Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Mon Oct 18, 2021 12:38 pm  

Regardless of all the moaning and complaining on here i think we all agree Salford as a club arent fit for Superleague.
Yes 2 finals a few years ago from an onfield perspective but as an organisation as whole they are really really poor.
Little comerial income with very little brand power in the local area, a pathetic fan base (in terms of numbers not the people them selves) potentially a new 5k stadium (hows that for potential growth and ambition!). If SL wants to grow then Salford are a club that needs to be left behind. The Championship is the place for them where they can compete with clubs of a similar level.

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Mon Oct 18, 2021 1:00 pm  

RagingBull wrote:

Regardless of all the moaning and complaining on here i think we all agree Salford as a club arent fit for Superleague.
Yes 2 finals a few years ago from an onfield perspective but as an organisation as whole they are really really poor.
Little comerial income with very little brand power in the local area, a pathetic fan base (in terms of numbers not the people them selves) potentially a new 5k stadium (hows that for potential growth and ambition!). If SL wants to grow then Salford are a club that needs to be left behind. The Championship is the place for them where they can compete with clubs of a similar level.

Come on then.... who should be replacing Salford fella and please provide some sound reasoning?

What happened to sport being decided by results on the field? Nah forget that, let's turn it into a willy measuring contest over who can sign the biggest commercial deal with their local chippy.

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Mon Oct 18, 2021 3:44 pm  

SaleSlim wrote:

Come on then.... who should be replacing Salford fella and please provide some sound reasoning?

What happened to sport being decided by results on the field? Nah forget that, let's turn it into a willy measuring contest over who can sign the biggest commercial deal with their local chippy.

I think Bradford would be a team he would suggest,. You know, the team where a bucket is the mascot.

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:03 pm  

snowie wrote:

really the drop in attendance proves the location wasn't right for their fans and a nice shiny stadium wasn't the answer but if they was replaced with Fev you'd have everyone ranting pit village

Totally agree.
Salford "could" have made a success of the AJ Bell, apart from the very hefty rent and the parking debacle, which will have turned away many new and returning fans.
There were 7000+ in the early days at the new ground but, with a 2 hour wait to escape after the game, why on earth would anyone want to do thet, especially when, at the time, they weren't exactly setting the world alight on the pitch.
They've been unlucky yo make 2 major finals with fans not being able to attend and with that lost all of the potential gain, in terms of both revenue and increasing their fan base, which will have been like the proverbial kick in the gonads.

As a visiting fan, The AJ Bell is pretty easy to get to and the facilities are plenty good enough but, the costs of playing there seem prohibitive.

I wish them well but fear the worst and let's face it, RL cant afford to lose ANY clubs

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:01 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Totally agree.
Salford "could" have made a success of the AJ Bell, apart from the very hefty rent and the parking debacle, which will have turned away many new and returning fans.
There were 7000+ in the early days at the new ground but, with a 2 hour wait to escape after the game, why on earth would anyone want to do thet, especially when, at the time, they weren't exactly setting the world alight on the pitch.
They've been unlucky yo make 2 major finals with fans not being able to attend and with that lost all of the potential gain, in terms of both revenue and increasing their fan base, which will have been like the proverbial kick in the gonads.

As a visiting fan, The AJ Bell is pretty easy to get to and the facilities are plenty good enough but, the costs of playing there seem prohibitive.

I wish them well but fear the worst and let's face it, RL cant afford to lose ANY clubs

TBH I think we only ever had one 7000+ crowd (Wigan maybe?) but I'm honestly not sure. It's been hard to keep fans and, as you say, the relative success of appearing in 2 major finals and potential new fans has been completely pi$$ed on by COVID. Throw in the fact that we have to pretty much rebuild half our squad every year and it's only the hardcore fanbase that has survived.

The 2 hour wait (I'm not sure it was ever that bad tbh) has long gone (has anyone tried to get away from Headingley recently?!) but a lot of away fans have stayed away. I appreciate we shouldn't be relying on away fans but it's a fact that some of the supposed big clubs have brought pi$$ poor followings. Sale and Salford City will have control over all food & beverages (a revenue stream that we never had) and will no doubt also use the stadium for concerts & other events that the Council & Peel never bothered with. The stadium has been poorly managed full stop.

