Sale will have the advantage of RFU backing though as they are desperate to have a major club in the north. Will be interesting to see if the RFL will give any similar backing to Salford in what is seen as an iconic stadium location. I don't think Salford realise how important the first few months are at the new stadium for us though. Good chance for us to build a solid base before Sale move in, yet the season starts in 4 weeks and tickets for the first game are still not on sale.

Yeah i suppose they do have the backing of the RFU, a bit like "London whatever their name is" in our code.

Going back to your point regarding Sale name change. If Sale did and was successful, would Salford go down the same route. This is nailed on i reckon, if we don't improve our attendance's.

Could see it maybe becoming an option when the new franchises are handed out if any of the following happen:

Little or no improvement in performances/crowds.
Wilky steps down.
The RFL want a successful 'Manchester' club in response to the growth of Sale/RU in the north west.

Hard to say really. Hopefully we will make a success of it as Salford and non of it will become relevant.

Quote PREMIERSHIP rugby club Sale Sharks yesterday appointed Steve Diamond as its new chief executive and said it is in "advanced negotiations" over a potential move to the new Salford Stadium at Barton. The club held a press conference yesterday at which co-owner Ian Blackhurst said that negotiations about a move were ongoing, adding that an announcement could be made "within four to six weeks". "There's been a lot of speculation and coverage about the stadium near Barton Bridge - a fabulous facility - and we are in negotiations, but it has to be commercially right," said Blackhurst.'" www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwes ... -move.html I like the way Blackhurst can't bring himself to actually say the word "Salford". "Welcome to the Near Barton Bridge Stadium".

Quote PREMIERSHIP rugby club Sale Sharks yesterday appointed Steve Diamond as its new chief executive and said it is in "advanced negotiations" over a potential move to the new Salford Stadium at Barton. The club held a press conference yesterday at which co-owner Ian Blackhurst said that negotiations about a move were ongoing, adding that an announcement could be made "within four to six weeks". "There's been a lot of speculation and coverage about the stadium near Barton Bridge - a fabulous facility - and we are in negotiations, but it has to be commercially right," said Blackhurst.'" www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwes ... -move.html I like the way Blackhurst can't bring himself to actually say the word "Salford". "Welcome to the Near Barton Bridge Stadium".

[url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/rugby_union/s/1469560_decision-on-move-to-barton-close---ian-blackhurstMEN version of article.[/url

There's a back handed compliment for you - that fabulous stadium that Salford Rugby League team play at deserves someone better than them playing there.

He need only to visit this forum to find support for that opinion.

I doubt Brisbane Broncos would be too keen to relocate so far

thats what i like about these Yawnian clubs they are so far up their own backsides they can't see the light, I opened a can of Crown paint and painted a wall today, I stood and watched it dry, 1000 times more excitement and enjoyment than watching kick and clap and a lot more skills.

The fact remains thet Salford City Reds need to market themselves a lot better than they do now.
Yes sale have a bigger marketing budget than Salford City Reds have and yes the RFU have a much bigger marketing budget than the RFL have, but Salford need to do a lot more than they do now, which wouldn't be hard.
There are certain things that Salford can do which cost very little which would make more people of Salford and South Manchester aware of the clubs existence. At the moment it appears that Salford are doing very little if anything at all to let the people of Salford and the surrounding areas know that they are moving into a new stadium in Barton. I have my doubts if a majority of people in Salford and the surrounding areas are even aware that a Super League club exists in the area due to the fact that the club is so poorly marketed.

Let's be honest what has the club had to market before now? A struggling team in a tired stadium in an area people don't want to visit. The new stadium is a start and hopefully with some effort and good marketing ideas it could be the springboard Salford need.

Huddersfield 1895 i agree. TBH nothing has changed only a new stadium. Our marketing department was non-existant at the willows, and it remains the same at Barton, we are in the bottom echelon's of super league for one simple reason, our administration department, and yet the blinkered die hard lot still don't think it's JW's fault because he's above criticism.The hierachy assume we'll have an 8000 average attendance this year without lifting a finger which show's how out of touch they really are.

