Sorry but very few away fans travel ever travelled to Salford by train. I remember match days at The Willows and the vast majority drove to the ground or used club coaches. You might get a couple of hundred away fans getting off the tram at Weaste back in the day but that was about it.

It's totally different getting to Wigan, Warrington, Hudds where the stadium is much more accessible by rail. Throw in the cost of rail travel these days and I doubt a move to Moor Lane will make much difference at all. Happy to be proved wrong though as & when the move takes place.

And yes Swinton & Ordsall are nearer to Moor Lane but again, there are no direct bus services.

I travel to every away ground by train. I've walked from Hull station to Craven Park and back, used Burley Park station many times for Headingley, used to get the bus from Interchange to Odsal when we played Bradford, and always got the tram to Weaste for the Willows. I hate Barton despite it being geographically the nearest Super League ground to where I live, because that bus from Shudehill takes more than twice as long as the train from Oxford Road to a home game in Warrington, and roughly the same time as a train from Manchester to Leeds. It's absolutely miles away from anything!

You're an exception then as most away fans never travelled to The Willows by train. I use the train for Warrington, Wigan, Hudds (on occasion) but it still means having to take half an hour getting into town (or to Salford Crescent) to catch said train. I don't disagree one bit that the bus takes forever from town to the AJ Bell..... however, I do disagree that it affects travelling numbers from that perspective.

The "it's a pain to get to" excuse is just trawled out every season by fans who are too lazy to make the effort tbh. (and this is coming from a guy that we from Belfast to Exeter, then caught a bus and a train to get to a League 2 football match on a Tuesday night!

).

When we move to Moor Lane it'll be "there's no parking" (which there isn't immediately surrounding the ground). You can park around 10 minutes away and walk to the ground though which will no doubt be too much effort for most people.

PS. Stop being a drama queen.... the AJ Bell isn't "miles from anything".



The Trafford Centre is a 20 minute walk away and it's right off a motorway junction. There is a pub barely 400 yards from the stadium and a few thousand local residents live nearby. What you mean is "the transport links are crap for anyone wishing to get the bus from town", which is correct.



PPS. Apparently it's 3.9 miles from Hull Interchange to Craven Park.... I think you're In a minority in walking to/from the ground as an away fan!

yes theres parking at the AJ bell, and a pub - but recall back to when the move was made and there was originally diddly squat. Although I managed to park and walk from the airport, and across some dodgy unlit wasteground, not everyone is able to do so - chuck in non cash turnstiles and long queues at the ticket office - in the intervening time people have found something else to do.
Its still a nightmare to get to queuing off the 62.

Quote ="Donnyman"[i"Plans to build Salford City Reds' new stadium at Barton have been given the go-ahead by Salford City Council. The Reds aim to move into the 20,000-seater stadium by 2012 and are hopeful that it will mean they do not lose their Super League licence. Chairman John Wilkinson told BBC Radio Manchester: "It will put us on the same playing field as the clubs around us. Wilkinson said: "The new stadium is a huge part of our licence bid. We have to tick so many boxes and the old stadium doesn't really comply with Super League standards. If all goes well we will have a stadium that is compliant with Super League criteria. Look at where Manchester city were at Maine Road and now where they are at Eastlands he said The move attracted new investment and helped put them in the position they are in today. The new stadium at Barton is an opportunity for us to increase our fan base, sponsorship and commercial activities The stadium opens doors for us that were closed previously."....................."[/i Whilst Wilkinson did see Barton as a way to "comply" with Superleague criteria, clearly Wakefield and Castleford were not going to be railroaded into new grounds they could not afford due to the intransigence of Wakefield District Council. Salford took Barton on but history shows they clearly didn't have to. Not if they had stood their ground with Cas and Wakey Indeed as the piece above shows Wilkinson was not actually scared of being thrown out of Superleague if he stayed at the Willows. His thinking was that the move to Barton would attract... New Fans More Sponsorship money More money from commercial activities He got this idea from Manchester City's relocation from Maine Road to Eastlands, and he copied this move with Salford. However the new fans didn't come (nor did many old fans ) The sponsorship money didn't come, and the commercial activities didn't come........ [uYour the one who is "inaccurate" with the idea Salford were forced out of the Willows[/u, the facts show Wilkinson thought the move would make Salford the "Manchester City of Rugby League"................... '" You ain't very well informed on your favourite M62 clubs,are you? Salford made efforts for the very first Licensing period. Unfortunately the 2008 banking crash put paid to those plans https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... ure-994120 Check the date... The City of Manchester stadium was constructed at the start of the decade for the Commonwealth Games,which Man City obtained.Then there was the overseas investment from wealthy Arabs ....in 2008!