Anyway.... IF Moor Lane passes SL criteria I think it might be a blessing in disguise. The club will be able to rebuild with reduced overheads. We've actually got some great people in charge at the club in Salfordians Paul King & Ian Blease and the new Commercial Director has started to open a few more doors. The Foundation is starting to develop potential players of the future and we've got partnerships in place with Wales RL & Coleg y Cymoedd and have recently partnered with the Ipswich Jets over in Aus. We can't be losing our best local talent (6 from Eccles recently signed for the mighty Wire) and the club are trying to stop that player drain. There is also a lot of work going on in the local schools to attract young fans and I believe the Junior Devils is being relaunched (the scheme that suckered mugs like me into watching the club 32 years ago ).

It's not all doom and gloom despite what the naysayers might say.

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:10 am  

SaleSlim wrote:

Anyway.... IF Moor Lane passes SL criteria I think it might be a blessing in disguise. The club will be able to rebuild with reduced overheads. We've actually got some great people in charge at the club in Salfordians Paul King & Ian Blease and the new Commercial Director has started to open a few more doors. The Foundation is starting to develop potential players of the future and we've got partnerships in place with Wales RL & Coleg y Cymoedd and have recently partnered with the Ipswich Jets over in Aus. We can't be losing our best local talent (6 from Eccles recently signed for the mighty Wire) and the club are trying to stop that player drain. There is also a lot of work going on in the local schools to attract young fans and I believe the Junior Devils is being relaunched (the scheme that suckered mugs like me into watching the club 32 years ago ).

Thank you for that. All the best to the club and all it's fans for the future........

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:18 am  

SaleSlim wrote:

Come on then.... who should be replacing Salford fella and please provide some sound reasoning?

York City Knights. They already have a similar average attendance as Salford and thats in the championship and have more amateur clubs in the city than salford do

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:59 am  

RagingBull wrote:

Regardless of all the moaning and complaining on here i think we all agree Salford as a club arent fit for Superleague.
Yes 2 finals a few years ago from an onfield perspective but as an organisation as whole they are really really poor.
Little comerial income with very little brand power in the local area, a pathetic fan base (in terms of numbers not the people them selves) potentially a new 5k stadium (hows that for potential growth and ambition!). If SL wants to grow then Salford are a club that needs to be left behind. The Championship is the place for them where they can compete with clubs of a similar level.

Oh dear

Why pick on Salford??

If you want results on the field to determine the make up of the leagues then Salford are on a level with all other clubs who can field a professional side in Superleague, and results should determine the make up.

If you want to go with criteria off the field then fair enough but give Salford a chance to meet it, whatever it may be??

"Salford are a club that needs to be left behind" may well be applicable to other clubs.........

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:03 pm  

Donnyman wrote:

Oh dear

Why pick on Salford??

If you want results on the field to determine the make up of the leagues then Salford are on a level with all other clubs who can field a professional side in Superleague, and results should determine the make up.

If you want to go with criteria off the field then fair enough but give Salford a chance to meet it, whatever it may be??

"Salford are a club that needs to be left behind" may well be applicable to other clubs.........

Its not about Salford and similar clubs being left behind/ lost, rather they shouldn't hold SL back.
In reality, moving to that ground with aspirations of 4k max crowds is not a SL club. Salfords support and difficulties filling a pretty small ground as it is, has shown they are not a sustainable SL club and are only really there to make up numbers.
The poster is only saying what is logically correct.....and probably what will happen next year anyway where wakey or salford are almost guaranteed to drop as Toulouse will stay up IMO. That will ultimately make SL stronger and Salford stronger as they are playing on a more level playing field, competing with clubs at a similar level, rather than crippling themselves as they are stretched beyond their means.

In terms of who to replace them, i think we can all agree that SL would be a lot stronger if you had Newcastle, York and Bradford in place of Salford, Wakefield and Huddersfield. York and Bradford already outstripping said SL clubs in terms of attendances at a lower level, and Newcastle with much greater potential.

Re: Salford Reds Being forced out of their home? : Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:11 pm  

Salford negotiated a deal prior to heir tenancy and are blatantly unable to afford it based on current attendances. As in any rental in the real world if payment isn't received the tenant is removed. Smaller premises will cope with the attendances currently seen but if franchises are ever bought back then Salford, as a club, would not be offered a Super League spot.