How difficult would it be to get people either voluntarily or for a small fee to just go around every house within a 10 mile radius and do a bit of canvassing like the Jehovah's witnesses do, that would cost peanuts and the beauty of that is if people are interested you could pick up a few details, maybe an email address or actually talk to them about any questions they may have, possibly get reasons why the disgruntled ones don't come and get some future targeted marketing plan going. It would be cheaper than billboards, and adverts and leaflet drops, just a few enthusiastic people selling the club to everyone within 10 miles. Maybe a few of you guys could put your time in and really raise the profile of the club.
Get some of those chugger types in all the shopping areas just putting the word out.

We're in the bottom echelons because of money. Plain and simple.

We don't have enough to throw at everything. Not enough for effective marketing. Not enough to attract big name signings. Not enough to employ the right people in the right roles. The spiral continues downward because the knock-on effects are poorer performances which equal poorer crowds which in turn means less bums on seats. Less bums on seats means a lower cap and lower income which brings us full circle to the fact that we don't have enough money.

Blaming one particular area out of many areas that need improving is just being blinkered. I'm not for or against JW as I'm not stupid enough to presume the ins and outs of running large businesses, however, without his cash the Club would have folded years ago because of the financial catch-22 we're in.

Marketing would be a tad easier if fans get treated royally on the pitch. So, Salford open new stadium with a loss to a club who are financially broke.

Way to go.

Get together and organise an Effort to commission a statue of Gus Risman and erect it out side the stadium.Sale cannot match Salford for history and tradition

It was like watching Brazil play Fax town reserves



We had a bare 17 fit players to choose from, they had players all genuine 1 st teamers starting the game

If they play like that against you ,you'll put 50 on them, the pies 100

Then add a stadium with no roof on the toilets and concourses



I really do fear for Salford now

Very possibly Starbug, as Salford's last "reason" for not kicking on to being a competitive SL team has now been removed i.e. the Willows.

They have less than 3 years to sort themselves out now.

Is it the same Steve Diamond who defected from rugby union to play for Wakefield Trinity at the end of the seventies and early eighties, and even played in our 1979 Wembley final against Widnes alongside other union defectors like Keith Smith and Mike Lampkowski? The point I'm making is that rugby league served him well when it suited him, financially, and with a Wembley final under his belt, arguably provided him with his career highlight.

TB
You can't keep blaming catch 22 financial hazards as to what are holding the club back. Surely the chairman has to take the responsibility of how pathetic the club is run, or to come up with some positive strategy to run his business correctly to avoid these hazards. It's fiasco after fiasco after fiasco every day at this club. I too don't know the ins and outs of running a business, but he does in abundance. His appointments and marketing structures have been nothing short of appaulling. Nothing to do with restraints. There's no excuse. I'm sick of hearing the club would of folded without his hard earned, but the jury's out i'm afraid regarding his judgement. Blinkered my look his track record. I really couldn't give a toss whether he pull's the plug because we'll be known as Manchester in 3 years time with or without JW. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

No. The Steve Diamond who turned out for Trinity, and a few other clubs, was Welsh. The Steve Diamond at Sale is a former England rugby union hooker.

Salford need to be battering manchester, with offers, promo's, flyers giveaways, just to let the people know who Salford City Reds actually are.
You seem to just be an invisible blob, which is just going to be pushed aside by Sale from reports, seeing them put Blue seats into your stadium is a bad enough indication. Manchester is the 3rd biggest city in England, yet Salford were averaging something pathetic last season!
If you get the crowds in for the new stadium, it'll be great, but the biggest achievement would be getting them to stay, and thats what you have to do, if you can reach 7-8k average this season you can builld on it, and finally show the potential.

good luck for the new season, and hopefully on my next trip to Manchester i see some flyers regarding the new season!

Manchester may be the third biggest city but it has the highest supported football teams in the land, which reflects on what Salford can do, but a mate of mine who lives in Weaste picked us up after the match yeasterday, he was coming back from Tesco's he had no idea that Salford were playing.

That's good to hear. My fond memory of him remains intact.

Havn't had time to read throught the thread, but a mate at work who is close to people inside Stockport County told me that Sale Sharks will become 'North West Sharks' in an attempt to become a bigger brand. They will base themselves in Salford and play games around the region.

Hope they fall flat on their faces.