Sport
Salford Red Devils issue statement after being ordered to sell players by Rugby Football League
Danny Jones
Local rugby league side Salford Red Devils have been ordered to sell players by the RFL in an effort to meet financial sustainability regulations amid speculation over new investment.
The RFL (Rugby Football League) has declared that the Red Devils must reduce their salary cap after already putting them under special measures late last year, as doubts surrounding commercial revenue streams and gaps in their finances led to them being given an advance to cover their costs.
With their books having been under a microscope, the club have now been told they have to trim £800,000 from their total overheads, meaning players must be let go as soon as possible ahead of the new Super League season.
Squad members Marc Sneyd, Tim Lafai, Deon Cross and Kallum Watkins have all been linked with moves away and Salford had already made five new off-season signings; they also revealed that they received offers for players before anyone had to be sold. Safe to say their future is as uncertain as the club’s.
With a group of Australian investors said to be in talks to be brought into the club, it is believed the takeover will happen but sustainability issues must be resolved first. Salford Red Devils have been fan-owned since 2018 but a lot of criticism has been levelled at CEO Paul King in recent years.
The RFL order to sell players has understandably sparked frustration among an already concerned fan base. Subsequently, the Devils have now shared a lengthy statement responding to reports.
“Over recent months, there has been repeated media speculation on the Club’s financial position”, it begins. “We have purposefully maintained a level of silence since our last statement, not out of avoidance, but out of necessity due to the sensitive nature of our ongoing discussions with potential investors.
“Our discretion has been to maintain and ensure the integrity of those discussions, bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements, and to protect our Club, players and staff.”
It goes on to explain that the takeover prospects are still alive and well, though many details are still unable to be disclosed. One thing that is clear is that the club must sell players “without delay” in order to fall under the issued sustainability cap of £1.2 million, adding, “Until we reach that, we are now prohibited from registering players for the upcoming season
They also clarified that advance funds were handled solely by the RFL themselves, not misspent or directed to specific areas by the club. Regardless, there is a lot of frustration and disappointment among the supporters, with many simply questioning, “Where has all the money gone?”.
Another person wrote: “Not one bit of accountability from yourselves, seems like it’s everyone else’s fault. I do hope you survive for your fans, but your club has been mismanaged now for nearly a decade.”
Salford Community Stadium is also now operated by the City Council as of 13 December 2024 and they are hoping to discuss ways to help it drive revenue soon now the new year is well underway. It is also shared by fellow Super League side, Sale Sharks.
On the other hand, a subsidy grant from the Council was expected to arrive and assist with funding for the year ahead, but it was ultimately deemed to be unavailable back in November, adding yet further financial pressure.
The club go on to add that they “empathise and understand the frustration of our fans and are deeply sorry to reach this position” but for many the worry won’t subside until the takeover is complete.
It is believed that a total of three different bidders had come in to potentially buy the club by the end of last year, but the current consortium is now seemingly waiting for the current setup to remedy the present situation before pulling the trigger.
Put simply, it’s all a bit messy but the club have assured a light is at the end of the tunnel.
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Featured Images — David Moorhouse (via Geograph)
The Manc -
16th September 2020 
