Salford Red Devils fire sale imminent with salary cap and quota dispensations considered

[fozzie58]

I've read on "X" that if Salford's takeover falls through that SL is considering emergency plans to run with either an 11 team competition or promote Bradford (heaven knows why)

Ah yes Bradford that paragon of a well run club with a ground that’s not fit for purpose Jesus wept what a mess

[the pieman]

I've read on "X" that if Salford's takeover falls through that SL is considering emergency plans to run with either an 11 team competition or promote Bradford (heaven knows why)

Ah yes Bradford that paragon of a well run club with a ground that’s not fit for purpose Jesus wept what a mess

I'd go as far as saying, Bradford would be the only club i wouldnt promote into SL. They had a few successful years at the start of SL and have been a disaster zone since. They need to show they can stabilise financially and win promotion through playing well enough, not promoted off the back of some fantasy from 20+ years ago. I would double my resistance to them being promoted if the fat controller is still involved

For me, if a team needs to be promoted it would be London but given some assurances around being in SL for the next 2-3 years like they did with Catalan, to let them build a squad, and hopefully if they can keep a playing home too.

On the Wire site on RL Fans one guy is pushing the idea of the NRL financially supporting / subsidising teams like London, Sheffield, York, Newcastle so they can build something that can hold its own in SL. I personally like the idea of someone whether it be the RFL / NRL or rich individual taking on and getting some planned expansion out of the traditional M62 Lancs and Yorkshire clubs. I'd like to see a Cumbrian team in there too, but i understand the local rivalry, but could a Cumbria representative side pulling players from all Cumbrian clubs be an option. Workington, Barrow etc would still exist as clubs in the league structure, but they players aim is to play for Cumbria

[fozzie58]

I've read on "X" that if Salford's takeover falls through that SL is considering emergency plans to run with either an 11 team competition or promote Bradford (heaven knows why)

Ah yes Bradford that paragon of a well run club with a ground that’s not fit for purpose Jesus wept what a mess

I'd go as far as saying, Bradford would be the only club i wouldnt promote into SL. They had a few successful years at the start of SL and have been a disaster zone since. They need to show they can stabilise financially and win promotion through playing well enough, not promoted off the back of some fantasy from 20+ years ago. I would double my resistance to them being promoted if the fat controller is still involved

For me, if a team needs to be promoted it would be London but given some assurances around being in SL for the next 2-3 years like they did with Catalan, to let them build a squad, and hopefully if they can keep a playing home too.

On the Wire site on RL Fans one guy is pushing the idea of the NRL financially supporting / subsidising teams like London, Sheffield, York, Newcastle so they can build something that can hold its own in SL. I personally like the idea of someone whether it be the RFL / NRL or rich individual taking on and getting some planned expansion out of the traditional M62 Lancs and Yorkshire clubs. I'd like to see a Cumbrian team in there too, but i understand the local rivalry, but could a Cumbria representative side pulling players from all Cumbrian clubs be an option. Workington, Barrow etc would still exist as clubs in the league structure, but they players aim is to play for Cumbria

Good post it should be London if a side has to take salfords place but hopefully it’ll come to nothing and it’s not much more than the usual Yorkshire bias in the press,.


As for ownership again I’d agree with what you say get the game out of its comfort zone with luck if London do get taken over it’ll settle them down and when their time comes again surely they need time to adjust something they simply didn’t get last season,as for Cumbria oh to have a nice away day up there in the summertime

[morley pie eater]

Not like me to disagree, but I'd go for Bradford any day of the week. The main factor is crowd potential.

We all want to promote the game, and though I don't like the IMG approach, I do agree that quarter-full stadiums on telly only serve to prove that almost nobody watches RL.

With Huddersfield, Salford and, to a slightly lesser extent, Cas and Wakey in SL, we can't go promoting London or York or "Cumbria" without adding to the problem.

Hull, Hull KR, Leeds, Bradford, Wigan, Saints, Wire and Leigh gives us just 8 teams who can attract a decent crowd. Bradford ard a rare example of a club that could join those 8.

[fozzie58]

Not like me to disagree, but I'd go for Bradford any day of the week. The main factor is crowd potential.

