Ex-Salford Red Devils CEO steps back in to try and save the club from collapse

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Salford Red Devils former CEO Paul King returns to cover debts

Former Salford Red Devils CEO, Paul King, has flown in to help his former employers as the rugby league side hopes to rescue itself from the brink of complete collapse.

Paul King only left Salford Community Stadium and the Red Devils in February, being replaced by Chris Irwin, but since the latter resigned this month and promises of financial security still look far from coming good, the 54-year-old is back in the fold and trying his best to save the 152-year-old club.

Salford were the subject of a Swiss takeover earlier this year, which looked like it might beckon a whole new era for the long-established local team, but despite claims of clearing debts and righting the ship by businessman Dario Berta, it turns out that little has been done to fix the books since then.

In fact, as it turns out, Salford’s line of credit only appears to have been extended as the Devils are thought to be rather deep in the red (a rather cruel irony) with payday loans taken out to pay player wages and keep them afloat. With that in mind, King has come back to do what he can.

While the new consortium is yet to deliver key funds, King is taking the fall. (Credit: Salford Red Devils via Facebook screenshot)

As per multiple outlets, King has now returned to Salford in an ‘advisory role’, consulting on how best to navigate the persisting choppy water surrounding the club.

Although the club has so far refrained from making any kind of announcement of their own – the last being the confirmation of chief exec Irwin’s departure on 6 May – it’s understood that King has actually been continuing to help cover costs ever since he left.

The man himself has downplayed his impact thus far, stating that he’s simply “been pulled in from gardening leave to advise, that’s all”, insisting that “it’s all very short-term.”

However, despite no longer being actually a full-time member of staff at Salford Red Devils, he is said to have been paying player wages for the last three months and

Even more concerningly, though it will no doubt touch fans to hear, he is also believed to have put his own home up as collateral against what the club owes to lenders; it’s not even the first time he’s done this, either.

In a modern sporting era where owners, consortiums, nation states and so on are often criticised over their stewardship of clubs, this kind of generosity and hustle from a man who isn’t even technically employed by the business has to be applauded.

That being said, it’s no surprise that their struggles off the pitch have translated to performances as well, with Salford sitting at the bottom of the Betfred Super League table, having notched just one win this season. Some stability is needed, and soon.

Here’s hoping it all pays off – a community club that’s been around so long and means so much to the local area cannot be allowed to disintegrate.

Meanwhile, over in the EFL, neighbours Salford City FC have also seen their ownership change hands as they hope to avoid similar uncertainty in this next chapter. The sporting-obsessed city and its countless supporters have no intention of giving up on their teams.

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Featured Images — Anthony Parkes (via Geograph)/Salford Red Devils