While I don't think it a good idea to respond to rumours - that is all there is to the DJ 'story' on the Hull forum and then in the MEN.
A bit unfair that Smith goes and the consensus is that he wants silverware and to surround himself with better players;but other players have to stay loyal.
The full back is criticised but his piece in the MEN will be edited and it appears the club have not admonished him despite some fans reading it as criticism of his employer.
Martyn Sadler,on reading the Alker book,wrote in the RLE that Salford did not deserve to be in Super League.
However,if everything was that bad why would DJ recommend to his friend that he travel from the other side of the world to sign for them ? I applaud people/players who strive for perfection and make the fact known.

Jibmeister wrote
I certainly don't think it helps.What is obvious is the lack of unity amongst the supporters and anyone suggesting or pushing to assist the club.It is always negative and a number of posters on this forum no longer attend matches.

I did see [url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/News/MostEmailed/1146308/Rugby-league-prepares-campaign-lure-new-fans/THIS[/url today and it looks like one who got away.

Attracting 24k Under 16's in less than a few years - before the mega-rich arrived seems like a good bit of business,in my opinion,[url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/man-city-reshuffle-may-see-lowery-pushed-out-230963STORY[/url

He had the vision some years prior to the success - [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2005/oct/06/newsstory.sport11Link[/url

Exactly the answer I was expecting. Is it any wonder players leave when they can come on here and see what their own 'fans' think of them?

Here maybe



[iNot only are you putting people off going to the game with your incessant slagging off the club,[/i

Still can't see where it says poor attendances are the results of posts on this forum.

So your telling me the likes of Feka, Vinnie Anderson, Luke adamson etc would get super league contracts at any other team for the same amount of money they're on here?

The players who know they can better themselves do: Myler, Ratchford, Gleeson, Smith being prime examples. Patten not wanting to the third year option in his contract is another. Most players can't wait to get out of the club the ones who know they can't better themselves are happy to stay at Salford. I really don't get how you cannot see this?

And as for your comment about leaving because of what 'fans' think of them, give me a break it's only the better players that are leaving as I've mentioned the others don't care what the 'fans' think as long as they're getting a wage.

Some of our fans beggar belief.

Most of what Black Cat say's is right.But who ever put on here that people who say anything against the club
is stopping people going is on another planet.

Tedious, the club is badly run and no there is nothing we can do about it unless one of us wins the euro millions, for the people who think it's all rosy still your not worth wasting time on your heads will be firmly routed in that sand even if we end up at Swinton's level. Heard an advert today on the radio ''Salford City Reds...new stadium new attitude'' Oh how I laughed. I can't see a silver lining atm.

This was being advertised on the screens under the south stand at the Huddersfield game:



(Oh, and the clock is an hour behind)

Has as already been stated, stating that people are being put off going to matches because of this forum suggests that it has at least a hand in our poor attendances. Do you really think attendances are low because of negativity on here, even in any small way?



It's one of those natural evolving topics, to be fair. I think any discussion is better had in public, although I don't particularly see what there is to discuss? To suggest this forum has an affect on attendences is ridiculous and ignores many of the actual issues behind people not coming to watch the match.



There is a lack of unity, but I think it's a wider issue than just people disagreeing on this forum. A forum which, let's be fair, most of our supporters don't read. It's only a small minority of Salford fans who come on here. To suggest a lot of non-attenders, both of this forum and not of this forum, don't come anymore because of perceived negativity on here is, as I've already said, ridiculous.

This sentence

"putting people off going to the game with your incessant slagging off the club" (no mentions of posts on this forum).

Is not the same as this sentence

"poor attendances are down to posts on this message board"

Some people have conveniently concentrated on one line in my post, misinterpreted it and missed the bigger picture I was trying to paint.

So I'll put it another way.

If someone continually slaggs of SCR to people they live, work and socialise with. Are those people likely to have negative perceptions about SCR because of what they hear from said person?

I don't want to form an opinion based on the conjecture that appears on this board because most of it invariably turns out to be [is[/ihite (we're fielding Kevin Sinfield and moving back to the Willows, remember). I don't know what these players are on, so can you tell me? I also don't know what offers (if any) they've had from other clubs, so can you tell me that too?


