Robthegasman said:

Marwan Koukash said many times that the deal Salford had at the AJ Bell was the worst deal around.

So I assume that it was his predecessor John Wilkinson,so called”Mr Salford”who signed it.

Now a song by Alanis Morrisette comes to mind with the lyrics”Ooh this could be messy”with this situation.

 

And if I was a Salford fan I would be very worried right now.

It was Marwan who signed the deal, Wilkinson had nowt to do with it.

I was on the committee at Irlam Hornets, and met John Wilkinson when he stepped on board as a main sponsor, and he came across as a very astute businessman. I don't think he would sign a naming rights to a Union fan, he was League 100%.

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8 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

No disrespect intended, but Salford RLFC had a perfectly serviceable ground situated between Kennedy rd, and Weaste Lane, they sold it and built an inaccessible pile of in the middle of nowhere, shared with a Union club, sold the naming rights to a solicitor who supports Union, and now they expect the local council to pull them out of the mire, while Swinton are not getting planning permission for a stadium in the M27 postcode that they deserve.

The Willows could have been redeveloped. The North Stand was one of the best places to watch Rugby League from, although it was a long way from the nearest bar, and burger stall, the "Main Stand" could quite easy have been demolished and redeveloped within planning permission to accommodate decent sized changing rooms fit for the 21st century (Did anyone on here change in there? The rooms were appalling.), rebuild the Weaste Road stand, rebuild Kennedy Rd to a three tier full length stand, keep the social club, but revamp it, the church and school opposite had been demolished, so car parking was not a problem, reopen the burger/bars under the North Stand, and you had a place that Brian Snape suggested could hold Internationals.

I cannot see any stadium being built in Swinton in my lifetime.Agecroft is in my opinion a pipe dream, and let’s face it,it does not take 30 years going on to build a damned stadium.I bet it didn’t take 30 years to say build The Emirates for Arsenal FC or the new White Hart Lane for Tottenham.

Agecroft is unfortunately simply not financially viable. And unfortunately I don’t think any new stadium within the borders of Salford City Council are either,whoever it is for.

Salford I fear,and I ain’t a Salford fan are going to do down the same or similar road that Swinton have been on since 1992.

 

 

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1 minute ago, Robthegasman said:

I cannot see any stadium being built in Swinton in my lifetime.Agecroft is in my opinion a pipe dream, and let’s face it,it does not take 30 years going on to build a damned stadium.I bet it didn’t take 30 years to say build The Emirates for Arsenal FC or the new White Hart Lane for Tottenham.

Agecroft is unfortunately simply not financially viable. And unfortunately I don’t think any new stadium within the borders of Salford City Council are either,whoever it is for.

Salford I fear,and I ain’t a Salford fan are going to do down the same or similar road that Swinton have been on since 1992.

 

 

Evicted by their more powerful and richer tenants, supported by their richer soliciters? Much like Coventry City.

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7 minutes ago, Robthegasman said:

Salford I fear, and I ain’t a Salford fan are going to do down the same or similar road that Swinton have been on since 1992.

 

 

Moor Lane next for the Pinks then? Even more inaccessible than Peel Green

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28 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

The Willows could have been redeveloped. The North Stand was one of the best places to watch Rugby League from, although it was a long way from the nearest bar, and burger stall, the "Main Stand" could quite easy have been demolished and redeveloped within planning permission to accommodate decent sized changing rooms fit for the 21st century (Did anyone on here change in there? The rooms were appalling.), rebuild the Weaste Road stand, rebuild Kennedy Rd to a three tier full length stand, keep the social club, but revamp it, the church and school opposite had been demolished, so car parking was not a problem, reopen the burger/bars under the North Stand, and you had a place that Brian Snape suggested could hold Internationals.

The problem with the Williows was not necessarily the ground, but where it was. It wasn't uncommon for reports to emerge after many games about vandalised cars or people being assaulted at the tram stop and it was pretty much accepted that the area around the ground was discouraging people from visiting. 

There's not a lot of development that the club could do to change that. 

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Don't matter anyway, as all the games are being played at St. Helens and Leeds, you could play them anywhere, they are all being played at Saints & Leeds because of TV Viewing rights. You could play them at the KC, or Snowdonia.

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