Latest news with #SalfordRedDevils
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Salford thrashed but hope for brighter days as financial situation improves
The start of a brighter future, or merely another false dawn? Only in the weeks to come will we know just what the latest developments off the field surrounding Salford Red Devils mean but on it these remain troubling and frustrating times. The irony cannot have been lost on any Salford fan who was inside the Totally Wicked Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Four months ago, they began their season at the same venue amid huge controversy, after the Red Devils chose to field their academy side and lost 82-0 in protest against the salary-cap restrictions placed upon them by the Rugby Football League. At the time there was debate about the merits of those restrictions but months later they remain in place – and with good reason. Since that day in February, Salford have been taken over but their financial troubles have continued, with debts mounting up, significant player sales and salaries being paid late. It is to the immense credit of the players and staff that they have turned up every week and performed with all of this hanging over their heads. Unsurprisingly, with star players sold and the club borrowing players from other clubs, they have been by some distance the weakest team in Super League in 2025, with just one win. Danny Richardson, the latest debutant here after arriving on loan from Hull KR, was the 54th player the head coach, Paul Rowley, has fielded in league and cup. Few would expect anything other than heavy defeat week after week, and that theme continued here as the Saints ran in 11 unanswered tries to win 58-0. This week, though, there was a chink of light off the field. It was entirely possible that Salford could have ceased to exist by Sunday had a winding-up petition filed against the club by HMRC for debts approaching £700,000 gone through. Instead, it was adjourned until September. Why? Salford have secured a bridging loan to the tune of £3m that will enable them to clear their debts to HMRC and the Rugby Football League, hopefully remove the salary-cap measures and open the door for what club sources insist is a multi-million-pound sum in a hedge fund that will be unlocked by the club's new owners once debts are settled. It is not an end to the problems, but respite if nothing else. It is a bizarre situation but given how there were fears Salford could have ceased to exist by Sunday, let alone this year, it is something to cling to. The pressure now falls on the ownership group, led by Sire Kailahi and Curtis Brown, to deliver after months of false promises. The Guardian understands that if those funds are released, the club will be handed over to someone to run it day-to-day and keep it sustainable. That man could be the former Red Devils chief executive, Paul King, who returned from gardening leave to help steward the club through this crisis – and who used his own money to pay the wages last month. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Salford's problems, though, are also Super League's. Having a team under special financial measures being heavily beaten every week is not a good look. This felt more like a training session for St Helens, but that is not the fault of the Red Devils' players or staff, who have acquitted themselves commendably throughout this crisis. There is every chance Salford, who were 12th last year in the IMG gradings which determine promotion and relegation, could be removed from the competition in the autumn if their score suffers as a result of the financial problems which have engulfed the club. There are Championship teams waiting to strike in 2026. But the onus must fall on the game to ensure its ownership tests are more stringent, and that players receive adequate welfare and support when financial strife hits. Salford's players, staff and supporters have been grossly failed this year. The sport should be embarrassed – not only by the look it creates for Super League, but for the toll it has taken on human beings who deserve much better. It must be hoped Salford have reached their nadir and they can look ahead with some level of optimism with this financial crisis finally behind them.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
St Helens thrash Salford in 11-try demolition
Betfred Super LeagueSt Helens (20) 58Tries: Feldt 3, Dagnall 2, Knowles, Clark, Sailor 2, Burns 2 Goals: Lomax 7Salford (0) 0 St Helens overpowered bottom side Salford Red Devils at the Totally Wicked Stadium to move within a point of the Super League top Red Devils showed plenty of defensive fight, but trailed 20-0 at the break to a Kyle Feldt double and scores from Owen Dagnall and Morgan Clark enjoyed a simple run-in and audacious football skills gave Dagnall his second before Tristan Sailor strolled over as the visitors floodgates then opened as Jake Burns scored a quickfire double, Sailor grabbed his second and Feldt completed his hat-trick to cap an 11-try to follow. St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Cross, Dagnall; Lomax, Mbye; Walmsley, D Clark, Lees, Wingfield, Whitley, Paasi, Delaney, Stephens, Brierley; Ryan, Hankinson, Marsters, Vaughan; Nikorima, Richardson; Ormondroyd, Rugless, Hill, Foster, Russell, Connell, Glover, Whitehead, Aaron Moore.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zak Hardaker makes big Hull FC top-six admission and uses Hull KR example
Zak Hardaker has insisted that this Hull FC side is a top six team – and on their day, even a top four one – but they have to continue to turn up every week, put the performances in, and look to get better. Advertisement The Black and Whites currently hold onto sixth position in Super League, with Sunday's 38-6 win over Salford Red Devils keeping John Cartwright's side inside the play-off picture. But with key games coming up against the teams in and around them, Hull, who were far from perfect even in victory, know they have to first keep up their standards and then look for the necessary improvements in every game. If they do that, then Hardaker, who knows a thing or two about making the play-offs and winning trophies, believes both the players and the ability are there to first control their own destiny and then achieve their end goal – with belief picked up from ten wins on the road this year, not to mention their current position. READ MORE: Zak Hardaker explains back row challenges and John Cartwright's firm Hull FC warning READ MORE: Popular Hull pub unveils new look following three-week revamp Advertisement Speaking to Hull Live post-match, Hardaker said: "There was a lot of talk about where this team