The guy is a complete tool. His rants are embarassing (albeit entertaining). IMO he came in with the expectation of throwing a few quid at the club and making them instantly successful. Like others have said, he is now realising that he needs to build the club up from the bottom and his treatment of players seems to be atrocious

I really dont think he will last until the end of next year and its the Salford fans I feel sorry for

The history of Rugby League in Liverpool I think backs up your point. Eventually Liverpool City/Highfield/Huyton/Runcorn died through a pitiful lack of support. I spent a few miserable Sunday afternoons at Alt Park in the 70s, where you parked your car at your peril. It just wasn't sustainable to have semi pro RL there.

I know the Doc lives in Haydock and has business interests in Liverpool and has ties to JM University where he lectured and got his doctorate from. I think he saw Salford as having the potential to attract massive crowds but he misunderstood the real roots of Rugby League - they are not in the big cities (Leeds apart).

Liverpool and Manchester are soccer mad cities. The Wigan and Saints lads go to Liverpool on the end of season 'Mad Monday' jaunts and never get recognised.

I like the Doc. I hope he succeeds. He may have to get away from that dreadful venue first though.

Yes the stadium is awful, the access is ridiculous for a professional sports stadium. There was a bad crash last Thursday just outside the ground if we were the game that night it would of had to of been postponed.

In this day and age that is ridiculous, add to the fact most of our support are from suburbs of Salford that have poor public transport links to Barton it really is god awful. I and many others will never warm to the place, no chance we will move anywhere else though.

I always like the Willows. I liked the fact that you could park your car for free a few minutes from the ground. The atmosphere was good and the facilities just fine.

I think you are looking back with rose-tinted glasses there - I loved the Willows too, but the reality was that the reputation of the area (justified or not) was seriously discouraging many away fans from attending. Stories of vandalism to cars, harrassment etc abounded - don't know how far back the RLFans archives go but there were plenty of such stories after every game.

The RFL made it clear that franchise renewal was dependent upon moving to a new stadium so for better or for worse we did. The financial woes of the old club are well known, the development company initially set up to do the move went bust and the club was left with virtually no option but to accept the Peel Holdings/Council take over of the whole project and now we are where we are. All in all a sorry tale.

Not like a Castleford follower to start yet another anti-Koukash thread.Must make a change from the Twatter drivel.If you are not happy with your owner;unlucky.As for the other clubs,in Jan 2013 they all had owners in place and are geographically some distance from St Helens.



Does your opinion also extend to his interest in his other love;horse racing? Did he expect to throw a few quid at horse racing and become instantly successful? Do you also expect him to last until the end of next year with his horse racing?

You're probably right. Though I never had any problems, doesn't mean others didn't. I've been to the new ground a number of times now including pre season, internationals , the world cup and the Super League games and I can honestly say it's my least favourite away ground. The parking hasn't stopped me going but I'm always amazed that there seems to be twice as many cars as punters! When you get in - the ground is empty!!!

Such a shame. Anyway back to the Doc. I like the guy. He thinks outside the box and does things differently. He has been a success as a racehorse owner, so it seems a bit odd that he should throw his money into RL. But he seems genuinely smitten with the game. I think people need to cut him some slack. I would hate it if the game lost him. But really, why does he need the hassle?

hmmmmm, i may be wrong here but horse racing isnt rugby league so is completely irrelevant to my opinion on him and his ownership of Salford.....

I don't mind the Dr he really needs a pr person of some description to calm him down sometimes, and I always wonder why would bag happended if he had bought Bradford during their decline ofr if his wife had been given the charge of the club when we went into admin last year.

I have an oft repeated theory about the failings of clubs on a commercial footing, stemming from a failure to attract fans. Obviously, London and no Salford face massive competition for the interest and cash of the local public, but there does seem to be a one-eyed attitude that was displayed by David Hughes at London and is to a certain extent, being copied by the Doctor. It's not a fault that you can blame either man for having, but it is the root cause of their respective issues.

It's quite simple really. They LOVE RL. They want RL to grow because they LOVE it and they are prepared to sink cash into their clubs to make them grow, but neither understand the principle that:

"JUST BECAUSE THEY LOVE IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYONE ELSE WILL"

I have also referred to this as "field of dreams" marketing scenarios......as in, if we build it they will come......well, Like Hughes discovered spending 15+ million over 6 seasons, if you don't spend a fair chunk of that on engaging your audience and repeating the message, instead splashing out on coaches and players, then you'll reap what you sew.

Simply put, a club with 4k fans playing in a stadium that looks empty will not attract either corporates or sponsors, but a team playing to 10,000 fans, screaming their lungs out in support of their team will attract sponsors and corporates and media interest and then more fans.

If you doubt my theory, Dr K has splashed cash on players and coaches and yet has less fans than before and nothing to show for it other than not being relegated and a trip to Sheffield in the middle 8 this year.....

Tbh with the whole "competing with football" thing. Whilst true obviously as it is the number 1 sport in the country, right now you can hear the discontent of football fans. Their is a lot of fans seemingly falling out of love with the game because of the feeling of clubs becoming businesses and ticket prices going higher and higher and a general feeling off not caring about the fans along with a growing dislike of the 'modern' premiership footballer.

Those reasons are things RL clubs should look at and try take advantage of to perhaps attract fans from football to RL. I'm not saying it would be easy but at the same time I don't clubs should just accept that they couldn't steal some fans from football at this point in time.

I agree to a degree. I think we've often thought that Union is a natural place to entice fans from whereas I think football clubs and fans are a better fit.

However the problem the likes of Salford face isn't really in enticing football fans per se its in competing with football for media in Manchester and getting noticed by the people of Manchester when, understandably, it's dominated by football.

Becoming a FAN is not something that happens overnight. You attend your first game......you maybe return the following week or week after but true FANDOM comes from regular attendance.
the Largest advertiser (by spend) on the planet says you are a simple consumer for your first 6 purchases of their products, but a CUSTOMER once you've bought for the 7th time......and thereafter, they will spend more to keep you than they will a 4th time buyer.

It's like drug dealing without the drugs.....