Commentator has just said that Sale are to make a big announcement next week about off field developments and they have big plans to try to stop the northern rot of RU.

Will watch with interest at these plans!

Could be something to do with this, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... -West.html

Could be something to do with this, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... -West.html

That is a very provocative statement from Diamond that does not suggest they are interested in sharing with Salford rather than tring to destroy us along with the rest of rugby league in the North west. The whole of rugby league should take this as a declaration of war from Sale and the RFU. Salford City council and the stadium management need to think long and hard about the possible ramifications of Sale succeeding in their plans and be way of giving them the keys to the stadium and the opportunity to kill us off.

"We want to seize Manchester". That statement pretty much sums up for me why any rugby league supporter should be wary about giving Sale a platform to build from.

Maybe it should be a case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

I would be wary as a RL supporter of what Sale's intentions truly are.

Could be the best thing to happen to Salford RL in years if you can rise to the challenge and put in similar efforts to attract new fans. You will have a significant headstart, even if Sale move in during the summer, so make the most of it so that people also have an awareness of RL by the time Sale make their push.

RL is by far the superior 'product' on and off the field, it's just a case of people being aware of that before Sale move in on 'our' patch (I say that as much for RL on this side of the hills).

The article in the national press seems to be just a regurgitation of what was printed 12 months ago
[url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/club-rugby/northern-clubs-need-to-stop-the-brawn-drain-2174093.htmlhere[/url
Seems they have a lot of work to do and lots of decisions to make.

Spot on. This should not be taken lightly.

We pretty much have the North wrapped up. Leeds is not a problem, football is far too popular for RU to ever become big there, especially as the RL team is one of the biggest clubs in the game. Newcastle is not a problem for us as we don't have a league team there and again, football is far too popular for RU to take off bigtime. Manchester is a probelm though, we cannot let it slip. There seems to be enough RU interest, just look at the England crowd against Argentina at Old Trafford. RL needs a strong Salford team, near the heart of Manchester and neighbours to the new media city. A strong Salford club is more important than ever.

We will never compete with RU at international level, they will take games to 50k+ stadia all over the country and fill them for games not including England. But we NEED a stronger club game, yes we need to increase our International coverage etc. but if we can win these little battles against Union then we can fully take the North. With the amount of money in Union, Sale do have the potential to become a very strong club. Some big investement could see them up at the top of the league, filling Salfords RL stadium every week and playing the occasional game att Old Trafford with huge crowds. RL, Salford and the RFL can't let it happen.

Sale had 9k for the last home game against Newcastle who are the bottom team. If they took that support straight into Barton with a move there, it would be very bad news for Salford.

Well at least the Sale RU marketing & PR department are showing ambition and obviously have projection, aims to progress. Have we ?, doubt it very much as stated on other thread's. Salford put all their resources into the playing staff (cast off's), not marketing, it cost's too much for very little return. We should be very wary of the Sale marketing juggernaught, and at the very least should be making every effort to match them in this field, especially with the new stadium, new era new start, trying to cunjour new support, and your'e not going to generate this just by building a new stadium. It hurts me that Sale are favourite's to take manchester, but never the north west.

it's not just the "Sale marketing juggernaut" we need to worry about it's the support the RFU will give them to increase an already larger footprint in Salford / Manchester and increase their crowds even more. The RFU are desperate to have their game overeshadow RL in the North.

Then if the RFU offering funding to Sale surelyit's time the RFL dug deep to counteract the percieved threat. Salford might not have the biggest marketing budget but pretty sure that the RFL could afford to invest in marketing what is a good product in the Manchester area, they are taking the roadshow games to the football ground so there is the perfect oppurtunity to start.

Said it before and I still see that it makes perfect sense that if Sale move to the Enormadome then we as an entity need to learn from them as let's be fair they are much more professional in thier marketing efforts.

Has anyone thought that all this is a reaction to the anouncement of Northhamptons inclusion to the championships and Bristol and Ireland holding games during the RL World cup. I think the gloves are already off in both codes.

lol as if rugby union cares about that

Northampton will have no fans and either mooch around the lower divisions for a while or get fast tracked into Super League and go bust after a couple of seasons.

Bristol and Ireland's world cup games won't even make the local papers, there will be fewer fans there than for a National League RL game.

As for Sale's 'northern revolution' the basic problem is Premiership RU is not exciting enough. I agree with them that the north is a big market for RU in terms of it being played in schools and universities, and there are lots of northern RU fans that will follow England RU, but getting them excited about club RU is another matter. In club RL there is a long standing history and rivalry between clubs and people identify with clubs in the way football do, but that doesn't exist in RU. I know loads of people from uni and work that are union fans more than league fans, but if you ask them who they support they say "I don't really follow a club I just support England", you never hear a league fan say that ever.

I predict lots of hot air from Sale.

Sale is predominant in south Manchester already but it is based on local clubs as much as anything. There is a mental pyramid structure in place regional club and so support them.

Sale will want to build on the work done by Salford's Foundation; just as we would work on what they had done if we were moving into (say) the Heatons.

