Good post MM.

In the cold light of day your reasoning makes sense. I'm just very wary about any coming together of RU and RL as there is more to be lost than gained on the part of RL. Coupled with our hit and miss management off the field and it makes fans a little nervous. On the face of it though, maybe the two Clubs would have a lot less to do with each other than we imagine. I don't know. We would need a fan of London/Leeds to comment about how relations benefit/stagger development.

One thing positive has come out of this...

...There's some reasoned debate on the Turkey!

There's a lot of issues here.

1. We don't know exactly what is in the agreement between Salford and the SMC and therefore cannot draw any concrete conclusions about what might be in an agreement between Sale and the SMC. I would have expected that Salford City Council would have embedded some protection for us in any deal even though we were probably too stupid to do so - let's not forget that they wanted Barton as a home for us much as we did (ahem). That said all the indications are that the agreement is more commercially flexible / beneficial for the SMC than we would like.
2. Sharing with Sale overall will not benefit us. They will seek to take any fans, players or other resources they can. Expect some heavy RFU backing as well.
3. Ultimately there is very little we can do about this entire situation. We can get angry and sit here and argue all day but the time to complain about the stadium situation we have got ourselves in has been and gone. I said when the current version of Barton was first mooted that it was the wrong solution for us and unfortunately I am being proved correct.

Agree fully.

Would there not be grounds if Sale did move in and receive financial backing from the RFU for the RL to do so with to counteract this?, surely with its location and quality of corporate investment in the area the RFL wouldn't want RU usurping them in their heartland?

Interesting to see the parallels between die hard fans of both Sale & Salford on their respective boards.

Seems that many Sale folk will not come to Barton because of logistical moves to get there and others wont be coming because they look to be changing the name to 'The Sharks.'

Maybe Steve Diamond feels that the opposition fans from Sarries, Wasps & Quins will be flying in to Barton International Airport to bolster the numbers. Misguided. He seems to have upset his own fans never mind ours with his arrogance.

If you read the MEN article again today all rhetoric about taking RL's best youngsters has gone, making me think it was said with some poetic license in the first place.

They have also become World Club Champions while under the one owner [url=http://www.leedscarnegie.com/club/10365.phpStory[/url

[url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2012/03/22/rangers-in-crisis-sale-sharks-owner-brian-kennedy-steps-up-bid-for-ibrox-club-86908-23797195/Kennedy May Have His Attention Diverted[/url

Just had to wash my hands after visiting the Sale fans forum. It looks like the only factor that might dissuade Sale from moving to Barton is the traffic congestion. Pity they have to make their decision before we play Wigan - I'm anticipating the biggest ever traffic jam at the A57/M60 roundabout. I might just walk from Eccles tram stop and along Barton Lane.

As we were really, in desperate need of investment. I think our bank balance is a far greater threat to our wellbeing than Sale RU.

I have been led to believe that the club aren't exactly happy with the way in which the ground has been built, nor the final deal we've been cut. We've got no other option but to deal with it, though.

As for those suggesting that Wilky would only sell to Kennedy if he had Salford's best interests at heart... Well, firstly, didn't Wilky have talks with Kennedy a while back and end up not selling? What's changed between now and then? Secondly, talking to a Sale season ticket holder I know, there's plenty of speculation that Kennedy's trying to flog them to some Russians. I don't see where we'd fit into that, unless the Russians really are trying to crack the RL market now.

Their link-up with Stockport was meant to be for the greater good of both teams. Stockport are now at a much lower level than they were previously, no longer own their own ground and have looked at building a new one in order to survive in the future.

I'm not arguing with those that are suggesting our biggest threat is our own management - I think we're all aware that they have played a big part in us being in this position. But that's also a good reason to worry about Sale's intentions. Without a strong, well-run management behind the scenes then Sale will be able to do a lot more damage if they so wish.

Whilst there is nothing we can do to stop Sale (or anyone else) moving in, surely now is the time for fans to seek a few answers from the club/stadium company about the deal we have been lumbered with. The way the fans have pretty much been fobbed off by both parties over the stadium move is quite remarkable. Nothing from the club in the build up to the move, and the stadium company still don't seem to have located the reply button on whichever e mail service they use. The club could even use a strong fans body in it's favour in negotiatons with the stadium company, although I don't think they seem to realise this.