We all want to promote the game, and though I don't like the IMG approach, I do agree that quarter-full stadiums on telly only serve to prove that almost nobody watches RL.

With Huddersfield, Salford and, to a slightly lesser extent, Cas and Wakey in SL, we can't go promoting London or York or "Cumbria" without adding to the problem.

Hull, Hull KR, Leeds, Bradford, Wigan, Saints, Wire and Leigh gives us just 8 teams who can attract a decent crowd. Bradford ard a rare example of a club that could join those 8.

That’s the problem though their average attendance in ‘23 was 3,677 (the last season I could find figures for)they live on the fumes of seasons long ago with a dump of a stadium and a side that can’t even come close to getting promotion under their own steam.

I see no solid proof of them regaining,crowd wise days of past they show for the sun and for awhile it was all fun and games I just get the feeling the populace of Bradford has moved on

[the pieman]

Not like me to disagree, but I'd go for Bradford any day of the week. The main factor is crowd potential.

We all want to promote the game, and though I don't like the IMG approach, I do agree that quarter-full stadiums on telly only serve to prove that almost nobody watches RL.

With Huddersfield, Salford and, to a slightly lesser extent, Cas and Wakey in SL, we can't go promoting London or York or "Cumbria" without adding to the problem.

Hull, Hull KR, Leeds, Bradford, Wigan, Saints, Wire and Leigh gives us just 8 teams who can attract a decent crowd. Bradford ard a rare example of a club that could join those 8.

its not disagreeing, its a different opinion to mine and thats the whole point of a forum. We can have differing opinions and debate them (although some will probably disagree with that )

I know i would like to see London in SL, but then saw their result at the weekend . however, he's in a similar position to Salford, unsure what going on and what sort of side he can work with

re your view on Bradford and quarter full stadiums, that would be part of the problem if they were still at Odsal. About 8-10k there if they were to come back to SL, and it would look like it is, an old, not fit for purpose stadium, and looking very empty. I personally on varying threads over the last couple of years have said that Bradford need to earn the right to get back into SL by showing they are financially stable and winning promotion. otherwise, Widnes could argue the same, that they were a big club winning Challenge Cups, Championship and WCC challenges but they are almost the Cheshire / Merseyside / Lancashire version of Bradford

[Wiganer Ted]

I wouldn't have Bradford anywhere near Super League until they have found a modern or modernised home ground. Odsal is an out of date ground with poor facilities. It is also a financial sink hole. They will have to spend a fortune on health and safety regulations which will have them going to the RFL repeatedly to keep them financially viable. The RFL perhaps still hold the lease and would be better off selling the place.


As has been said, promotion to SL should be earned on the field by a club that is financially sustainable. At present Bradford are neither and shouldn't even be considered. If they were to win promotion then their whole financial structure should be vetted to ensure they do not risk going into administration like they did umpteen times in the past.

[widdenoldboy]

I'd have thought (and they probably are) the RFL have a strategy to get RL played in major population centres?'m no expert and I'm looking for others' view on this but it seems to me that Bradford are still being punished for past mistakes?

Is that because the same people are running the club and if so, how can they be allowed to run the club.

[the pieman]

I'd have thought (and they probably are) the RFL have a strategy to get RL played in major population centres?'m no expert and I'm looking for others' view on this but it seems to me that Bradford are still being punished for past mistakes?

Is that because the same people are running the club and if so, how can they be allowed to run the club.

i'm not 100% on exact details but they've been in administration 3 or 4 times since around 2012 but i think they've been ok on that front for about the last 5years

However, they moved out of Odsal for about 2 seasons, and are back there. I cant remember if they bought it back from the RFL or not, after the RFL bailed them out

onto your point about IMG / RFL strategy, i'm sure it is part of the strategy to identify large towns / cities, and have teams there. Bradford would fall into that, but the ground is not fit for purpose and probably needs several hundreds of thousands, if not into the millions spending on it to get it up to purpose. And, as we've said the club needs to continue to show financial viability but an average crowd of 3.5k (or there about) doesnt scream that they will pull back big numbers