Ratchford and Smith both signed extended contracts, as recently as 18 months ago in Smith's case. Presumably, then, the club was OK then and has only become crap since. Actually, it might be more recent than that. In an interview I heard, Matty Smith sounded genuinely disappointed that he was sold before the end of the season. Does this mean we can fix on a date of some time last month? I could be wrong, but the 'everything the club does is wrong' circle jerk has been going on for a lot longer than that. It certainly seems like it.

Luke Patten is retiring. He said so in an interview. If he just wanted away, he'd have fixed himself up with another club wouldn't he? His form (in attack, at least) suggests to me that a number of clubs would be interested in him, but, as far as we know, he isn't moving. He is just retiring.

Meanwhile, Danny Williams and a number of academy players (Fages and England international Ford to name but two) have signed extended contracts in the past couple of months. Are they not good enough? Or is it that you - from the terraces - know something that they - inside the club - don't?



Well I'm sorry that not everyone wants to join the circle jerk. It must be a real ball ache that we're not all prepared to treat conjecture as immutable fact, but I'm afraid some of us aren't. I'm open minded about the state of the club, and will remain so until I see some hard evidence. That isn't going to appear on this forum, which gets more like a nursery school sand pit every day and seems to be driving the more sensible posters away. I think I'll join them.

Bad mouthing the club,chairman,directors,staff and certain players on a regular basis doesn't help though,does it?

Well said Red John, one of their former targets actually found a Superleague club after his time here Ian Sibbitt.

I have no idea why your bringing the stupid Kevin Sinfield rumour into it? And I don't know what the players are on, I do know that it’s a good wage though (Feka and Anderson especially). I can't exactly see any other super league clubs queuing up for their services can you? If Salford don't offer them a contract they will end up playing in the Championship or retiring. I fail to see how you cannot form that opinion, the super league coaches seem to have.



Ratchford and Smith both signing contracts is totally irrelevant because neither are here now. Both signed because at the time they probably weren't good enough to get first team rugby at any other club so they both waited to the time was right then moved on. If Salford were a club moving forward they wouldn't have needed to go anywhere else would they? So to answer your question, no the club wasn't ok, although it was good enough to offer some more first team super league experience, but that’s all we ever were to them a stop gap if you like.

And, yeah I bet Matty Smith is really gutted we sold him. What a ludicrous thing to say. He has the opportunity to play in a grand final again this year with the biggest Rugby Club in the world instead of stodging the rest of the season out with us.



Yeah, I know Patten is retiring where have I said any different? I said that Patten is not taking up the option of a third year, which he did have in his original contract by the way. And why do you think he's not taking it up? Because he can't wait to get out, he's said as much himself. I bet he's gutted he didn't take up the chance of going to Huddersfield. He stated that things going on behind the scenes at Salford are things he'd never thought he'd see at a professional sports club. He and a number of players both ex and present have said this, Salford RLFC has been like this for a number of years, Robbie Paul is the most recent player to come and say as much.




I'm glad these 3 have signed and that’s something that the club should be applauded on (you see I can give praise where its due), but my concern is what if they actually become good like Ratchford, like Myler, like Gleeson etc will we be letting them go? Remember they will both only be 23 at the end of the 5 years so are they just using as the 'stop gap' again? Well yes I think they will be if we don't start to show some serious improvement in the next few years to make these kids and more like them want to stay.



The fact that threads and debates like this are even happening suggests we're struggling. I speak to countless fans who have lost interest, can't be bothered going. The relationship between everyone at the club: fans, playas and officials is strained at the moment I've never known it like this. Things need to change and fast! And as for your comment about sensible posters, you obviously mean the posters who agree with you? I think I’m a fairly sensible poster (when sober), but obviously because my opinion as well as few others aren’t the same as yours we’re not classed as sensible posters? We’re concerned Salford fans, who rightly want to express our concerns!

Only because Bradford we're desperate, look how well he's gone on to do!

Please explain how you don't know what the players are on but you know that it is a good wage especially Feka and Vinny Anderson?

Well ok seen as you ask, I've been told by a player. Not told what they are on exactly, but I was told they are on a hefty wage!

Sounds more like a rumour(an unsubstantiated one at that)than an explanation to me.

Fair enough, believe what you want.