Have they not read on here and on facebook about the state of the car park,the attendants and the delays on leaving ? [url=http://www.euroevents.co/index.php?page=fact&ItemID=20046They'll not be able to cope with this[/url

Not only do the club not realise but neither do the majority of supporters. Apathy results in the vast majority of supporters taking each and every kick in the balls in blind faith that something will magically happen to take all of their woes away. Not going to happen and seen just about enough of it in my footballing interests.

Lack of an independent/critical voice has got this club in this position as no relevant questions and/or actions were taken at key times. Regardless of your stance in what mistakes have been made and who is in effect been proven right or wrong, the past cannot be changed and the only way to ensure certain individuals think twice about riding roughshod over Salford RLFC is by giving them a 'bloody nose' in the process and making them think twice about doing so in the future. This same approach should go for Sale, the SMC and even our own board of directors.

There would be obvious marketing potential in the Reds name if Russians did in any way get involved with Salford.

On Friday night, as I leave my desk in Stockport, I will pass large numbers of Sale fans arriving (many by train) for their game v Saracens. Many arrive early to populate the local ale houses: I may call into one for research. The fans who go to the Old Vic seeem a decent lot. Purely research, of course.

It is interesting that the ones I have talked to in the past refer to travelling by tram and are unaware of the mile (or so) walk they need to make in winter to and from the ground. Or are unaware until I tell them.

I like most fans I have met. I do not trust the club.

That's a fair point, hadn't thought of that. Would bring a whole new meaning to the "Red Army" chant!

From a Salford perspective sunday afternoons look to be a dead cert from this debacle

Ace. The dramatic upturn in crowd numbers will cheer everyone up.

I think it would be the right choice for fans home and away. Although, it seems, the Club hold the corporate £ higher than the fans. I think the Club should remember that a stipulation with our awarding of a license was to see increase in crowds. I think this will only happen on Sundays. The Club is pushing Family tickets atm but Families with kids don't want to be getting home close to midnight due to car parking shenanigans etc. Not sure what the Club are thinking sometimes.

I honestly don't think it will have a dramatic impact. If we move to Friday's we may gain a handful of families that don't already go and we would lose certain fans because they prefer to have Sunday as a family day.

So Friday, Saturdays or Sundays, without the product on or off the field it doesn't matter 1 iota.

Its got to start at the top,and the people up there don`t seem to care about us the true supporters,without the likes of all of us who support this club,yeah i know we don`t agree with each other and the likes of me and dantes inferno are hated of most who post on here,the point is we love our club and i for one only want the best for Salford,the club is nothing without you lot.Fridays you rush in the ground and rush out again,i just don`t get that feeling of belonging anymore,Sundays at least you could take a bit of time in the shop,get some things organised outside for the kids etc,have a few on the way home,you know what i mean,thats why its Sundays for me,and lets try and show them unionites that try as they might rugby league is here to stay,we have been in our own ground for over 100yrs and survived,and we will still be here in another bleeding hundred to.

I agree that with better on-field results and off-field savvy it wouldn't matter. Personally, I think it would have an impact on numbers, not drastically, but would definately increase due to the revenue lost from away fans not travelling (especially Yorkshire teams) on Fridays. As for home support, it probably wouldn't make much difference either way in the short term. For a team like us where every penny counts the extra dosh from away support, even if it didn't add up to a massive amount is better than nothing.

So does anyone have any concrete news about anything? all we seem to have at the minuite is a rebutal from AH and a report in the MEN that has dramatically changed overnight.

It's difficult to see how the club could change course mid-season - contracts for the boxes, corporate hospitality etc have presumably been signed, and indeed the fixtures all agreed with the RFL and the other clubs. If I were a corporate sponsor and had agreed a deal I'd be a tad miffed to be told that I now had to bring my customers on Sunday afternoon having set everyone up for Saturday.
Personally I prefer Friday night, though overall I agree with AveIt - we need results on the pitch first and foremost.
I still find the silence from the board over the Sale motormouth's comments rather puzzling - the only rebuttal from the youth team coach (rugby genius though he undoubtedly is) does leave me wondering just what is going on?

There's comment on the reds website not from the board however but from academy coach Alan Hunte about that dick Steve Diamond

[url=http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/reds-youngsters-in-demand-but-no-sale-deal-in-placeHere[/url