Quote ="Donnyman"[i"Plans to build Salford City Reds' new stadium at Barton have been given the go-ahead by Salford City Council. The Reds aim to move into the 20,000-seater stadium by 2012 and are hopeful that it will mean they do not lose their Super League licence. Chairman John Wilkinson told BBC Radio Manchester: "It will put us on the same playing field as the clubs around us. Wilkinson said: "The new stadium is a huge part of our licence bid. We have to tick so many boxes and the old stadium doesn't really comply with Super League standards. If all goes well we will have a stadium that is compliant with Super League criteria. Look at where Manchester city were at Maine Road and now where they are at Eastlands he said The move attracted new investment and helped put them in the position they are in today. The new stadium at Barton is an opportunity for us to increase our fan base, sponsorship and commercial activities The stadium opens doors for us that were closed previously."....................."[/i Whilst Wilkinson did see Barton as a way to "comply" with Superleague criteria, clearly Wakefield and Castleford were not going to be railroaded into new grounds they could not afford due to the intransigence of Wakefield District Council. Salford took Barton on but history shows they clearly didn't have to. Not if they had stood their ground with Cas and Wakey Indeed as the piece above shows Wilkinson was not actually scared of being thrown out of Superleague if he stayed at the Willows. His thinking was that the move to Barton would attract... New Fans More Sponsorship money More money from commercial activities He got this idea from Manchester City's relocation from Maine Road to Eastlands, and he copied this move with Salford. However the new fans didn't come (nor did many old fans ) The sponsorship money didn't come, and the commercial activities didn't come........ [uYour the one who is "inaccurate" with the idea Salford were forced out of the Willows[/u, the facts show Wilkinson thought the move would make Salford the "Manchester City of Rugby League"................... '" You ain't very well informed on your favourite M62 clubs,are you? Salford made efforts for the very first Licensing period. Unfortunately the 2008 banking crash put paid to those plans https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... ure-994120 Check the date... The City of Manchester stadium was constructed at the start of the decade for the Commonwealth Games,which Man City obtained.Then there was the overseas investment from wealthy Arabs ....in 2008!

Regardless of all the moaning and complaining on here i think we all agree Salford as a club arent fit for Superleague.
Yes 2 finals a few years ago from an onfield perspective but as an organisation as whole they are really really poor.
Little comerial income with very little brand power in the local area, a pathetic fan base (in terms of numbers not the people them selves) potentially a new 5k stadium (hows that for potential growth and ambition!). If SL wants to grow then Salford are a club that needs to be left behind. The Championship is the place for them where they can compete with clubs of a similar level.

Come on then.... who should be replacing Salford fella and please provide some sound reasoning?

What happened to sport being decided by results on the field? Nah forget that, let's turn it into a willy measuring contest over who can sign the biggest commercial deal with their local chippy.

I think Bradford would be a team he would suggest,. You know, the team where a bucket is the mascot.

Totally agree.
Salford "could" have made a success of the AJ Bell, apart from the very hefty rent and the parking debacle, which will have turned away many new and returning fans.
There were 7000+ in the early days at the new ground but, with a 2 hour wait to escape after the game, why on earth would anyone want to do thet, especially when, at the time, they weren't exactly setting the world alight on the pitch.
They've been unlucky yo make 2 major finals with fans not being able to attend and with that lost all of the potential gain, in terms of both revenue and increasing their fan base, which will have been like the proverbial kick in the gonads.

As a visiting fan, The AJ Bell is pretty easy to get to and the facilities are plenty good enough but, the costs of playing there seem prohibitive.

I wish them well but fear the worst and let's face it, RL cant afford to lose ANY clubs

TBH I think we only ever had one 7000+ crowd (Wigan maybe?) but I'm honestly not sure. It's been hard to keep fans and, as you say, the relative success of appearing in 2 major finals and potential new fans has been completely pi$$ed on by COVID. Throw in the fact that we have to pretty much rebuild half our squad every year and it's only the hardcore fanbase that has survived.

