Since the end of the season the doom and gloom that surrounds the Salford City Reds as got worse and worse.
In late October they defended a winding up order brought by the Inland Revenue and various creditors at the High Coart. This was partitially succsefull in that the Revenue and some creditors where paid off,but the action will reopen in January for a final hearing. Amongst the creditors are ex players Luke Pattem and Vinnie Anderson who are claiming monies said to be owed to them.

Since then all the news coming out of the club have been about securing finance from Salford City Council,Peel Holdings and Private investment if that could be found.
Every week since then the reports in the Manchester Evening News have said that a deal was expected in a few days so that John Wilkinson could stand down.

This weeks M.E.N as got even gloomier with the news that no private invester could be found,which meant that the club are now poised to receive a bailout of £1.5 million split equally between Salford Council and Peel Holdings.
This rescue plan is due to go before Salford Council next week,but what was pointed out in the article is that the Council has to save £25 million next year and currently has a £4 million budget deficet as well has being owed £1.5 million by the Club from previous loans.

Scources within Salford Council say that without the bailout the Club will go under and the City would lose its original investment. This £1.5 million investment the Club are looking for would only be put in place untill next November and by then they would hope to have new investment.
Since all this was announced it has now got a bit political with opposistion councillers saying how can you lend public monies to a Sports Club when Salford Council still have to make possibly many more workers redundant because of the currant climate.

The Reds website is full of doom and gloom with fans expressing their despair and anger at the situation.

With the first match against Wigan due on the 6th Feb (app 8/9 weeks) and the Salford Coach saying that he has not been able to sign any players to replace players that have left.
This situation makes the Club and the R/L seem to be so out of touch that it seems unreal.

Mate I'm a salford fan and your bob on to be honest. I feel so disillusioned now its crazy, i'm happy we might play for another year but in all honesty I cannot agree with the council bailing them out. £750,000 pays for about 40 nurses a year! with regards to the council getting their investment back, I'm not so sure. With Sale in they have half the rent needed coming in and although it pains me to say it would it not be better to let the club fold and try and get someone like Man United reserves or something to play there? Surely that would guarentee some income. Yes I know it would mean losing my club but at the expense of the tax payer when people are losing there jobs and missing mortgages, I cannot fathom it. Unfortunately it maybe our time to die!

The RFL have recently bailed out Bradford to a ridiculous degree. They have poured money in the past into London/Harlequins, Hull, Huddersfield and granted concessions to the likes of Castleford and Wakefield over their grounds and, in the case of Wakefield, their Administration.

Surely they cannot allow Salford to disappear down the pan, unless of course there are different rules for clubs west of the Pennines.

Wow is this an exclusive? Can you tell us more about this?

they gave them 1mill a few years ago didnt they?

.....and your proof of all this is what?

No. No, they did not.

really?

Really. Unless you and THE HINDLEY WARRIOR know something no one else in Rugby League does?

Yes, it's the one that lets them breach the salary cap I believe.

If it peed you off so much, pal, it was worth it just for that.

In God's country I like to think we are above shallow, paranoid, bitter & twisted. You will struggle to find a post from me criticising the RFL for helping any club out, either side of the hill.

Of course you won't criticise the RFL, hardly a surprising stance. As for "shallow, paranoid, bitter and twisted".... we can't compete.

Back on topic, maybe Salford City Reds should be taken over by the other "Red Devils" to create a Barcelona style club with multiple sports under the same banner?

I'll don my asbestos clothing to prepare for being burned as a heretic....

I think we should reduce to 10 teams and put Bradford, Salford, Wakefield and Widnes in the championship. The quality of Super League would improve and we could probably up the cap a bit as well. We really don't look good with top flight clubs getting into financial difficulties so regularly

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/london/8973976.stm[/url

Egg on face

Where the f*** have we inherited you from

It's classed as RFL support.

Where does it say the RFL have "poured" allegedly £1m into London?

Not that I'm saying they shouldn't - the Broncos are a flagship club with unique challenges who should get all the help, financial and non-financial, that the RFL can give them.

As things are at the moment, why would you pick those two clubs before huddersfield and hkr?.
Bradford are a protected species so thats a bit silly of you.

Even with their slump at the end of last season Hudds still finished 7th. Losing them would adversley impact the quality of the league. Hull KR are usually up their too they have just had a bad season. Their clash with Hull FC is one of the leagues highlights too. Bradford went into administration, loads of people said they should have gone so it's hardly silly. We want teams who are either performing well, have a bit of money or are outside the heartlands. Bradford fall into none of those categories. It's a shame though, they do have a marketable product.

the first poster said bailed out financially....I was backing him up.

If I'm not mistaken Bradford would have finished above Huddersfield if it hadn't been for their 6 point deduction. Bradford are one of the most successful teams of SL with far bigger support & potential than the others. How is the salary cap going to be increased with fewer games, supporters, income?

Bradford might have finished a point above Hudds because Hudds had an off season and Bradford had that purple patch around the time they went into administration but generally Hudds have been the better side. I'll bet you £50 that Huddersfield will finish above Bradford in 2013 if you like? I wouldn't have fewer games, everyone can play each other thrice instead of twice. Attendances would be up because the average game would be higher quality and more important due to the top 5 play off. The cap could be raised because it would only need to be at a evel that the 6 richest could afford rather than the top 10 or so.

Sorry for being a pedant but £750K will not get you 40 nurses...25 maybe with on costs.