This season is a waiting game, it must be difficult to motivate players who know they will have no place next season - we were beaten tonight by a Wakefield side that played at the top of their game, every kick for touch shaved the corner flag ( how often will they do that this season).
Though I am disappointed, just like the games against Widnes this season, on another day we could beat Wakefield. I still thought we showed effort, Fages was good, as was Walne. But Wakefield had sussed the move with Gaskell running onto the ball, and hit him hard every time.
Be realistic folks, we have won 4 and drawn 1, are 3 points behind Widnes with a team put together a couple of weeks before the season started.

I think perhaps it's just a reality check that's needed.

The new owner, and now Noble have inherited a very average team, and mid way through the season there's little Noble can do about it. Add to that the fact that I guess quite a few of those players already know they won't be playing for Salford next year as new, better players, whoever they may be will be brought in. So, even though they should still give their all, I can understand why they may not.

As Salford fans, you should look at the example of what's happened at a few other clubs. I'm a Warrington fan, and for 20+ years, watched crap, week in week out. When we moved to our new stadium, and Moran came in with some cash, we didn't start winning trophies over night - it was 4 or 5 years before we were.

Then look at Huddersfield - they gave a great example of what I think Mr Koukash should do - their chairman dropped the prices of all the season tickets dramatically for 2 or 3 seasons - making all season tickets £100 for adults, and about £20 for kids - to get the numbers up from around 4 or 5K max, to 9 or 10K (which they do get now, although the stadium still looks empty). He got people in, and built the team slowly at the same time - now look at them.

You could even look at Widnes - they had a bit of money behind them (OK, maybe not as much as you), but still, they kept quiet, and have built year on year.

So, yes, it's bad now - but would you rather be where you are now, with a Millionaire owner, who just wants success, or where you were 8 months ago, facing a winding up order????

Even though I'm a Warrington fan, and Salford and Warrington may of not been the closest of allies in the past, I think it it vital for Super League that teams like Salford, Huddersfield, Widnes, succeed, because our league WON'T survive with 4 or 5 top teams putting 80+ past teams like London etc week in week out!!! And, love him or hate him, Koukash is vital to our game, because with out him, Moran, O'Connor, Lenigan, etc, we won't have a game. He may just have to look a little more long term I think.

Possibly one of the best posts I've read on this forum for a long time!

Great post.

I don't buy players not giving it their all regardless of them not being offered new contracts. Let's be honest these players are in the shop window and if we don't offer them a deal who else will in Superleague? This was a great opportunity on Sky tonight for these out of contract players to shine and show they were worth taking a gamble on. After tonight some would be lucky to get a gigg in the Championship.

how about this one. You're 'RICH BUT RUBBISH'....BOOM BOOM (Basil Brush style)

Huddersfield's home attendances are currently 22.59% down on last season and they are only averaging 6,268 per game compared to averaging 8,097 last season for the same home fixtures. It's a scary thought, but how poor would their attendances be if if the team were struggling near the bottom of SL?

So much for flogging cheap season tickets in previous years.

This is true - but pretty much every team in Super League is down - I know we are, by 1 or 2K as an average. That is more a sign of the times than anything.

But, my point was, Salford can't hope to become a top team with 2K home attendances most weeks. You need to get that up to 7 or 8K, and you need to think about ways of doing that. And, we weren't a top team when we moved to the new stadium, we were still finishing an average of 8th, but we really sold the concept of the new stadium, a new era, and despite not winning anything for 5 years, we went from 6K average to 11K.

I just don't think massively discounted season tickets are the way forward. Fans get used to paying a cheap price and abandon ship very quickly when suddenly faced with a huge increase in season ticket prices. It doesn't work long term at increasing the paying supporter base.

Huddersfield sold some adult season tickets last season for £50 and others at around £100 but I doubt many of those new punters who took up those offers last season were willing to pay £200 this season. Same at Bradford... they sold £60 season tickets and their average is now down from around 14K a couple of seasons ago to 9k this season. It remains to be seen what happens at Wakefield when they start charging higher prices for season tickets again. They are another club who have increased home attendances by 2k to 3k per game on the back of selling £125 adult season tickets, £50 for 16 to 21 year old's and £25 for juniors. They'll be back down to averaging around 5k IMO once the massively discounted season ticket offers are removed.

Surely having double the people in the ground paying a reduced fee from this year would create a better atmosphere, greater additional sales and make the club & match pay a more promotable commodity.

Think if the Doc got his way to get a stake in the stadium things like match day sales would become as important as ticket prices.

No. The problem is that,if free tickets are on the cards,people who would normally pay will naturally look to watch the game for nowt.
Free tickets are not the way forward,a winning team is but that could be a while coming !

All but one of those (please whichever idol you worship not Morley) would do nicely, Plum is a beast in the tackle, Sau is the type of centre I'd love to to see inside Williams/Broughton, Clarke is the future England/GB hooker, Steph as he is just class in so many different ways and I think personally we miss Sidlow as much as any of the players we lost at the end of last season.

With the Plum, Sau & Clarke bit I'd love to know if they are some of the names to be released come 09.08 - non would disappoint me.

No one expected us to compete with Wire this season. However, a game against Wakefield is one we should be competing in, if not winning.

Disgraceful performance last night. Can't blame Noble or Koukash - blame the spineless f*ckers on the pitch who couldn't be bothered. So much for professionalism and any sort of pride in the shirt. That has nothing to do with unrealistic expectations, I can handle us not being good enough, I can't handle us not bloody trying, though.

i said morley so your team would have some experience and he would bring a high level of professionalism with him, he can also still do a bit of a run out so i would still use him. But i am glad you agree with the majority, personally i think these players are very realistic and should be the names your owner keeps dropping to the media;

Plum: off contract
Sau: cant get a game in the NRL (you would have to check to see if he had any convictions)
clarke: is still looking for a way out of cas and you lot could probably pay the most.
Ratchy: well i don't know if the rumours are true that he would be happy to go back to salford or not but i do know he had more loyalties to salford than anybody else.
Sidlow: still lives in wigan and i cant imagine he enjoys driving all that way.

IF you managed to add these 5 or similar i think you would a certain for the top 8.