The 2 hour wait (I'm not sure it was ever that bad tbh) has long gone (has anyone tried to get away from Headingley recently?!) but a lot of away fans have stayed away. I appreciate we shouldn't be relying on away fans but it's a fact that some of the supposed big clubs have brought pi$$ poor followings. Sale and Salford City will have control over all food & beverages (a revenue stream that we never had) and will no doubt also use the stadium for concerts & other events that the Council & Peel never bothered with. The stadium has been poorly managed full stop.

Anyway.... IF Moor Lane passes SL criteria I think it might be a blessing in disguise. The club will be able to rebuild with reduced overheads. We've actually got some great people in charge at the club in Salfordians Paul King & Ian Blease and the new Commercial Director has started to open a few more doors. The Foundation is starting to develop potential players of the future and we've got partnerships in place with Wales RL & Coleg y Cymoedd and have recently partnered with the Ipswich Jets over in Aus. We can't be losing our best local talent (6 from Eccles recently signed for the mighty Wire) and the club are trying to stop that player drain. There is also a lot of work going on in the local schools to attract young fans and I believe the Junior Devils is being relaunched (the scheme that suckered mugs like me into watching the club 32 years ago

).

It's not all doom and gloom despite what the naysayers might say.

Thank you for that. All the best to the club and all it's fans for the future........

York City Knights. They already have a similar average attendance as Salford and thats in the championship and have more amateur clubs in the city than salford do

Oh dear



Why pick on Salford??

If you want results on the field to determine the make up of the leagues then Salford are on a level with all other clubs who can field a professional side in Superleague, and results should determine the make up.

If you want to go with criteria off the field then fair enough but give Salford a chance to meet it, whatever it may be??

[i"Salford are a club that needs to be left behind"[/i may well be applicable to other clubs.........

Its not about Salford and similar clubs being left behind/ lost, rather they shouldn't hold SL back.
In reality, moving to that ground with aspirations of 4k max crowds is not a SL club. Salfords support and difficulties filling a pretty small ground as it is, has shown they are not a sustainable SL club and are only really there to make up numbers.
The poster is only saying what is logically correct.....and probably what will happen next year anyway where wakey or salford are almost guaranteed to drop as Toulouse will stay up IMO. That will ultimately make SL stronger and Salford stronger as they are playing on a more level playing field, competing with clubs at a similar level, rather than crippling themselves as they are stretched beyond their means.

In terms of who to replace them, i think we can all agree that SL would be a lot stronger if you had Newcastle, York and Bradford in place of Salford, Wakefield and Huddersfield. York and Bradford already outstripping said SL clubs in terms of attendances at a lower level, and Newcastle with much greater potential.

Salford negotiated a deal prior to heir tenancy and are blatantly unable to afford it based on current attendances. As in any rental in the real world if payment isn't received the tenant is removed. Smaller premises will cope with the attendances currently seen but if franchises are ever bought back then Salford, as a club, would not be offered a Super League spot.

London moving to plough lane smacks of franchising being reconsidered.....because they rarely make bad decisions regarding moving grounds

No, we can't all agree this.

The idea that Bradford, a club bust 4 times in a decade, have any claim on SL is unacceptable in the extreme.

The club that rattled buckets, sold medals and sold players shirts to "save the Bulls", only for the directors to pay their own loans back - no, no way.

The club helped out at every turn by the RFL, a move that cost every other club in the game money, money they will never get back - no, no way.

And forget the "it's a different club" and "it's not the fans fault" - Bulls should own their history.

I agree. As much as Salford have no place in SL neither do Bradford and their buckets

2 finals in the previous 3 seasons says otherwise. You are so controversial aren't you, shall I send you a 'virtual medal', if so just let me know.

Budgie
xx

Is that the "BUCKETSHAKING WE"?

Really?
As the 2021 season attendances weren't properly recorded I have looked at the 2019 average attendances for said clubs

York 2,129
Bradford 4,339
Salford 3,677
Wakefield 5,346
Huddersfield 5,132

While I am not saying the SL clubs average attendances are anything to shout about only Bradford have a higher average
than 1 of the clubs you quote.

And still can't generate enough business activity to pay their rent, or get more than 3000 locals to follow them!

Salford has no future as a top division club.

Ah, the "Salford Board of Directors" emoji...

There seems to be a fixation in RL with attendances. In reality personal attendances have been falling across the sport as a whole. For some clubs im sure they have found alternative ways to plug the financial gap in terms of sponsorship with the lure of sky exposure, lower running costs and corporate payments.