I don't agree that's what's needed. That squad doesn't look cheap to me. Disorganised, incohesive and unskilled, yes - but not cheap.
I still maintain it's a great testament to the club that we can afford to assemble a squad of that quality given our crowds. Not a great testament however, to our coach...

It's common knowledge the club was in debt when he became Chairman in 1982.

It's also a fact that most or all clubs are in debt and are kept in business by the generosity of loans and personal guarantees from Owners/Directors.

Does anyone at the club read the turkey I hope so. I hope john wilkinson does its him i feel sorry for in all this Please john get rid of mcrae and simms

If the club has been in debt since 1982 does that not tell you something on how this club is being managed, in business and lets not deceive
ourselves because this is a business, if a company has been in debt that long, there must be a problem with some of the major decisions that have been made along the way.

Please read properly the club WAS in debt when Wilky took over.
Since then Salford have been a debt free well managed club financially,but crap on the pitch

Rugby clubs don't make profit!

they are and always have been run like charities compared to a profit making business.

You really are very naive if you think a club like Salford can fight above it's weight and avoid debts with such a small fan base!

Tell me any top flight rugby league club that makes profit year after year and pays out it's shareholders? Eveything gets ploughed back into strengthening the team on and off the field.

This isn't premier league football just do the sums, every club has debts!

It's also common knowledge that the club boasted year on year how we were always in the black right up until approximately 4 - 5 years ago when they first went into the red under Wilko's tenure, given that then and now we were/are receiving more money than ever before?

Putting finances of the club to one side at the moment, Wilko is conspicuous in his silence at the current plight of the club don't you think?

I think its a case of the idiots running the village at the moment and to make change this has to come from the very top where the book stops. Somebody quite clearly isn't fulfilling their role and none of the fans are getting any answers which is leading to these topics coming up on here day in day out.

Action and answers is whats required here, not waiting on the assumption things will turn out alright. To anyone asking how do we do this and that and who else would take Wilko's mantle, dont ask me or other posters, ask the chairman what he plans to do as we're not responsible for whats gone wrong.

There was no notification in his post saying that the club was not in debt he said " it's also afact that most or all clubs are in debt"
so I took it from that he meant ours as well.

Look at the sponsorship that the Directors pay for, look at the support that The Willows fail to collect money for such as Corporate Meals etc, then ask what Wilkie does.

I'm sure Mrs Wilkinson would love it if someone with real money came in but look at Warrington it does not guarantee anything.

yes but look what he got for the ground

Accounts reveal Salford City Reds chairman sold ground for £2.35m
Crain's Manchester Business - ‎Mar 15, 2009‎
Godliman plans to build affordable homes and a health centre on the Willows site and is in early-stage talks with Salford City Council planners. ...

Who actually owned the ground, Mr Wilkinson personally or the football club?

I remember him buying The Willows nightclub back from Greenalls.

As for housing etc

We need to have a stadium first, do you think the 2m covers what he has put in over the years?

I think he owns it

If he has already sold the ground and planing for new housing is in early talks with the council then the new stadium must start soon

Financially - I don't think any of us knows? Depends what he's also taken out over the years.

Personally - Yes, it's a great return for 27 years of doing a hobby he's loved.

Finally - Was it his or the footballs club to sell for housing etc. etc. Wasn't there a covenant covering the use of the ground as well as the cricket club for sporting or leisure purposes only and has the covenanter granted the permission for the sale of said housing?

Plenty of them appear giving away money to lost causes on C4's Secret Millionaire , we're a lost cause

Unfortunately they've already done one on Salford, otherwise it'd be an avenue worth exploring. Could just post the deeds to the Willows through Bill Gates letterbox with a note attached saying "ha ha, it's your job now". He does a fair bit for charity anyway.

Wilkie recently had a heart bypass operation and my missus saw him the other day at Costco and she remarked that he appeared to have lost quite a bit of weight and looked ill, so maybe he is not well and having a rest from the club. Because if the way we are playing is making some of us fans ill how do you think it making the chairman feel.

He has lost weight pev without a doubt but thats been intentional. I think hes OK though at the moment - probably needs a week in Florida without worries.

my only comment on Wilky is that he needs to be more ruthless. He has developed the club at the heart of the community and it enjoys a reputation as a family club. Perhaps too much though. Perhaps a touch more steel and ruthlessness is needed. If that means sacrificing a little of the close knit famly spirit so be it if it brings results. As it stands whatever coach or players we have had in his reign we end up in the same position. As i said elsewhere Leeds were viewed aloof by the Salford camp in Florida. Perhaps they were just being focused and professional.

Lets not pretend and kid ourselves, Mr Wilko is a businessman first and foemost of course he has taken out of the club. And if thats true about the 2.35 million for the willows then its a disgrace that we are only operating with the team we have now. Simple business sense and the facts dont lie

TOP CLASS TEAM=MORE SUPPORT=MORE INCOME MERCHANDISE ETC

No Mr Wilky who no doubt makes a nice earner off salford, pockets the cash he is already super wadded why not try to move to the next level. He cares about the club yes but he would also sell immediately if abuyer came in no two ways about it

are you for real?

Mate. You're upset, we all are, but if you're going to post on a message board like this you need to get the occasional fact in. You're talking complete sh*te.

I think you'll find those thoughts came from the media and not the club!

If you think that John Wilkinson has "taken out" of the club you must be in cloud cuckoo land.

The club is owned by John Wilkinson and in the event of us moving to a new stadium the ground sale is part of the deal, how do you think that the chairman is to continually keep putting money into the club?

The Willows site is earmarked for housing connected with the new developments at Salford Royal Hospital and this has been common knowledge for a long period of time and it was mentioned at the Government Enquiry.

John Wilkinson, Howard Clague and other directors have provided more than enough finance over many years and to have people coming up with inaccurate and downright stupid comments is not on.

The players(some of them)have never repaid the faith and money that the club(The chairman & directors) have put into them and unfortunately we now have some spectators having cheap shots at the people who have kept the club going for 27years.

The club(Chairman & directors) spent a large amount of money on the Jacksonville trip and what do they get? a load of aggravation due to the childishness of certain players for which the club are castigated whereas it is some of the people who are being paid(the players) who should be copping the flack.

The fan base at Salford is not good enough as we all know and the performances up to now will not improve the situation and I feel sorry for the people who's job it is to sell the club to sponsors etc.

If the chairman, vice chairman or the other directors view the Scarlet Turkey lets hope they take no notice of the silly inaccurate posts and they and their families continue to support the club.

They probably put more money into the club in a day than fans including myself put in during our lifetime.

Great post Original Salford City Red.

Certainly some of the sponsors read this board.

I'm sure some of the comments made on here would cut deep with board members if they read them. If anything, money has been lost through involvement with the club. I think you accept that if you are joining the board of a sports club, your motivation is not to make money. You know that you will not make money in fact.

Any remuneration from the sale of the Willows is certainly eaten up by the new stadium costs (and then some)

Sometimes some of the comments made on here are so way off the mark its unbelievable, laughable in fact.

"TOP CLASS TEAM=MORE SUPPORT=MORE INCOME MERCHANDISE ETC "
Red Joldsworth, perhaps you should contact the club directly and offer your services as a Business Guru and present your pearls of wisdom to the board. It seems like winning idea that.

Hear Hear..... How many millions have they paid out to get so far with the new stadium ? ( can't quite remember ) if it doesn't come off they will have lost it all