https://www.salfordreddevils.net/offici ... n-koukash/ Quote The club has come a long way during my tenure since arriving in 2013 when it was in a perilous position. This year has seen the club have its most successful season in Super League, not just on the field but off it in the way it has shaped its business and financial position. Under a young local coach, we have seen a team of quality, proven Super League players finish fourth in the regular season and take part in a closely fought semi-final of the Challenge Cup. Off-field, under the guidance of a former Club player as our CEO, we have managed to reduce the operating losses to 20 percent of those in 2014 which has stabilised the club at this time. Moving forward I strongly believe that the additional investment in recruitment towards the end of last season, combined with an off season in which the coaches can prepare, we will see the team improve further and genuinely compete for a top four finish and an equally successful Cup run. I further believe that commercial decisions I have recently taken, combined with the business partnerships and arrangements I have already secured will, with the strong support of the local community who buy season tickets and regularly attend games, means that the club can become self sufficient. As I have always said, I am merely a custodian of the club, which will always be bigger than any individual who owns it, and will continue longer than any one person can run it. To this end the club, quite rightly, must always belong to the fans and the local community of Salford. I will continue to hold very high regard for our fans and the wider community supporting us and because of this have rejected lucrative offers to relocate or rebrand the club because I have seen that there is an overwhelming passion from the fans to retain the Salford name. I have now instructed my legal team, subject to RFL approval, to establish a trust to take ownership of the club for the benefit of the fans and the local community of Salford. I will appoint a board of trustees to include local Salford businessmen and a representative of the fans to be elected by the season ticket holders, which will ensure the fans have a prominent voice in the running of the club. I am confident that the new structure at the Club under the guidance of the Trustees will see the Club continue to make progress on and off the pitch. During my time running the club I have faced many challenges which I have met head on and I, along with my family, have had many great times, creating very fond memories and friendships that will stay with us. I have genuinely grown to absolutely love the game of Rugby League and the Red Devils and still care deeply about it. My decision is nothing to do with the operation of the game or the RFL, with whom during my time I have challenged but also enjoyed a fantastic working relationship, especially during 2017 and they have my ongoing respect. I look forward to joining our loyal supporters and all my friends when i visit in the grandstands at the stadium next season. '"

https://www.salfordreddevils.net/offici ... n-koukash/ Quote The club has come a long way during my tenure since arriving in 2013 when it was in a perilous position. This year has seen the club have its most successful season in Super League, not just on the field but off it in the way it has shaped its business and financial position. Under a young local coach, we have seen a team of quality, proven Super League players finish fourth in the regular season and take part in a closely fought semi-final of the Challenge Cup. Off-field, under the guidance of a former Club player as our CEO, we have managed to reduce the operating losses to 20 percent of those in 2014 which has stabilised the club at this time. Moving forward I strongly believe that the additional investment in recruitment towards the end of last season, combined with an off season in which the coaches can prepare, we will see the team improve further and genuinely compete for a top four finish and an equally successful Cup run. I further believe that commercial decisions I have recently taken, combined with the business partnerships and arrangements I have already secured will, with the strong support of the local community who buy season tickets and regularly attend games, means that the club can become self sufficient. As I have always said, I am merely a custodian of the club, which will always be bigger than any individual who owns it, and will continue longer than any one person can run it. To this end the club, quite rightly, must always belong to the fans and the local community of Salford. I will continue to hold very high regard for our fans and the wider community supporting us and because of this have rejected lucrative offers to relocate or rebrand the club because I have seen that there is an overwhelming passion from the fans to retain the Salford name. I have now instructed my legal team, subject to RFL approval, to establish a trust to take ownership of the club for the benefit of the fans and the local community of Salford. I will appoint a board of trustees to include local Salford businessmen and a representative of the fans to be elected by the season ticket holders, which will ensure the fans have a prominent voice in the running of the club. I am confident that the new structure at the Club under the guidance of the Trustees will see the Club continue to make progress on and off the pitch. During my time running the club I have faced many challenges which I have met head on and I, along with my family, have had many great times, creating very fond memories and friendships that will stay with us. I have genuinely grown to absolutely love the game of Rugby League and the Red Devils and still care deeply about it. My decision is nothing to do with the operation of the game or the RFL, with whom during my time I have challenged but also enjoyed a fantastic working relationship, especially during 2017 and they have my ongoing respect. I look forward to joining our loyal supporters and all my friends when i visit in the grandstands at the stadium next season. '"

So when does he take over at Bradford?

I think it's a fantastic idea to hand over control of the club to the Salford fan, he must be over the moon!

It's a shame if Koukash leaves the sport completely, he's done a lot for both Salford and Super League (Marquee rule and salary cap increases were driven by him) but the people running our game seem to be happy with it regressing year on year.

I think its a shame, he has undoubtedly made mistakes due to being new to RL and has underestimated how much the years of lack of sucess have affected Salford's fanbase. Theyve had a much better season but it will probably take a good decade to get bigger crowds in and im not convinced that the stadium is in the right place.

