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.