SALFORD RED DEVILS in its long, historic form is no more – and the process of setting up a new phoenix club has begun.
Their 152-year history has come to a close with the club forced into liquidation by the High Court.
That’s in relation to a tax bill of more than £700,000, among total debt believed to be in the region of £5 million, following the disastrous ten-month ownership of a consortium with Sire Kailahi and Curtiz Brown as central figures.
The Salford City Reds (2013) company will now be closed down but already several parties have lined up ready to a form a new one, and Total Rugby League understands that it is likely to be between two of them.
One is a consortium involving Chris Irwin. Formerly their chief commercial officer, Irwin returned to the Red Devils in February as chief executive but left after less than three months.
He has been poised to pick up the pieces alongside Jack Youd, the deputy mayor of Salford Council, who own the former club’s CorpAcq (Salford Community) Stadium home.
They are also said to have been advised by leading rugby league agent Graeme Taylor.
Meanwhile, former Salford player Mason Caton-Brown has also expressed a desire to help revive the club, as first revealed by The Sun.
The winger spent two-and-a-half seasons at the Red Devils between 2014 and 2016, and since retirement has been working in the property industry.
Caton-Brown is believed to have a significant backer in place, and like Irwin’s consortium have been told by the council that they can play at the CorpAcq Stadium if successful.
There has also been interest from the previous ownership in restoring the club with the help of another rugby player turned businessperson, Tracy Atiga.
A former union player, Atiga led an unsuccessful bid to create a Hawaii-based franchise in the code.
The mother of current Workington Town winger Levi Atiga, she set up a company under the name Salford City Reds 2025 in October.
However the RFL are not expected to entertain proposals from any figures seen as associated with the previous owners.
Any party will need the backing of the RFL to be granted the former side’s membership of the governing body and licence to play in its leagues.
An RFL board meeting is set to take place on Thursday, with Salford heading the agenda.
Slated to open the Championship season on Friday, January 16, time is of the essence.