Nore sure what the situation at Bradford is, but hopefully the RFL can keep Koucash involved in the game as I think he's learnt from his mistakes (buying in a whole new team of players doesn't work) and is the high profile character that could revive Bradford and its dormant fanbase.

If I was him I would just walk away. What's the point of wanting to invest millions into our game when you are aren't allowed to because it might upset the "never haves" like Wakefield and Leigh?

Regards

King James

Really poor attempt at trolling even for a single cell creature like yourself

He bought the wrong club you can't say he hasn't tried but no matter what you do and still only 1400 turn up as they did against Hudds what's the point

More insightful comment from our Pseudo Royal



On a serious note, RL doesnt come out of this too well, again.
Koucash, for all of his faults (which were many) invested plenty of cash and personality into the sport, both of which are severely lacking in RL.
Let's hope he does pop up somewhere else.

For Salford, you have to worry.
Regardless of what the statement says, if they have to manage with matchday revenue plus some merchandising, their future looks perilous and the new "team" in charge certainly wont have the same depth to their pockets as the Dr.

He obviously can't stand the thought of m8s next year against Toulouse, London, Torronto and Cats/Leigh. Also running scared because Hull KR are back up after the events of last year. Tell him not to forget his fake cheque when he shuts tge door. Can't stand the bloke. He might have had some decent ideas but his personality and ego overshadowed them.

Salford have already dumped 7 players and without the money (as with many of us) next season might be a struggle now. Depends how it all pans out with finding new investment. Good luck to them.

I just don't think RL is ever going to be popular enough in that area for Salford to be a viable super league club.
I think there's probably enough there to be a decent, stable (probably part time) championship club though.

Yes it is a poor attempt but you got the shooter wrong it should be

with

I think its been said that he bought the wrong club, on paper it was ideal, massive catchment area and new stadium but it just never took off except for those that already went.

Hopefully he does stay in the game as love him or hate him at least people feel something towards him, yes he's loud and brash but that will get column inches and this sport really needs that.

Koukash and Bradford would be an ideal fit.

I shall ignore the insult because that just makes you look foolish, not me, but I will ask, why am I trolling? A cap was put in place to prevent clubs like wakefield going bust and all its done instead is stifle investment and its no co incidence that rugby league stock in the public eye has fallen since the introduction of the cap.

But hey, as long as wakefield dont go bust, everything is ok

King james

Haven't more clubs gone bust since the introduction of the cap me personally I'd raise the cap by at least £500,000

a blow for salford and a blow for the game.

got us in the national media... ok not always for the best reasons but still, not many club owners can get the game being talked about.

rl needs money men like him in it, cant afford to be losing guys like him who want to push the sport up.

blow for salford too, they wont be spending as much as they did under koukash so wont get the players in return i dont think.

getting crowd of under 2k is very poor and i think koukash wanted to rebrand but it wasnt liked so prob felt like he wasnt being backed by the fans too.

Still hurts doesn't it?

Absolutely, because as fans of Hull KR there is a lot to feel hurt about in September 2017:

- Championship League Leaders
- Promoted back to Super League at the first attempt
- A 10% increase in season membership sales in the Championship compared to 2016 in Super League.
- 79% of members opted to pay full price (i.e. Super League-level price) for their membership this season and thus declined a 25 per cent discount offered by the club.
- An average home attendance of 7431 in the Championship.
- 90% of commercial sponsors paid Super League rates in 2017, despite been in the second tier.
- 8000 replica shirt sales
- A world-class coach
- A board who have effectively already pledged their full commitment and support for the coming season.

No offence but out of the two clubs I think it's ours which is in a much healthier state right now.

Trinity fan here, just what is it Wakefield Trinity have "never had...."?

I honestly think the 1400 crowd could have been the straw that broke the camels back. He must have thought that staying up last year and the subsequent great on the field season would have finally brought the fans back, strangely it did the opposite.

Would be nice to here from some of the Salford fans what their take on it is.

He's just nipped out for a ciggie. He'll be back soon

This red is waiting for details of what this means ... and, before I get the comments on attendance, I attend.
Never a dull moment.
Last health check and my blood pressure medicine was doubled in strength.

If the salary cap had just kept up with inflation, it would be in the region of £3.2m today.

The clubs only this year voted to increase it to £2.1m by 2020. By which time, the original salary cap set in 1996 would, had it kept pace with 2% inflation, be worth around £3.4m.

We're essentially giving our talent a 47% real-terms pay cut.

It's a shame there isn't an effective players union.

A club will only go bust if the man with the purse strings is careless or gets caught out being creative with accounts.

2 Million (at least) is the level of investment needed to prop up an badly supported club (I've seen the accounts for BroncoQuins 2007-12)....if you consider Wigan just lost 600k you can see why the Dr would prefer to stop throwing cash at the unprofitable bonfire that is professional sports..

Disappointing if he does leave the sport. I didn't mind him being controversial and didn't mind too much that he got perhaps over-involved in the running of the playing side, although it was ill-advised.

But the way he constantly slagged off the RFL was pathetic. Maybe if he'd been showing everyone what an easy job being a Rugby League administrator was with growing crowds and revenues at the AJ Bell he would have been worthy of more attention on that front.