Reading Martyn Sadler's article in RL & League Express

Bradford and Salford are not able to sign new players and he understands that both Bradford and Salford are currently unable to register new players until their FINANCIAL SITUATIONS BECOME CLEARER

What's going on ?

Wouldnt be in the least surprised if JAW has said enough is enough.

Now up to Dante, programme thrower lance, mitie & the rest to produce the man they have been pushing to take over. Or will they?

But we signed Luke Towers last week!

Ah well, no journalist likes to let the truth spoil a good story.

Amazing how quickly you reply to a thread like this, yet have so far failed to comment on Sale securing a deal to negotiate naming rights for the stadium?

So why should I do that?

Salford`s Marketing have been in situ for months - unfortunately you must ask them ........not me.

Well Early Bath,good to no you are still with us,If your good friend J W has had enough,would you consider is tenure
a failure.

Lance

Very simply he has been at the helm for 30 years.

The accumulated debt will be over £5 million which he has subsidised.

So through his benevolence you and I have been able to watch RL at The Willows and at Barton for that period.

Personally I wouldnt describe that as a `failure`. Neither would you I would have thought.

However I predicted Administration on here some months ago and unless the Fairy Godfather can be found it looks inevitable and maybe sooner than expected. I hope I am wrong.

Reading Martyn Sadler's article in RL & League Express

Bradford and Salford are not able to sign new players and he understands that both Bradford and Salford are currently unable to register new players until their FINANCIAL SITUATIONS BECOME CLEARER

What's going on ?

Does that mean we cant offer new deals to the players who are coming out of contract at the end of the season????

I am quite surprised no one mentioned the Martyn Sadler piece,last week,after he had read the book by Malcolm Alker.
From the snippets I pick up I would think it unfair that the RFL can assist Bradford by purchasing Odsal and leasing it back and by todays news that they funded the CEO at [url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/news/article/25161/rfl-statement-keith-senior-andCrusaders - 4th paragraph[/url
It doesn't,on the surface,appear to be a level playing field.
I would like to think,if things are really bad,that an appeal is made for assistance before it is too late.(Like Bradford,perhaps.)
Seems the RFL made mistakes with the Licensing and with the Stobart Sponsorship.It may explain why they didn't heed a suggestion by Martyn Sadler to assist in marketing SCR at the new Barton stadium.
A huge number of clubs over the past 30 years have had financial difficulties - not all of them because of characters like the fellas who turned up at Widnes,Crusaders et al.It happens to the nice folk as well.

Bizarre that Bradford were reported to have given a 5 years contract to Elliott Whitehead before they went public and made their appeal

Just to add, Sadler does have a soft spot for Salford.

You think he'd loan us a few hundred grand?

This action by the RFL is probably linked to the recent Winding Up Petition issued by HMRC. The club have dealt with that and then we sign Luke Towers.I think that tells us what we need.

The club have always sailed fairly close to the wind financially due to lack of income.

John Wilkinson will not be in a position to fund the club, no Red City Developments, No Willows. Noticed my Magic Ticket came via Wlikinson Star.Was this a cost cutting exercise?

This was why Forever Reds started and if so many are concerned maybe you should become involved.

There may come a time when a share issue happens, Forever Reds would be the ideal vehicle to organise a fan's share of the club. Don't let a Man Utd situation happen.

Indeed, something I've been telling people for a while and the reason I got my arris in gear and renewed. Being able to get a percentage of the club in trust ownership would be a wonderful thing.

Which reminds me I really need to renew my membership

It would probably also mean Salford have had to start from scratch in Championship 1.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Would at least give us a chance to rebuild and get the club moving forward.

Sadly there is more chance of using falling away if that happens.
Clubs such as Fev, Halifax and a Cumbrian team will be before us in the "three year gates" to return to SL. Result a possible minimum of 9 years on small gates, declining interest, and very little investment.

When I sing "The future's Red", I don't mean bankrupt

Got to agree here.

If Salford fell away from the top flight, it would probably finish us off. We barely scrape the bottom of the barrel with regards to crowd numbers and struggle financially as it is.

You mean like before we initially got into Super League? I remember crowds being better, fans had pride in the team, I don't have stats but when we beat Halifax in 1990? (can't remember of the top of my head) However crowds seems good and I remember the euphoria when John Greg got us into Super League. I confess not to being a stato but how many seasons have we been in SL? 14/15 Mark? I'd argue that the 1st 7 season average would be higher than the next 7, fans loved being in the big time, now we used to being a door mat and it's accepted that will be. Remember Wigan in the cup? We was league below but Salford came together and packed the Willows. This SL is the be all and end all doesn't wash with me, I'd happily go Championship for 3/6 get rid of upstairs and work from the bottom. What's the worst that could happen, get beat more often than not? No cup run no play-off hopes? Now doesn't that sound awfully similar to the position we're in now?

It is the be all and end all; it really is. 2008 proved that.

The counter-argument is, of course, what exactly do we bring to Super League? What is the benefit of us being here, to Salford as a club as well, if we continue to stay in Super League without progression?

We're looking at a major investor coming in if we're to survive in the top-flight. I think we're all aware that such an investor doesn't seem to be readily available. Where do we go from there if JW goes and no one comes in? We may have no choice but drop down a level or two. Hopefully it will never come to that, but it's not something that can be dismissed point-blank. As it stands we're merely existing anyway.

Trouble is, PT, is that it isn't the 1990's anymore.

Without the possibility of promotion for three seasons, how on Earth are we going to sustain the already pale and insignificant crowd numbers? How do we get investors interested? How do we convince Corporate money that it would be well spent watching Salford v York in front of a few hundred fans in an empty Stadium? How could we escape the Teeth of the circling Sale Sharks eager to devour the ailing RL team housed in what they see as a Stadium only fit for RU? How would we pay the rent?

I could go on.

It's not nice seeing our Club underachieve but we are where we need to be. We just need it all to click right at some point, which may or may not happen.

I've got fond memories of Premierships, promotions and giant-killing. But that's all they are. Memories. If you think dropping out of SL would be beneficial for Salford you're barking up the wrong tree I'm afraid.

Who the hell have we been pushing to take over.I don`t recall anybody stating a certain person,well i have`nt anyway. IT is`nt up to me or anybody else at the moment to find a buyer,thats up to Wilky.Would be great news if he could. Now what as he got to sell,erm-----------------.Might find it a bit tricky come to think of it.

So you criticise, denigrate, malign & protest against the current regime and then............................................cannot come up with an alternative. Absolutely typical.

I would suggest that until you can find the Fairy Godfather you and your pals want you should lay off the criticism and start supporting the club.

There are many things the club can improve on which don't cost any money. For example, the travel info on the official website still has directions to the Galpharm even though the game is at Man city FC. It's not all about needing a 'fairy godfather' to come in. There are plenty of basics which can also be improved on with little or no cost to the club.