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.
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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.
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“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?”.
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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.”
Also the board, which is made up of good people that will be genuinely devastated that on their watch and management the club is going through this.
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.
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Put simply, it’s all a bit messy but the club have assured a light is at the end of the tunnel.
Manchester City finally release special Year of the Horse collection for Lunar celebrations
Danny Jones
Manchester City have officially launched their new ‘Year of the Horse’ kit, along with several other items in their latest lifestyle range.
The collection, which has been released as part of the Lunar New Year Celebrations, was leaked online in late 2025 before being officially teased earlier this year, but now Man City have fully unveiled the limited edition clothing items.
It follows the commercial success of their previous Chinese New Year-inspired kits and wider fashion lines over the last few seasons.
For anyone not up to speed on their Zodiac calendar knowledge, 2026 is officially (you guessed it) the year of the horse, hence this choice for the new ‘Capsule Collection’.
“Set in earthy, neutral tones, the limited-edition Year of the Horse Capsule Collection captures both the stillness of vintage Chinese portraiture and the motion of a team in full stride.”
Revolving around a grey and almost beige colour palette, the full drop includes a new pre-match ‘Anthem’ jacket, a dark graphic design tee, a baseball cap, as well as a soft horse plushie.
The focal point, however, is obviously the jersey itself – though it remains to be confirmed whether or not the special seasonal strip will be worn in any games this campaign as other one-off/special limited edition shirts have been in the past.
The price points range from £15 for the soft toy to £90 for the adult shirt, with the aforementioned Puma KING Anthem zip-up jacket already available in six colours.
What do you make of the latest lifestyle collection, Blues?
Somewhat fittingly, the Year of the Horse and other items finally debuted on the same day that their local rivals across the other side of town, Manchester United, released some new threads of their own: the second Adidas x The Stone Roses collection.
As for this years Lunar celebrations, the official plans for here in Manchester city centre have now been revealed. You can find out more down below.
Stockport County confirm signing of new striker Adama Sidibeh
Danny Jones
Stockport County Football Club have officially unveiled the signing of new striker, Adama Sidibeh, from St Johnstone FC.
This comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether or not the deal for the forward was going to be done, despite his medical having already been passed.
Sidibeh was linked with a move from the Scottish Premiership quite early in the January transfer window, and the transfer fee had already reportedly been agreed, but there was apparently to be some contention over personal terms.
However, it seems the impasse has now been overcome and a full agreement reached, with the Hatters finally announcing the completion of his deal on Tuesday, 27 January.
As you can see, the Gambian international is no stranger to England nor the North West, having moved back to the UK to be with his family in 2022, before going on to join local Stockport club Cheadle Heath Nomads in 2022.
Moving on to nearby Cheshire outfit Warrington Rylands FC the following season, he continued to prove himself as a quick and consistent goal threat, ultimately sealing a switch to The Saints in 2024.
Sidibeh’s transfer fee from St Johnstone to SCFC remains undisclosed.
Penning a two-and-a-half-year contract, the latest County recruit is the third signing of the January transfer window so far, following the most recent arrival of Josh Dacres-Cogley from Bolton Wanderers earlier this month.
Having been given the number 26, he is the latest offensive reinforcement at Edgeley Park as they look to enjoy a fairly ‘aggressive’ window, as promised.
Speaking on his new home in a club statement, the 27-year-old said: “I’m so excited to be [sitting] here now as a Stockport County player.
“It’s a town and a club I already know so well from my time at Nomads, which made it an easy decision for me and my family to come here once we heard that County were interested.
“I can’t wait to get going now, to start my career in the Football League and to play in front of 10,000 fans at Edgeley Park. I’ve worked very hard to get to this place in my career since moving to England, and will work even harder now I’m here to help the team as we go for promotion.”
As for his new manager, Dave Challinor made it clear they were keen to capitalise on his contract running out, adding that apart from being a bit of a late bloomer in pro football, “he’s a real hard worker that provides real intensity in his press. and really wants to threaten defenders both in and out of possession.”
“He’s scored all types of goals at every level he’s played at, but this will, without doubt, be a step up for him” – it just remains to be seen how he’ll take to the League One and wider EFL challenge.
Danny Jones -
16th January 2025 
