Salford to move to Moor Lane?

[Scubby]

25 minutes ago, Spidey said:

I do believe if they enforced the criteria at the start we could have had a stronger comp now with more compliant clubs, the expansion to 14 was the killer for me, it should only have go to that number when all clubs met all criteria..  

Yes and you could do the same now. You don't need too many criteria. You could give 6-7 top SL clubs 6-8 licences, 3-4 others 3-4 licences and invite others on 2 year rolling licences to get to your number e.g. 12 or 14. In effect it then becomes like a P&R with a pathway for aspiration clubs.

One of the main criteria, however, should be the ability to attract 8-10k crowds (or what is the point of elite RL?)

If you can have 14 then that's great, then go to 16 and eventually more if you want. When it starts getting more than 16 you can think about your conference idea etc. That means you are expanding from strength

Doing it now by just randomly picking half a dozen semi-viable part time clubs is nuts and a recipe for disaster. It means clubs like Wakefield and Salford can just take the ###### and splurge money on players to avoid the drop because that is all that matters atm.

[tonyXIII]

16 hours ago, dboy said:

Even if you had a low cap spend (which you don't), it would not justify spending your rent money on players.

You were insolvent when Marwen took over - or would have been if he hadn't bailed you out.

The CVA you were supposed to pay has lapsed and the debt written off...because you didn't pay it.

Crappy way to run a business.

 

Jealousy is such a good look.

And you wear it so well.

[DimmestStar]

The real problem at Salford Red Devils is that they cannot pay their way. They receive their TV money and pretty much spend all of it on first team wages. This keeps them in Super League thus ensuring they get the TV money again the following year.

That's the S.R.D. business plan.

They have barely been able to afford their rent even at peppercorn rates. Next year they have been advised that the full going rate will be required and that is why it is no longer viable to remain at the AJ Bell. They just don't have the money to pay the rent and they are no longer going to be allowed to get away without paying it.

There's a lovely club shop at the AJ Bell but it is for the exclusive use of Sale Sharks. On S.R.D. matchdays there is a table outside with a couple of ladies selling 2 or 3 items. The bars etc are not open there's just a burger van outside. Usually the entire touchline seated stand is unopened and empty.

It really feels like Salford Red Devils are unwanted occupants at the AJ Bell without the means to be accepted as equal partners. It almost feels like they are squatters.

Salford Red Devils should be cutting back their spend on players but this would mean dropping down a division and without the TV money they would never be able to get back. They wouldn't be alone and the lower leagues are surely the natural level of the club.

 

 

 

[Jughead]

If Salford or any other club are, whether they are aware of it or not, playing “Moneyball” and spending below the cap with the aim of being more sustainable as a club but also to continue as a Super League club, I don’t really see a problem with it. If anything, it’s actually pretty admirable that they continue to do this every couple of years whilst losing key players along the way. 

Academies for clubs like Salford are probably not worth the effort when players are picked off by other, bigger clubs. Their model of picking up players from the likes of lower league clubs in Widnes, London, Leigh, Featherstone and Newcastle as they have in recent years, making some clever signings from Australia (Hastings, Lussick, Taylor, Croft, Sio etc) and signing squad players from other clubs (Vuniyawa, Akauola, Escare, Costello, Wells, Greenwood, Livett etc) has been inspired. Whoever has been behind their recruitment and retention has been superb the last few years. 

[Ray Cashmere]

20 hours ago, dboy said:

I get the sentiment of each club needing to strive for ever better standards for themselves and the wider game, and that supporters would endorse that...but you've lost me with the notion that it somehow absolves Salford from running their business in an ethical and fair manner.

We should ignore Salford spending their rent money on players "for the good of the game"??

Tell Fev fans that!

*NOTE - Sisyphus was punished for wrongdoing - what is Salford's punishment for wronging their debts?

What does this even mean?

Our 'rent money' is whatever money is mutually agreed between the parties. 

The original rent agreement was agreed between previous parties and based on incompetent (I'd say negligent) projections. Rent agreements, like any other contract, can be re-negotiated. This applies to SRD as much as any other company in this country. 

 

[Oxford]

5 hours ago, tonyXIII said:

Jealousy is such a good look.

And you wear it so well.

Personally Tony, I love old chestnuts like if we'd had proper licences it would be a paradise on earth now. It's sort of like Max miller reruns on Youtube.

"Now, here's a funny thing ....."

 

[Ray Cashmere]

It's frustrating when people cannot separate the Koukash era (and its legacy) from the post-Koukash era. I appreciate it might not be obvious from the outside, but this caricature of Salford being content to take the TV money and focusing on self-preservation does not align with reality.

The club is working incredibly hard to regain the academy status that Koukash torpedoed and is thinking innovatively by investing much of its resources in Welsh rugby league through the partnership with WRL, Coleg y Cymoedd & UCLAN. This is already paying dividends with- just last Friday- 4 young welshmen being signed to the reserves. The club has the first Super League partnership in Africa with Ghana RL and has already had coaches over from Ghana in order to aid their development and improve the RL infrastructure in the country. There is a long-term aim to give a pathway for young Ghanaians into professional rugby league. I'd argue few Super League clubs are more engaged in the expansion of the game than SRD right now.

