Early Bath after 30 years funding the club and very little interest from the majority of the Salford public (and knowbody willing to put their hand up and replace him) I'd just let the club go to the wall. I couldn't blame him for a minute if he did?

JAW is trapped at this club with very little support from the Salford business community.

Thats not a million miles from the scenario experienced by Leigh towards the end of last season. Lets hope you have a 'Trevor Barton' who took on the CEO role unpaid, and along with the two remaining directors has taken us from possible liquidation to yesterday. Alot further to go yet, but if you don't attract the crowds (and at £20 a ticket plus parking etc not easy) then I fear for your future

I used to be




The fans at Salford are part of the problem, not part of the solution

Leigh show us up in that respect too

Fantastic post and 100% correct.



Sadly this is also correct.

Put a strong team out;

Patten
Broughton
Nero
Gleeson
Williams
Holdsworth
Smith
Jewitt
Godwin
Boyle
Ashurst
McPherson
Anderson

I hold no stock in what I saw yesterday as it was after all a friendly, as others have said if after a few games of SL and I still see the same I'll really worry.
I would though expect Vauxhall to use the Halifax game more like a serious game and bring in the first players who missed out yesterday and give them the same game time as he envisages them getting during the early part of the season.
I did expect McPherson to be much bigger physically as I thought maybe he would move up to the front row but Anderson looked bigger than him.
Something that did annoy me was the same old morons getting after the same players, Paten didn't look at his best and to be fair you'd not expect either him or DJ to do so as they have been back over in OZ for a wedding havn't they?.

After reading the posts on here... I hardly know where to start...

Firstly... yesterday... yes it was a 'friendly'... but I'm guessing those saying it was 'ONLY' a friendly... and not to get carried away have never played the game. I don't ever recall seeing or meeting a player who plays in a game of rugby league and see's it as 'friendly'. You want to make that tackle, you want to make that pass, you want to score those tries. The coaching staff may see it as a way of blowing away the cobwebs, and trying a few things, but if you are a player on a rugby league field... you should be playing the game. So yesterday was proof to me that this is a poor team. This was an early hit out for Leigh too... and that looked like a team to me.

Our new head coach has said that we should expect a more expansive game this year... if ever there was a sign saying that even he knows that we haven't got the forwards to win us games... then this was it. We have a decent back-line... but nothing to lay that platform for me... and the coach knows this too... so he tells us we are going to be better with the ball in hand... I'm not buying it.

These players are at Salford for a reason... they aren't good enough to be anywhere else... and they know it. If they were good enough for Saints, Wigan, Warrington, Leeds... then that's where they would be. If you are playing at Salford... it's a good indication of your ability... and those players know that... so they aren't likely to be brimming with confidence. These players can also see for themselves the joke that the club has become in recent years... and I can hardly see them breaking their backs for the cause. They know they are making up the numbers in SL... perhaps if they spent less time in Starbucks, Costa and Nando's... and more time working on their own games.. then there could be a possibility of achieving more.

The stadium... for me... the one thing I always enjoyed about being a Salford fan was the feeling of The Willows... It felt homely... and it felt like everybody was an extended part of your family. This new place is too regimented. I know we had to be there... but it just doesn't feel quite to me. The views from the South Stand just didn't do it for me... and I don't particularly want to sit down until I'm a good few years down the line from where I am now and my legs won't take it. Under the stand needs a lick of paint too... those grey breeze-blocks just look cold. Surely they can afford a bit of white paint for the walls. Make us feel like we want to go there.

The people that run the club will surely now be happy that they don't have to mix with the regulars anymore now they have their big shiny new stand to wine and dine in. They will care less and less about us mere mortals. In the new stand before we arrive... kiss the backsides of the corporates... and then leave when we've all left feeling gutted about another dire performance. Our CEO gets a lot of stick on here... people have called for somebody better.... but it will never happen... He's been at the club for years... and would cost a fortune to get rid of... and the club can't afford to do that. It'll be the same for many others that work there.

It's amazing how much bad feeling can be generated from a pre-season game... but it's just a continuation of what we left The Willows with... as I said months ago when people were talking about the club changing... it will always be the same Salford. Badly run... Poor team... no heart. On leaving The Willows there were some things that they had to bring with them... one being that tape to tell us all not to swear (which is rich considering swearing is always an option watching this team)... and the other thing was the team spirit....