You've watched this club long enough to surely understand that at this very moment Salford RLFC is on a massive downer? Everything about the place seems so wrong from the playing staff, to the fans, right up to the directors. Worrying times if you ask me, unless things change and drastically next season as the licence bids will have to be submitted by the end of the next year IIRC. The RFL for everyone’s hatred of them have already given us enough chances, if we bugger this up then they won't give us another one that’s for sure.

I thought they were on a downer at the first pre-season game at the SCS but they overcame that and even managed to push the world champions in the CCC game.
On the other site a Wigan fan asked how the SCR players could be motivated when backed by 146 fans on Monday night.
Some people question why more money isn't poured into the club - others question why some players receive a wage.
Some supporters want the hierarchy removed but offer no alternative;nor have they apparently made any effort to find an alternative but are happy to condemn anyone and everyone involved with the club.
I was reminded today of the acronym TEAM -Together Everyone Achieves More.
It would help if everyone pulled in the same direction.
It is not so much the RFL who interest me but the thoughts of other Super League clubs if they feel SCR don't bring enough to the party.
Suicide by Supporters ain't a pretty sight !
When Warrington can post losses and Bradford becomes a soap opera things don't seem as bad at Salford as some make out.

Did we really overcome that? Really did we? We lie in 12th place in the league 3 points off where we were last year, even Cas, Widnes and London have made a push to get above us. Wakefield have FFS, it's been a very poor year both on and off the field. Things don't seem as bad at Salford to the red tinted brigade, but to the realists its a different story.

As for you acronym. How do you work that out? When our 'team' is being pulled apart because they don't won't to be here anymore, that says it all.

I was one of the 146 at Wigan and one of the 50 odd at both Hull games, and I'll continue to see you all at games, but the red tinted brigade have pushed me over the edge. BYE BYE!

Shine a light !!! I hardly know where to begin with this one...

So I see people have questioned my use of 'Loyalfan' as my name... well loyalty can be measured in many ways, and I've certainly earned my stripes as loyal following this club. Whether that be home and away for many years, travelling to Australia to watch 2 games, or spending almost every day for the best part of 2 years helping run Forever Reds raise the best part of £50,000 to keep the club full time following relegation... all count towards being loyal to this club. I look back on my time when Forever Reds started up... and even now... and believe me... there wasn't a whole lot of loyalty back then from probably 95% of 'fans' watching the club... more than most were willing to sit back when the club needed them. I was given countless amounts of abuse at that time for the whole Forever Reds thing... to my face... behind my back... but I stuck at it and worked towards the cause... Now Forever Reds is still going for the good of the club, and how many people on here are backing it ? Not as many as perhaps there should be if you wanted to do some good. So don't anybody question my loyalty to this club... it is because of how I feel about this club that has made me feel so upset and negative about it's prospects... and I will sit down with anybody over a drink to discuss mine and anybody else's feelings... because I often think than on here it is quite difficult to show the true emotions and feelings that we have.

Now... as I read some posts on this forum over the past few months... I see myself from many years ago. I used to defend the club to the very core. No bad word could be said about them... I always looked beyond the truth... I never saw it... I couldn't see it no matter how hard I looked. It was my club... my Salford... and nobody dare slag it off. I'd feel sick before games... We would win and I'd sing myself ho.... We'd lose... and it would destroy me for days. I would queue up at the shop on Salford precinct waiting for the new shirt to come out... to be the first to get it. The players to me were heroes. I would try my hardest at every home game to get the tie ups from my favourite players... I remember how I felt when I finally got the tie ups of Darren Bloor... Months I tried to get them... I pinned them up on my wall when I got home and they stunk my bedroom out of wintergreen. My entire life was Salford RLFC. It was a great feeling back then... seeing players who you looked up to as heroes and legends... fact is...they weren't... they were builders and postmen etc... who happened to be playing top flight rugby league too... but they looked like they wanted to play in the Salford shirt, and that was good enough for me.