The club's womens' team was only established this year yet has already beaten Super League opposition; PDRL sessions have also been launched. The Building The Future game against Leeds last Friday saw schoolkids and grassroots from Stockport to Bolton in attendance. The club has completely rebranded since the Koukash era.  This isn't a club just relying on old men from Weaste and Eccles.

51 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Whoever has been behind their recruitment and retention has been superb the last few years. 

Ian Blease-  just one of a number of shrewd operators at the club who have enabled SRD to punch above its weight and begin to build long-term again after Koukash decimated the club's infrastructure for short-term gain. The value of SRD's sponsorship deal with Selco BW means that, even if SRD were relegated and penalty clauses applied, the club would earn more in the Championship than several SL clubs earn from their main shirt sponsor. The commercial department is growing in size, not standing still or shrinking. 

This is why the fanbase are largely positive about Moor Lane. The opportunity to control our own destiny and retain sponsorship, f&b and other matchday-associated revenues is a huge positive and what all Super League clubs should be aspiring to.

SRD have inherent disadvantages due to poor attendances and the damage Koukash inflicted on the club. The fact that we've been so competitive over the last 5 years highlights the incompetence & complacency of bigger, better resourced and more illustrious competitors.  It is not something SRD should apologise for.  

Edited March 23, 2022 by Ray Cashmere

[RigbyLuger]

19 minutes ago, Ray Cashmere said:

It's frustrating when people cannot separate the Koukash era (and its legacy) from the post-Koukash era.

The one who some think is a saviour for Rugby League, despite the evidence at Salford to the contrary?

[johnh1]

39 minutes ago, Ray Cashmere said:

It's frustrating when people cannot separate the Koukash era (and its legacy) from the post-Koukash era. I appreciate it might not be obvious from the outside, but this caricature of Salford being content to take the TV money and focusing on self-preservation does not align with reality.

The club is working incredibly hard to regain the academy status that Koukash torpedoed and is thinking innovatively by investing much of its resources in Welsh rugby league through the partnership with WRL, Coleg y Cymoedd & UCLAN. This is already paying dividends with- just last Friday- 4 young welshmen being signed to the reserves. The club has the first Super League partnership in Africa with Ghana RL and has already had coaches over from Ghana in order to aid their development and improve the RL infrastructure in the country. There is a long-term aim to give a pathway for young Ghanaians into professional rugby league. I'd argue few Super League clubs are more engaged in the expansion of the game than SRD right now.

The club's womens' team was only established this year yet has already beaten Super League opposition; PDRL sessions have also been launched. The Building The Future game against Leeds last Friday saw schoolkids and grassroots from Stockport to Bolton in attendance. The club has completely rebranded since the Koukash era.  This isn't a club just relying on old men from Weaste and Eccles.

Ian Blease-  just one of a number of shrewd operators at the club who have enabled SRD to punch above its weight and begin to build long-term again after Koukash decimated the club's infrastructure for short-term gain. The value of SRD's sponsorship deal with Selco BW means that, even if SRD were relegated and penalty clauses applied, the club would earn more in the Championship than several SL clubs earn from their main shirt sponsor. The commercial department is growing in size, not standing still or shrinking. 

This is why the fanbase are largely positive about Moor Lane. The opportunity to control our own destiny and retain sponsorship, f&b and other matchday-associated revenues is a huge positive and what all Super League clubs should be aspiring to.

SRD have inherent disadvantages due to poor attendances and the damage Koukash inflicted on the club. The fact that we've been so competitive over the last 5 years highlights the incompetence & complacency of bigger, better resourced and more illustrious competitors.  It is not something SRD should apologise for.  

Very well said, Ray. Inspired that!

[johnh1]

1 minute ago, johnh1 said:

Very well said, Ray. Inspired that!

And I will add that we reached two major finals and were unable to reap the financial rewards which would normally come off the back of those due to covid.

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, Ray Cashmere said:

Koukash decimated the club's infrastructure for short-term gain.

If Koukash made one big mistake it was taking the advice from (whoever it was) in signing Brian Nobel to build his team.

[Mr Frisky]

Do Salford fans on here think a move to Moor Lane will encourage people from Salford to go to games. We hear all the time that the AJ Bell is hard to get to but for the Salford public will ML mean more local suppor

[GUBRATS]

It's not a decision I'd like to be responsible for , that's for certain , either way I hope it works out for them

[Red Willow]

25 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Do Salford fans on here think a move to Moor Lane will encourage people from Salford to go to games. We hear all the time that the AJ Bell is hard to get to but for the Salford public will ML mean more local suppor

Personally I think it is a harder place to get to, with less there. The reality is that Sale will price us out of the AJ Bell. Moor Lane means we get to retain all the money from the match days sales.

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, RigbyLuger said:

The one who some think is a saviour for Rugby League, despite the evidence at Salford to the contrary?

Who thinks that? 

[johnh1]

22 minutes ago, Red Willow said:

Personally I think it is a harder place to get to, with less there. The reality is that Sale will price us out of the AJ Bell. Moor Lane means we get to retain all the money from the match days sales.

