SALFORD have expressed their frustration at the lack of progress towards a stadium deal by the local council, which they claim could force the club to fold if the issue can’t be resolved.
The club’s lease to play at the Salford Community Stadium expires at the beginning of December.
Salford City mayor Paul Dennett is keen for the Red Devils to remain at the ground that they have shared with rugby union club Sale Sharks since it opened in 2012.
The council currently owns 50 percent of the stadium and has tabled a plan to buy the other half from property group Peel Holdings.
However, some councillors are opposed to the move and the deadlock has left the Red Devils uncertain of their future.
In a club statement, Salford criticised “endless pontification and procrastination by council officers” and said: “It is clear that our cooperation has been misinterpreted as our consent for inaction by some officers in the council.”
They added: “The stark reality now is that without their action in the coming days and weeks, the future of the club is at risk.”
Salford said they are hampered financially by “an unfavourable lease agreement” and blamed the issue for the need to sell key players.
Despite a community share scheme earlier this year raising more than £350,000, Salford have sold Tyler Dupree, Brodie Croft (who was last week replaced by former Wigan halfback Cade Cust on a one-year deal) and Andy Ackers, all reportedly for six-figure sums, to Super League rivals in the last five months to balance the books.
Their statement added: “The club is personally loaned and guaranteed to its limits, having made incredible sacrifices to survive – including the subsequent sales of star players that were only necessary due to a lack of resolution over the stadium deal.
“Had this been in place when expected – prior to February 2023 – access to the proceeding income streams would have made unforeseen reductions to central distributions less significant a blow and our position would now be much stronger.”