Once this juggernaut starts, we will be pushed to one side: so the best tactic would be to get into the local clubs and schools NOW at even a higher level than the moment - this costs time and money so perhaps ForeverReds may look to see wjhat they can do?

Would be great if Forever Reds could do something but with only a few members and the majority of Salford fans not being bothered to support FR we also have a very limited amount of funding and it is the same twenty or so people who are always putting money in. Salford is the apathy capital of Great Britain.

Bigpev: It would be good to see the rugby league & the Salford board show some positive marketing of the area & the club, Went for tickets on Saturday for the Leigh game, still no shop! If we cannot sell the basics of running a rugby club in marketing, what chance do we have of taking Sale RU Club!!!

Sale are talking of 'seizing Manchester and the North West' and you're talking of learning from them.

The relegation of Leeds RU was a good step, hopefully Newcastle will go down as well just leaving Sale in the north - leaving Union firmly regionalised in the south.

It'll be interesting to see what this announcement consists of. It might be something really radical like Sale plan to build their own ground in the area from which they derive their name.

[iSale boss Steve Diamond is to assume even greater power at Edgeley Park by taking on an enhanced role within the club.

The Sharks were today unveiling a vision for the future with their current executive director of sport due to announce ‘major changes to the structure of the club and playing staff while outlining his plans for the future.’

And as part of that new look, the 42-year-old – who has totally revived Sale’s fortunes since his return to Cheshire 11 months ago – is set to assume the role of chief executive of the resurgent Premiership club with current incumbent Mick Hogan last night announcing his departure for a post within the RFU’s Rugby World Cup 2015 set-up.

Key to Diamond’s enhanced new role at the helm of Sale will be training a sharp focus on the drive to further increase the club’s supporter base and boost their commercial clout.

And it’s believed Diamond, who has a myriad of contacts that straddle the worlds of both business and rugby, will also seek to use his new elevated position to help further spread the Sale gospel both near and far.

The former Sale hooker is passionate about establishing the Sharks as a super Northern club, poised to take advantage of their lofty position within the region, given Leeds’ relegation last year and rock-bottom Newcastle’s parlous position this time round.[/i

[i(Extract taken from today's MEN)[/i


Is this the news........?

I'm not overly worried as it stands. Big words for sure, but the reality of selling Club RU, which is incredibly poor both as a spectacle and a decent way to spend your time will hit home. The only benefit it may get is less competition from RU rivals geographically. They have a decent number of die-hard support but I can't see it growing much in the Sport-spoiled North West. We as a Club face that same problem, the difference is that SL is exciting to watch. No amount of money is going to make RU any less boring. Sale might be or become a highly polished turd. But a turd it will be nonetheless.

Agree totally Butcher.

Sale say a decision on a possible ground move will be made within six weeks.

RU has had nearly 150 years to ' seize Manchester '

, it's a non story , just posturing
RFU has always had an unlimited budget , RFL a very limited one.

Salford, Saints have new stadiums and will hopefully have increased attendances , Warrington & Wigan are resurgent, RFL are holding Magic weekend in Mcr this year , RLWC will be held in lots of NW venues next year , BBC sport have moved to Salford, Media City are Salford's shirt sponsors.

club wise RU are struggling in the north , other than Sale
, Leeds Tykes are relegated , Newcastle are struggling so Sale RU's catchment area is anywhere between Leicester & Newcastle Upon Tyne. Ru have to support sale otherwise effectively Professional top class club rugby Union will be a regional sport .

Warrington - Wigan's - St Helens profile are a bigger threat to Salfords attendances than another sport , as for attracting new supporters , income & Football will always be a bigger threat. All salford have to do is play better and not rip the potential supporters off

The reality is that both RU and RL locally will struggle in Manchester given the obsession with football. 'Nothern' RU as a whole is expressing concerns though - they simply cannot compete financially or in profile terms with the East Mids, London and South West clubs at not just the Premiership level but at various levels down the pyramid. Lot's of nothern RU clubs have slipped down the divisions to the point where there are not many left in the 'national' divisions (Orrell, Waterloo and so on as examples) and many of those still going are feeling squeezed and under pressure...

RL though shouldnt panic at all...in my view, a bit of closer working could be well worthwhile.

RL in general maybe shouldn't worry. But Salford should. Sale are never going to overtake RL in the NW with the likes of Wigan/Wire/Saints around. But they would easily become top dogs at Barton especially with the lure of european rugby if they are in the Heineken Cup. Steve Diamond was on Granada tonight saying Barton gives them a great opportunity to up their capacity to 20000, and they haven't even moved in yet. Add to that RFU funding for marketing etc and they would easily average 10000+. They went from a 3000 capacity stadium to averaging 9000 at Stockport and see this as the next step. Will be interesting to see if they drop the 'Sale' tag and try and market themselves as more of a regional club.

Good post Karlos.

I wish Salford had the same outlook and there's no reason why we can't. It really does put our hierachy to shame.