Rugby League isn't popular in Manchester, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be.

The 2nd most important media location in England, the economic powerhouse of the North West of England, a huge student population - Rugby League really needs to be pushed to the people of Manchester. The lack of a new stadium for Salford though, probably would kill it all off. Whilst I quite like the Willows as a ground, its not exactly in the most salubrious location... then again, Barton is a bit far out from the city centre for the corporate crowd.

Not gonna happen though is it.

Worst case scenario is Salford water down the plans for Barton and end up in a mediocre 12,000 capacity stadium that dosen't truly excite. They need to have some WOW factor at Barton. It really needs to be a modern state of the Art stadium that can lay down a marker for RL in Manchester!

Im stating the obvious in that you have got your east and west confused.

As for two towns North of Manchester merging to become 'East Manchester' and play out of Rochdale. We are onto a winner with that one

As a Salford fan who lives in Rochdale and has coached Rugby League in Oldham, I feel I can see it from 3 perspectives. The answer is no.

Simply to insert a "" club into a soccer-mad area and cut away the only clubs with any link to the communities is simply mad.
It betrays a lack of knowledge of the disparate communities within the conurbation: no body from Oldham or Rochdale sees themselves as a Manc: Manchester is the big city o'er there. Salford has a proud history it does not want to lose.

If this idea had any legs, there already would have been one team in Wigan once Leigh ran into problems, and one team in Salford, once Swinton ran into trouble. This did not happen as cvommuniities create clubs not vice-versa.

Salford are making inroads into north-west Manchester but it will be a long process. Kitting out aJamaican student team with the Red kit was a subtle but effective way of reaching one community in Manchester.

Leigh fans commenting on Salford ...

Swinton and Salford should merge to become Salford City Lions.
There's potential for a big city club, forget the 400 that might be put off, current Swinton fans and appeal to the whole Salford city region, dare I say it, Crusaders style. Nice shiny stadium, your academy plays under swinton with dual reg players but by god they've got to do bleedin somethin

You mean move to Cheltenham after one SL season.

edit: I don't see the point really. Swinton Lions's long term future (along with many other once proud heartland clubs) may be an NL3 style comp along with some expansion teams wanting to step up into the semi-pro leagues.

But merger with Salford? That wouldn't be a merger, it would just be the death of the Lions.

No I mean the excellent marketing they used to get 10000 through the gate on game one

Build a Manchester Rugby League stadium and let the Manchester clubs share it and training facilities whilst keeping them as separate entities.

Not the worst call i've ever heard

"the Manchester clubs share it "

But we play every week and so fitting Oldham, Wigan, Swinton, Leigh, Hornets, and Salford into some form of rota would tax even Einstein. All these play in Greater Manchester! By your logic all are Manchester clubs,

Let's take it further: the Leeds/Bradford conurbation have one team, Hull have one team, Wakefield have one team ...

You attract supporters by building from a base not by importing a club.

Remember Paris?

I've made a call re the Barton stadium a few times. The RFL are missing a huge trick by not embracing this as the opportunity to finally have a 'national' RL stadium. Capacity of 40-50k, with hospitality, hotel and retail developments, used by Salford. Great transport links, including public transport to the Trafford Centre nearby.

- hundreds of thousands of drivers would see it every day from the M60 (and from Manchester Airport) - banners announcing 'The National Rugby League Stadium', 'Home of Salford City Reds' would look fantastic.
- it could be used for Championship, Nat Conf, schools, reserves and amateur RL finals, and of course for internationals and the World Club Challenge. The Charity Shield could return.
- hold a national 9s tournament over a full weekend or a long Saturday - teams from SL, Championship and Nat Conf and the best of the rest, including guest teams such as NZ Maoris, Indigenous Aus, USA, etc.
- run children's RL courses in day during school holidays.
- perhaps even invite Sale Sharks (or a small local football team) to groundshare - and charge them a small fortune for the pleasure.
- hold concerts, festivals and other sporting events there. Amateur football finals, hockey, etc, etc...
- bring sports development and care under one roof - I know there are sports science and some very advanced treatment centres spread across the North - bring them together and charge them rent.
- both CC semi-finals and perhaps with a rejig of the format, some of the play-offs could be held there.
- the RFL to move home.

It seems to me Salford need a helping hand getting it going and the RFL could use some ambition and initiative to take our sport up a level.

Money