After more than a century and a half as one of the biggest and most well-supported rugby league teams in the country, Salford Red Devils have unfortunately been liquidated.
It’s a very, very sad day for the Super League and UK rugby at large.
Salford Red Devils had been flirting with insolvency and complete collapse for far too long, and even with the promise of investment following what has now proved to be a fruitless takeover back in February, the local sporting institution has now been folded.
Issuing an update to the fans on Wednesday, 3 December, what remains of the organisation shared an official statement online confirming the news, along with a picture of the crest blacked out.
They wrote the following: “We regret to inform stakeholders, supporters and partners that Salford Red Devils and its operating company, Salford City Reds (2013) Limited, have been subject to a winding-up petition filed by HMRC, and liquidation proceedings have now commenced.
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“We understand the gravity of this situation and the uncertainty this creates for everyone connected with the club. For the original club staff who remained up until this point, this is an incredibly emotional moment.
“Whilst there is sadness in seeing things come to this point, there is also a sense of relief that an extremely challenging period for the club has finally come to an end. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to all the fans who have stood by us through everything.
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“Your passion and loyalty have meant the world to us. More than anything, we hope that the club’s proud name and history can live on and continue to represent the people of Salford.”
Reacting to the dreaded but not unexpected news on social media, vocal fan group The 1873 – who have been both outspoken, militant and dedicated in their protesting of the ownership group – added: “You tried to destroy something that was not yours to destroy – but today you have been defeated.
“Salford Rugby League will rise again, and the rebirth will be beautiful. The 1873.” While they chose to lean towards optimism where possible and belief in a fresh start, many more are undoubtedly still busy mourning the 152-year-old family as they know it.
Salford Red Devils were liquidated today after 152 years. The original Red Devils. Beyond heartbroken. If the club is reborn I'll throw my heart and soul into it. pic.twitter.com/6IvUNklNWJ
The local outfit where given a reprieve regarding their winding-up petition over unpaid debt, not once but four different times, over the past few months.
Financial worries had been lingering plenty before this, of course, with concerns being raised well over a year ago, with bridging loans and players ultimately having to be borrowed from other teams in the division, before various members of staff eventually were let go and/or walked out.
Having been officially relegated from the premier British rugby league competition in October (which also accompanied their IMG grading being dropped), to some, it felt like only a matter of time before this outcome would eventually arrive.
Nevertheless, some are still holding out hope that phoenix – or devil, rather – can rise from the embers and that Salford Red Devils will return in some form under a new regime. One can only hope.
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Salfordians – what do you think needs to change if the club comes back?
Manchester United issue statement after Bruno Fernandes’ social media is hacked
Danny Jones
Manchester United were forced to issue an official statement following Bruno Fernandes’ social media being hacked.
The Man United star’s digital profile was hijacked in the wake of the defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend, which saw the Red Devils knocked out of the FA Cup and, it’s fair to say, quite the flurry of activity online.
As if to add insult to injury, with United‘s exit from the competition, a user then commandeered the club captain’s presence to share several fake posts.
With the official Bruno Fernandes X account being targeted following the game, the club had no choice but to respond after several controversial and/or inappropriate posts, not to mention multiple instances of general anti-ownership sentiment.
In case you didn’t see any of the since-deleted posts, besides one understandably troublesome comment which read, “let’s get rid of INEOS“, others were even more provocative/inflammatory.
The comments ranged from everything between messages @ing darts player and United fan Luke Littler to influencers like KSI and Jake Paul.
Offensive language was also present in many of them.
As for the Portuguese midfielder, he also quickly clarified that he obviously had no involvement in the activity; meanwhile, despite plenty of players coming out to apologise for the defeat on Sunday night, the skipper is yet to address the disappointment directly.
The loss to Brighton confirmed that Manchester United will be playing just 40 games for the rest of the campaign – the fewest since the 1914/15 season (i.e. at the outset of the First World War) – which serves as yet another unwanted record for the club of late.
You can see the highlights for the game down below.
It is also likely to have been caretaker manager Darren Fletcher’s final game in charge of the Reds, with an interim replacement set to be appointed imminently following Ruben Amorim’s shock sacking earlier this month.
His predecessor, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, also looked like the frontrunner at one point – and could still be involved in a backroom setup – but The Athletic now has it that Carrick could be is odds-on favourite to be announced before the Manchester derby.
Nevertheless, plenty of supporters still feel the problems remain deeply rooted throughout the club and that a change of personnel among the coaching staff still may not be enough…
Antoine Semenyo has officially joined Manchester City
Danny Jones
Yes, Man City have got their man and further bolstered their offensive options, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo having officially joined the club.
Having emerged as one of the Premier League’s hottest properties over the past couple of years, Antoine Semenyo has gone from not only being an extremely prolific winger, but beyond a flavour of the month, with multiple teams expressing their interest in recent months.
That being said, despite being linked with local rivals Manchester United, current champions Liverpool and an already heavily staffed Chelsea side, MCFC have now won the race to sign Semenyo – one they seem to have been leading since the start.
Finally unveiled by club media on Friday, 9 January, Semenyo was pictured for the first time in the sky blue strip.
It was long after that the first reports of the deal being ‘agreed in principle” surfaced online, and it became clear that no other suitors stood a chance of snatching him away from the Etihad Stadium.
Semenyo’s release clause was set at £65 million, which is approximately the same figure they sold former striker Dominic Solanke to Spurs for, but inevitable add-ons and bonuses were likely to set a rough club record fee in terms of player sales.
Penning a five-and-a-half-year deal, the 26-year-old’s contract will take him through to at least 2031, with the London-born Ghanaian international still yet to hit his peak.
Frightening stuff for Premier League defenders, to say the least.
Sharing a message with his new fan base via the full club statement, Semenyo said: “I am so proud to have joined Manchester City…
“They have set the highest of standards, and it’s a club with world-class players, world-class facilities and one of the greatest managers ever in Pep. I have so much scope for improvement, so to be at this club, at this stage of my career, is perfect for me. It’s a real privilege to be here.
“My best football is yet to come, I am sure of that. And City are in a great position – still involved in four competitions. I really feel I can help them have a strong second half of the season. The Etihad is my new home. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans here, and I hope to show everyone what I can do.”
Happy with the business, Blues? And as for you neutrals, do you think it’s the right next step for him?
Watch Semenyo’s first full interview as a Manchester City player.
Danny Jones -
3rd December 2025 