was going to be this year, and I don't think John has put any pressure on us internally, saying we need to finish top six, top four, or top two. But as our performances continue throughout the year, I'm man enough to say – and I've played this game a long time – that we're definitely a top six team. But it's up to us to turn up every week and put a good performance in. "On our day we can be a top six team, even a top four team, but we're not on our day every week. That's the point with us. We train hard through the week, and sometimes it doesn't come off on the big day, but we're definitely a top six team, and I'd be telling lies if that wasn't definitely our aim now. We need to keep turning out wins and make our performances better. "I think, with a fully fit team, we can beat anyone. I genuinely mean that. The two top teams at the minute are Wigan and Hull KR. Wigan fell short at Wakefield; Hull KR are really good, sublime to be fair, but on our day, I think we can match anyone. "We played Hull KR two months ago; we had a man down for 70 minutes, and we contested for large parts. We can beat anyone; it's just about keeping our connections and keeping that willingness to work for each other. We want to make this club proud again, and we're on the right direction with that." Advertisement And while Hull ran out seven-try winners at Salford, there were still parts of the performance that frustrated Hardaker, with the knowledge they can be better. The 33-year-old continued: "We're still frustrated with that performance – there were elements that were really good; we had 20-minute spells, but that's not enough, and against the bigger and better teams, you need to do 40 minutes, have a rest, and then do 40 again. "We've done some dumb things, not finishing on last tackles, and some selections weren't good enough, and we ended up defending our line for large parts, and that drains you. There are parts where we can learn going forward. But it was good to get a good score on Salford, and we're looking forward to Warrington now. "It's a mad league at the moment, and that's why we have to play well every week. It doesn't matter who we are playing – we have to be a good Hull FC team and one that makes people proud. Hopefully, we can keep ticking those two points off. It's a tough game up next, and it will be another good test to see where we're at." Hull head to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday for the second time this year. It comes before a big run of home fixtures at the MKM Stadium, something this team has to be ready for. Advertisement Hardaker added: "I think John touched on it before; we've got eight of the last 11 games at home. The FC fans have turned out week in, week out; they've been tremendous, and they were brilliant again here. "It's really important that we get a home win now. We've just got the draw against Leigh, and that's disappointing, but it's Warrington next, and they'll be looking to bounce back up (after defeat to Huddersfield). It's up to us to put in a really good performance ahead of our run of home games, but we know where we need to be. We just need to keep building."
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rowley sees 'green shoots of progress' at Salford
Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley has said he can see "green shoots of progress" in his side in the midst of a tough 2025 Super League club have had a tumultuous time both on and off the field this term with financial problems regarding the club's ownership, unpaid wages and player departures overshadowing their side were defeated 38-6 against Hull FC on Sunday, putting in a spirited performance, and they remain bottom of the Super League table with just one win this season."Like everybody else I'm fed up, bored of the situation because everybody wants to win. We're here to compete. We could almost smell success coming into this season so it's been difficult," Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester."What I will say is that we've got some new additions in and I did feel that this week there were some green shoots of progress and actually in the first half I felt it."Despite the player exodus at the club this term - including the recent departure of talismanic centre Nene Macdonald - Rowley said that the team spirit in his camp remains high."You can't remove that amount of serious talent and replace it overnight. It's not easy to replace that sort of quality," Rowley added."We're OK, the mood is consistent. Ultimately we'll turn up tomorrow and everybody's in each other's company and they're all best mates so the mood is good." The Red Devils face a meeting with HMRC on Wednesday over a potential winding-up order as their financial struggles this, they fielded four debutants - Dan Russell, Cain Robb, Tom Whitehead and Kobe Rugless - against Hull FC, who all joined on loan last signing from Hunslet proved controversial, with the Championship side alleging, external that the transfer had taken place without their brushed away the criticism post-match on Sunday, leading to Hunslet standing by their earlier statement in a follow-up post on X, external on Monday."I think whoever communicated and wrote it has been miscommunicated from the people that are actually involved in it," Rowley said on Sunday, prior to Hunslet's second statement."I've certainly not targeted any players. That's been thrown at me on more than one occasion. I'll try and remain classy on that one and plead the fifth amendment."
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Hull FC into top six with win at struggling Salford
Betfred Super LeagueSalford Red Devils (6) 6Tries: Hankinson Goals: HankinsonHull FC (14) 38Tries: Cust, Martin, Litten, Eseh, Hardaker, Briscoe, Barron Goals: Hardaker 3, Charles 2 Hull FC moved back into Super League's play-off positions as they saw off a spirited Salford Red visitors took the two points to climb to sixth, but this was harder work than the scoreline suggests at Salford Community gap was only eight points at the interval after tries from Cade Cust, Lewis Martin and Davy Litten with Chris Hankinson crossing for Salford's sole Hull took control in the second half as Sam Eseh, Zak Hardaker, Tom Briscoe and Harvey Barron added another four stay bottom, but they are now two points adrift of Huddersfield after the Giants' surprise win at Warrington Wolves on Saturday. More to follow. Salford Red Devils: Connell; Vaughan, Hankinson, S Hill, Marsters; Warren, Brierley; Ormondroyd, Robb, C Hill, Foster, Russell, Bullock, Wilson, Rugless, FC: Rapana; Barron, Briscoe, Litten, Martin; Cust, Sezer; Ese'ese, Bourouh, Knight, Hardaker, Chamberlain, Ashworth, Eseh, Fash, Tom Grant.
