For the same reason that some teams play on the margins of the laws of the game, to get a potential advantage over your opponents .... and (perhaps) you do it because you believe that's what others are doing too ?

But what is the potential advantage of you are under the cap anyway?

Unlike half of Castleford, I'm no legal 'expert' but I do know the difference between evidence and opinion. Wishful thinking on your part doesn't make it true. MK has already said that with the third party payments we were still under the cap, and the issue that has been debated today is all about the registering and de-registering of players. Specifically Jake Mullaney and Kevin Locke. Which is where the alleged breach took place.

Interestingly, although I do work in employment law, this is not a legal case. It's a case of whether or not a club failed to abide by competition rules. There is no legal argument.
If Salford were still under the cap my understanding is that it's okay to pay players through third parties. The questions are:
1. Why would you want or need to?
2. If the payments were under the salary cap, why didn't the club declare them to the RFL?

I also remember Martin Koukash saying he would sue Gareth Hock, Leigh Centurians and Kevin Locke. Just because he says something, doesn't mean it is true. He says the club didn't break the cap. The RFL say they did. This appeal will decide who is right.
Edit - I'm also pretty sure his comments that he would break the cap haven't helped his cause.

Oh fek who woke Rumpole of the Lace Market up.

Off topic, what's happened to your board? Barely anyone on here anymore!

It might be boring, but it would be interesting to know your thoughts on the questions. There may be good reasons for paying players through third parties and not declaring these to the RFL, but if the club was always under the cap anyway I just can't see why this would be necessary.
In a way I hope you get the points back as it might encourage the RFL to get their house in order.
However, we are sliding dramatically towards to bottom 4 and play Catalans and Warrington, so maybe you could have them back for the start of the middle 8s instead?

The RFL agreed to Koukash's request to have the appeal heard by Sport Resolutions, a London-based arbitration service which has the power to quash the initial verdict, lower the penalty or increase it to as much as a 20-point deduction.

20 pts sounds fair.

No, despite your mild hysteria. Sports resolutions is mentioned in the RFL operational rules as an appeal body.

It appears Salford have lawyers who actually read the rules rather than a town who think they are all legally qualified on visas, contracts etc.

Lost appeal

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/36734568

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/36734568

Not a shock, still gutted. Well done in making the club a laughing stock once again. And you wonder why we have no fans. Joke club

He still won't let it lie. What a bell :- www.totalrl.com/koukash-says-fig ... l-not-end/?

He still won't let it lie. What a bell :- www.totalrl.com/koukash-says-fig ... l-not-end/?

Looks like your lawyers did a cracking job,

Marwan rants about the RFL and how poor they are, but he's the one who's masterminded lower crowds than when at the Willows, nil success, making undeclared payments, and generally making a complete ass of himself. He might want to borrow a mirror for a while and take a look in it. He might have saved Salford from the death, but it's hard to see how they've improved.

The issue I have withthe thing, is it sounds like you got stung on the whole Jake Mullaney/Kevin Locke thing, which upon reading the article the doc admitted to having messed up. My annoyance with this is that was 2013 and you are being punished for it now when it seems you have things steady and calm now. Feel for you really

The point is a lot of this didn't come to light until TP spoke about his 2 contracts. Marwan keeps saying you didn't go over the salary cap but you DID break the rules e.g. cheat. After which he had declared he would find a way to cheat. He admits he has failed at Salford and rather than accept his own failures needs something or someone to point at.

Did the RFL make the accounting mistakes? Did they move stadiums? Did they fail miserably in marketing? Did they get highly regarded players and then just bin them off?

It's sad to see a old school rugby team suffer but I'm not sure the victim card works, all other clubs have taken point deductions and got on with it but Marwan can't do that. He broke the operational rules and has spent loads on money on a case he could not win. The Kevin Locke issue might have been easy to clear up, but he still had broken the rules. It wasn't a mistake, why didn't he check with the RFL?

The things that have been found out will not be the total "Mistakes" he has made.

I feel for the Salford supporters, more pain for them.

I know Marwan upsets people but he seems like a decent bloke who just can't control his ego.
I feel for the Salford fans as their team has won enough games to be going ona Top 8 tour but are in a dog fight in the middle 8 now (or nearly are)

My biggest problem with Marwan is that he could be so good for Salford and RL in general. If he could just accept responsibility when it doesn't work and put his ego, money and business skills to building Salford into something special, or even just something quite good but stable, everyone would be happy with him.
In my opinion he's got it in him, he's just choosing a different way.

quote="Early Bath"You have conveniently ignored the fact that if we has stayed at The Willows the club would have had to find £300k++ to put the ground in a position to pass all Safety tests/quote
This is not strictly true Early Bath, granted the Willows needed more work carrying out, however so did Wakefield & Castleford grounds & 10 years on they still sit in super league! Salford were quite clearly given an ultimatum, move to a new purpose built stadium or risk not being considered for the franchise in Super league. Remember the A - B & C points system they adopted. Well we all know what happened to us, Salford we were made bankrupted moving to the new stadium & in the process we also lost half of our existing support from around the willows.

Clearly John Wilkinson & his team were out of their depth, however in my opinion he did have Salfords interest at heart but again he & his board badly misjudged the Salford fans from around the Weaste who used to enjoy a pint before walking to the ground, we have never replaced & are unlikely to replace while the RFL & MK fight a very public battle.

Those loyal fans who have watched for many years are being tested & I for one am sitting on the edge of giving up, for 3 years now we have been relentlessly pursued by the RFL having 2 points taken from us 2 season ago from the Castleford game, punishing Salford disproportionately for indiscipline last season & so far this season 6 points taken away for a break in the cap relating to 2014
Now you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the affect this actually as on the team performances being continually penalized, this also as the same affect on the remaining supporters actually still wanting to watch.
I believe both the RFL & MK need to look at what they have done & are doing to Salford Rugby club, to the RFL you clearly put us where we are today & because of your disputes with MK you are killing our club slowly. MK you need to look at the long term damage being done to the club.

Now I am not surprised with today's decision & I am sure my club broke its operating rules but please you whiter than whiter brigade get real. The game needs cleaning up for the good of the game, I have said before if MK would have broke the rules & played by the nod & a wink rules we would have been fine.
Today is just another nail in the coffin of my club & yes I hold both parties responsible. Salford were made bankrupt first by the ridiculous franchise system & since have been pushed relentlessly by the RFL.
I am one of those loyal fans who still support home & away who was intending going to Warrington tonight as normal, however after today I cannot be d & I am sure those remaining loyal fans will be asking the same.
Enjoy having a laugh until its your turn!

Aye - I bet you do.

1 illegal payment, that's cash that should be included on the SC. 2 of undeclared benefits to Tasi and Fages...there is a cash equivalent that would be included on the SC. So he should stop hiding behind "We didn't break the cap, just operational rules.

In short Marwan, you broke the ****ing Salary Cap.

I will give you my two-penneth. After 40 years watching RL I lost all faith in the sport months ago and I haven't been to a game this year. It's hard to accept but it's always going to be a small sport with a small mentality and full of people only interested in what suits their club. I feel the sport is predictable, flat and is sadly getting left way behind other comps and sports. I think people are wise to this feud between the RFL and Salford and aren't going to be a victim of it anymore. Fortunately I'm over it all now and can't even be bothered watching Superleague on TV either.

Sure will be an interesting game v the Bulls.