JW.... 'When you're clearing out the dressing room... don't forget that team spirit'
Kitman.... 'What does it look like chairman ?'
JW....'It's in a red bucket.... looks a bit like a bucket of 5h!t'

I'm very downhearted about things again... It's great that the stadium is nearer to where I live... but it's still going to be a chore to go there week in week out. There has been a lot of talk about Sale moving in... believe me... this is the least of our worries.

The chairman could go at any time and cut is losses,but then there would be no Mr Salford and any trappings that
go with the job, as for your mate Steve we don't need him,I am sure big Phil can speak for him self,don't you.
The first thing he could do,for his easy life.Get the right coach who ever that is,and let him do is job,keep Simms
right out of the way,like Australia.I don't think it will happen.That Mr Salford has a nice ring to It,don't you think.

Thanks for your opinion but I'll aim my frustration at those Salfordian buisness people who choose not to support their local sports team!

OK I'll identify a negative ........ Booing and slagging the club off where ever possible!
So in short YOU and your like.

I'm not deluded, just tired of certain people having a negative effect on the club and my match day experience.
Like I said before if you dont like it dont go, and in the process remove one of the negatives you love to harp on about.

Cheer up it was only a friendly.it could be much worse,it could have been Swinton you played.Expect a closer score when you play us.Karl Harrison will be well up for it to put one over on the people who back stabbed him towards the end of his stay at Salford.

If you was a business man, would you put you money in,and let this lot run the show.And while we are on the topic
that's why business people have not come.They can see what is going on,could the chairman stand going from the
all power full to just one vote, that's the question.

Big Pev could not have put it better

We had Chris Morley and currently have Mat Gardner.

We`ve had Tony Dorahy,Mike Holiday, Tony Iro and IIRC we signed Phil Blake`s brother, who was injured throughout his spell with us.

But a Businessman would bring his own team in to run the club as they would be taking over, they would bring in a new board etc,

But it will not happen because it appears that anybody who makes a lot of money and they come from Salford don't like rugby league, JW is possibily the club owner with least money in Super league, supporting rugby league in a football mad city for 30 years.

The Problem is Salford city reds arnt in a good shape both on and off the field and arnt viewed as a good investment from anyone on the outside.
The problem isnt with JW and the other directors who have put vasts amout of money in over the years, they dont run the club so reaily are not accountable to what happens

Reaily we need new blood in with new ideas, DT and SS have held important roles at the club for far too long, they probably did a good job in difficult circumstances when at the willows but what the fans need is strong positive leadership from the top not hiding behind JW and letting him do the talking.
PV is a superleague coach in his own right and should be the voice of the playing staff not SS.
Personally getting rid of both straight away would destablise the club and would have a negative effect in my opinion at this crutial time.

Your example there basically puts us in the same position we were in with Mcrae, cant afford to sack regardless how poor it became. the new stadium gives SS, DT and PV and the rest of the playing staff a better platform to perform if they are unable to use the stadium and its modern facilities to their maximum and still underperform JW and the directors need to make a decition

[size=150Personally id rather sign 1 less player on a decent wage next season if it ment that there was new blood in the management structure next season [/size having the right people in these postions are as important as any new signings

Within the club there are so many good people who work so hard and i do feel sorry for them that they arnt given the support and the tools they need, they do a good job but with the tools they would do a great job

The club are doing great things with the foundation attracting support from the areas of manchester and surrounding areas but what about trying to build bridges in salford to the people who have walked away.
Id contact lower divison football clubs who are a 1 club city / town see how they embrace the people in their town / city and try and promote the club as being "your rugby league club" give people of salford ownership.
On Tv and Radio interviews any type of media available make the people of salford that Salford City Reds are your team run for your to enjoy

It wont cost a massive amount of money to improve our PR with the people of salford and the people looking to invest, a very good start with the buses to the new ground from the willows needs to be built upon.
The club are always lurking listening to what is going on i just hope they can build on the buses with other ideas which will stimulate our core support in a positive way