So... years go by... dreams are lost... Losing the Lancashire Cup final against Widnes at Central Park, and to Wigan at Knowsley Road... both times we were the better team, but fell short. Challenge Cup Semi Finals... Burnden Park... Headingley... So near yet so far... losing again... Emotions like I have never experienced watching sports... all which ended in sadness... but you know what... nothing could kill my enthusiasm. I loved the club with every breath I had in me... We always knew we were never going to be world beaters, but it felt like our Salford... and those players played their bloody hearts out for the cause. Then we started signing players like Garry Jack... at the time the best player in the world... It's impossible to explain how that felt as I ran onto the local field to tell my mates that we had just signed Jack.... 'Jack who ?' they said.... 'Garry Jack'... 'No chance' they said... 'It's true, I just read it on Teletext'... my mates piled back to my house to read it... It was true... Nothing could have wiped the smile from my face. My little Salford have just signed the worlds best player.... Imagine Wigan Athletic signing Messi... and you may get some kind of clue as to how big a deal that was. I get goose bumps now thinking about how that felt.

So the years roll on and the SL era arrives. Mergers are spoken of... It was said that Salford would merge with Oldham to form a new Manchester club... I was actually physically sick... it broke my heart... over my dead body was my club going to disappear. This was my Salford. The club I lived for. The club who made me feel scared of dying... just because I hadn't seen them at Wembley. But the mergers never happened, and Salford continued. But as those SL years roll on, things seem to get worse. The appointment of the likes of John Harvey was just the start of where things were heading... but even then... 96-16 hurt like hell, but I would somehow still defend this club despite a still standing SL record defeat.

So with the exception of the excellent Karl Harrison years, we have appointed poorly, and always on the cheap... with the Matt Parrish appointment being the nail in the coffin of poor coaching decisions. He was never first choice... he wasn't even 2nd or 3rd choice.. but the club had made a right royal mess of the whole process, and it was always going to be poor to recover from... Of all the seasons to get it sooooo wrong it had to be one of the most important in the clubs history... Our last at The Willows. This was supposed to be our swan song at the old girl... a season we could leave with great and emotional memories... but it couldn't have ended worse. There can't be anybody who left that place feeling like we had done it justice... and why ?... because those who run the club got it oh so wrong... and as they demolish the place, I'll never forgive them for that... yes I have some wonderful memories... but my last one is one of heartbreak because all those people who graced that famous ground were not given the send off they deserved... the whole event on that last day was half-ar$ed... and nobody can tell me any different.

So now we move to the new stadium... Not the one we were promised would make us the richest club in the world... not the one owned outright by the club... with the luxury hotel and the casino... but one that we have had to settle for... not owned in any way by Salford City Reds... Due to a long list of bad decisions over the last 10 years... we now have a stadium that in all honesty... nobody is completely happy with. From day one in this place, there have been constant issues... tickets, merchandise, parking, buggies, club shop... the list goes on... we are drip fed information whenever the club feel like giving it to us... we never really know the true state of the club. We don't have any assets... again due to a list of poor decisions... and allegedly owe money left right and centre. Then we look at the playing staff... Twitter and other social media has done us no favours. We are always hearing that somebody isn't happy... we never know who to believe... although I think it's pretty safe to say that they better players we have want to leave... and will leave... just like the other top players we have had over the last few years.... they can't wait to get away from the feeder club that is Salford.... Twelve years on from that record defeat at Bradford... we continue to break records that make us look bad... London away... not the best 40 minutes this club has ever had.

So... it's almost impossible right now to find any more positives apart from the fact that we are still in business. I see people writing about the tough climate we are in and how we are apparently 'punching above our weight'... balls we are... people thinking that we have decent players playing for this club right now... well let me tell you... there isn't one that can live up to the likes of Tex Evans, Terry O'Shea, Fata Sini, Ian Blease, Geoff Selby, Steve Gibson, Paul Shaw, Neil Baker, Peter Williams... I could go on...

... so I look down the list of people posting on here, and see people I've known watching this club... being questioned by those who have only cared for 5 minutes in comparison... I actually feel sorry for these people who haven't experienced what it's like to follow this club when it felt good... even in defeat... But I won't question your loyalty... because I know exactly how it felt to love everything about this club... and there is nothing more I would like than for you to experience that like I did.

But.... don't come on here and question how I feel about this club. I have earned my right to say it as I see it... Say it how it is... and so has every other loyal, long term supporter of this 'once great' club. I fear for where we are heading which is exactly why it breaks my bloody heart.

I have broken my self imposed forum exile to applaud those wonderful comments by 'Loyal Fan'.

It is the most absolutely SPOT ON post I have ever read on here.

Quality post