I agree. I have grown to like the AJBell, but realistically, the only way to get there is by car. At The Willows, there was a large walk up, particularly in the glory days of the 70s. Moor Lane doesn’t have good transport links, and there is nowhere to park!

[Robthegasman]

On 22/03/2022 at 16:38, Scubby said:

Yet they have their most expensive squad in years on the playing field? People had a go at Toulouse for cutting their cloth.

Super League should not be allowing a top flight club to play in a Subbuteo 5k stadium. If Salford cannot meet the requirements of a top flight club they should default into the Championship. Who is holding the elite competition to standards here?

I am not a Salford fan myself but if I was then yes in all honesty I would have to agree with your last paragraph.

Moor Lane is NOT a Super League stadium,certainly not as it is right now. And yes I absolutely agree that stadium wise at the very least there should be minimum standards for the relevant divisions,and if Salford can’t afford to play at a Super League quality stadium be it their own or rented then yes they should relinquish their place in Super League and default to the Championship. And they should allow either Fev,Leigh or Widnes(I say those as they have SL quality stadiums)to take their place assuming of course they earn the right to do so on the field.

 And frankly if I was a Salford fan I would be feeling disappointed at moving to Moor Lane.Moving to Moor Lane frankly is failure.It is a failure of senior management over a period of many years. And in my opinion as a non Salford fan the previous senior management team of the likes of John Wilkinson the so called”Mr Salford”and others should be hanging their heads in shame.

 

[headtackle]

Seems a shame that a grand finalist team a few years back have to drop to a 5000 ish capacity stadium and we’re not able to kick on due to covid

Moor Lane seems like a backward step but no point going bust renting seats you don’t need  A more compact ground with a bit of atmosphere will be better for fans and tv audiences than rattling around in an empty stadium

5000 capacity probably enough for a lot of games ie Catalans, Toulouse, most Yorkshire clubs.  They will miss the bigger travelling support of Saints Wigan and Wire though

just wondering if Moor Lane has a cabaret room like the willows did    Back in the day always seemed to be showoddywoddy or the drifters keeping the punters happy 

 

 

 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

I think Salford needs a NRL experienced CEO to run the club.

[Mr Frisky]

5 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

I think Salford needs a NRL experienced CEO to run the club.

Great idea - pack the club house with gambling machines and hope their fan base get addicted?

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Just now, Mr Frisky said:

Great idea - pack the club house with gambling machines and hope their fan base get addicted?

Well least you'll have people turning up... 

 

 

[Red Willow]

32 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

I think Salford needs a NRL experienced CEO to run the club.

No they don't. An NRL CEO wouldn't understand the culture or the issues affecting the club. Arrogance of this statement !

They need what the other clubs have had such as Warrington, a stable rich owner willing to throw money until the club is on an even ground (not like Koukash) 

They need a source of income such as the sales from match day and income from other sources than RL. 

[dealwithit]

23 hours ago, dboy said:

If you act like a cry baby, you'll get called a cry baby.

Wakefield Trinity's problems in improving their ground are very well documented - virtually 100% have been out of the club's hands.

Now that a certain council leader has gone, and the new regime have been more willing to hold the developer to account, there is finally tangible progress (we wait with baited breath!).

And you did moan about Wakey's attendances with your silly "it will be empty for most games" comment.

Grow up.

Salford will be fine if they can move to Moore Lane. End of. 

[Robthegasman]

Though it will never happen because of money and local residents,the ideal place to put a stadium of Super League quality with a capacity of say 9000-10000 that BOTH Salford and Swinton could use would be where Swinton Park Golf Club is. And that is bang on the border of both Salford and Swinton.It would be accessible.

But the chances of that happening are a big fat zero.No money to build it and the residents of Runnymede and streets that surround it along with Barton Road and roads off it would no doubt oppose it.

[JohnM]

The rivalry in the 50s and 60s used to be between Swinton and Salford. How we kids used to celebrate Swinton's huge victories over Salford. 

The ideal place for Swinton would be where it more or less always was: Station Road. The dire straights the club was in as it struggled for survival led to the sale of the ground for housing. There was plenty of parking in the area, and lots of walk up.

The ideal place for Salford was indeed the Willows, too. 

However,  that was then. This is now.  We are 50 or more years on from that. The world has moved on. There are new situations, new challenges, new oportunities. Housing patterns have changed: Little Hulton was only just getting going then and as it grew, it absorbed many from both Swinton and Salford as the terraced streets of 19th century Manchester conurbation  were finally replaced by new housing miles from the Willows and Station Road.

Top class rugby league from here and in Australia is available at the touch of a button so no need for fans to subject themselves to the vicissitudes of weekend travel to get to games. X box and Strictly reign  supreme as competing armchair  attractions and Friday night games are not the "social" occasion that Sunday afternoon games were.

Far from all the flak these clubs are getting, we should be supporting both clubs for keeping the game alive in what have always been the outer reaches of rugby league territory, rather than scoffing at them for trying and surviving  in such difficult circumstances. 

Edited March 24, 2022 by JohnM