Just returned home from an unnecessarily expensive weekend - I wouldn't have needed to pay the rip-off add-ons for the ticket as the crowd capacity wasn't reached and I could have paid on the day.
Sadly,I experienced the very reason why families may not be attending in droves to watch SCR.
On what was a pre-season non-event which means nothing - ask any Leeds fans on 16th March for their pre-season results for the past 5 years when they have reached Grand Finals - I heard so-called supporters booing the Salford players at half and full time.If that wasn't bad enough when a couple of players started to approach the south stand and applaud the spectators for attending the game and their support - there was a shout of 'Salford,Salford' during the second half,they were met by more gesticulations and abuse.
I didn't see who the young players were but it has certainly made more hard work for the coaches in an already difficult job.
How anyone thinks that will improve future performances is beyond my comprehension.
I get the impression that the players and coaching staff will be fully aware,during and after the game,that the performance was not good.As they will not be performing regularly at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon again in 2012 and need their optimum performances mainly at 8pm on a Friday night,although it was disappointing,the last thing the players needed was to have that response from 'their supporters'.
Proves nothing.Achieves nothing.Changes nothing.
I don't have a problem with people criticising individuals at the club.Young men wanting to reach their maximum potential in the professional game should not be enduring that kind of treatment.
The only positives I took from the afternoon,regarding playing matters,was the enthusiasm and professionalism of Sean Long - I found this on the Saints site [url=http://viewtopic.php?f=18&t=515427&start=10interesting[/url and thought young Stuart Howarth went well from acting half-back.
Poor performance and very disappointing but the history books will show - and Sky Television cameras will film for posterity - the first game at the SCS will be next month against Castleford.

It may be that the supporters wait to get a lift from the players before they start ; How about the supporters try lifting the players so the players can start.

I have never known,and I ain't young,such a disgraceful performance from supporters at any sport,of any club,in this country or elsewhere,who did what was done on Saturday.

Players and fans have only a number of weeks before they have to get it right.As a supporter,I make it the sole responsibility of the supporters to set the example.If everyone else is at the club is below standard,so be it,but the supporters should be exemplary.

A few miles away as the crow flies,that club Manchester City,had until recently,not won for over 40 years.
Because their supporters remained loyal,and didn't boo their players at pre-season games,they have since been rewarded with extremely wealthy owners.I cannot envisage people with great wealth wanting to invest and bring anything to supporters of a club who cannot support...

Out of everything I have seen at the club thus far,the only disappointment have been the supporters on Saturday.May I suggest you get your heads together and sort out how to improve things.......quickly !

Or,the supporters will be the only losers.....

( Good quote from Matt Parish on the signature of The Optimist - the bit about players,coaching staff and fans uniting together - if it isn't too late !)

Yes. City fans have never, ever, ever booed their players or stayed away in their droves. If the quality of support determines the quality of your owners, city would still be stook with a Franny Lee-esque character.

If you honestly think that an outpouring of frustration and disappointment from Salford supporters after Saturday, when we're told this ground will be the turning point of all the sh*t that's been suffered for years, is the cause of why we're never going to improve then you really are sadly mistaken.

And before you ask, no, I didn't boo or jeer the team. Then again, I didn't applaud them either.

Not that I'm looking for an argument but you may be wrong.

20th centuryIn 1900, Salford received notice to vacate New Barnes as the Manchester Ship Canal Company had purchased the land. Salford's agreed a 14-year lease on 5 acres (20,000 m2) of land belonging to the Willows Estate Company, named after the abundance of willow trees in the area. Salford made their début at The Willows on 21 December 1901, beating Swinton 2–0, the official attendance reaching 16,981. James Lomas became rugby league's first £100 transfer, from Bramley to Salford in 1901

On another note, it's a shame that sort of attendance isnt possible today given the improvement of certain general communications

Surely your not saying pev was wrong again are you,

Sorry but I don't think some of these so called professionals,cared If Salford played again
Get of your soap box or was you free ticket.

Sorry the lad is spot on. Booing your team after a friendly is absolutly disgracefull. What is the matter with you lot. Get behind the lads and it will spur them on to play for you. Where are the die hard Shed Heads? Come Reds don't do this to your team.

Can I also add to my point above that, when Wigan spanked us 60-10 at their place in 2010 our players got roared off the pitch. That was due to every single one of them putting in a fantastic effort and just getting beat by a much, much better team.