There's not a chance of us getting close to 2012's figures anytime soon, not least because for whatever reason the attendances throughout that seaon were completely fabricated. If anyone seriously thinks that we were attracting crowds of 5000 plus in 2012 I'd direct them to the video evidence from those games. The reported attendances at games that season were generally seen as wildly unbelievable by all Salford fans at the time, indeed it was common practice for 3 different attendance figure to be quoted for some reason that season and at least 1 of those figures would be rounded to the nearest thousand in a rugby union-esque style.

As to why Dr Koukash would give fans the perception that crowds of 5000 are "the most marvellous progress any club has made ever" well you'll have ot explain that one for me. The only comments I've ever seen him make around our attendances are that they need to improve & that the people of Salford need to start backing their team. How people can take that as him lauding a massive acheivement is beyond my understanding I'm afraid.



Ticket prices were greatly reduced in the South Stand last night (prices in other stands were the same) & that must have helped the crowd I would have thought (although having said that the South Stand was not as busy as I expected). It certainly helped the atmosphere which was probably better than at any game since we moved.

Sadly I think that the only thing that will have a positive effect on attendances is a winning Salford team, there is still a perception amongst the local populace of "same old Salford" and that won't change unless we're battling at the top end of the table

Some good words from Koukash here.....

"I'm big enough to admit I've made a few mistakes. I learned from my mistakes and I think the mistakes I've made will help me be a better chairman in the future.

Earlier in the season I was a novice. I really believed that you could just buy individuals and slot them into a team that can compete.

That's never going to happen because a team needs to gel, and possibly some of the players we had were not the right balance for the team."

..............

Can't argue that that's not a good honest realistic appraisal of himself and how the season has gone for Salford.

Finally he realises. Let us hope he invests in the correct areas now.

I don't find him an easy character to warm to (his public persona, I have no idea what he's like really) and I would prefer him to get things done in the right places and not make damaging comments in the press.

But is he really "bad" for the game? If we have another team able to spend the full cap, and he can do it long term and bring financial security, maybe bigger crowds, and he's in it for the long term, then that can only be good for the sport. The sport needs outside investment. He brings that.

Salford's academy has never had a problem producing players. Keeping them has been the hard part, when bigger salaries and silverware come calling. If he can help them do that, so much the better.

I think (would hope) that's what we all want so long as they lose to the Rhinos when it matters!

What the "good doctor" has done with Salford can't be questioned but the things he's done from the image of RL on the whole could be regarded as damaging - Like El D says, he's public persona comes over as a bit of an ar$e.