Ibozz ,,,, you make some fair and valid distinctions between the SS fans and the clubs management / owners. You also say "A mistake that some Stockport County supporters make, in my view, is that all those entities are one and the same and totally interchangeable, although Sale FC was mixed up to a lesser extent. This means, in practice, that anything that displeases that minority element, whether or not it might be justified, is therefor the personal and direct fault of any and all Sale Sharks' supporters.

Please do not make that same mistake!"

Fair enough but that has lessened to a great degree, remember that many County fans were aware that we were (and still are) getting shafted so there was always going to be an element of dislike of anything to do with Sharks. Remember that Uncle Dave promised shared fans groups, more consideration of County's history (the skip incident was a disgrace) but all that was spin and PR

and I can't help but laugh when I saw the same tripe being trotted out on the SS message board



You guys are just fans (or customers to SS) and that's fair enough but Salford fans deserve to know whats allegedly gone on at SCFC ... just for info and only time will tell.

County fans have a lot to be angry about (and its not a minority as I suspect you know) but I support you general point in your post that the Reds fans have no need for any issues with SS Fans ...... keep an eye on the club though

John, thanks.

Last spring, a few Sale supporters met up with a few County supporters for a pre-match drink and a chat.

I, alas, had been working that afternoon and didn't have time to get home to change before the match so arrived at The Royal oak, Edgeley, replete in my working clothes: dinner jacket, waistcoat, black bow tie and highly polished shoes. That reinforced all the stereotypes! In explanation, I volunteer at a theatre and had been on "Front of House" dutes that afternoon, usually I'm backstage and am all in black - scruffy, but black!

I'm not sure that Union tried to destroy league, I guess it depends upon from where you see the standoff, but there was certainly a "them and us" mentality when I first joined Sale FC way back in the mid 1960s. I don't see any of that nowadays, though, save in jest.

Wayward: we can't just sit back and wait for the Clubs to do it, we need to seize the initiative ourselves.

meister: I meant County, but shall be more careful in future! I didn't know salford had a football team but, as it is a sport I cannot stand (each to their own), I tend to be blissfully unaware of any and all football clubs!

Union didn't try to destroy League? Did you honestly just say that?

Ibozz

Well done - a good post but you will find a few dinosaurs on here who not only know how to run SC at a profit but also with a full Salary Cap and without a Chairman who has dipped into his pockets for Millions of Pounds over a 30 year period.

However There are many - like me - who have accepted the situation and agree that the clubs have to work together to make it work.

So don't be alarmed when the dinosaurs post on here with their vitriol - its surely now all about how we can make it work for both clubs.

Ibozz Thanks but no thanks i've nothing against you Ra Ra boys but to be honest, i couldn't generate enough enthusiasm to subject myself through the torture of 80 minutes of pure kick and clap boredom, observing the expertise on rucks and mauls which is reminiscent of 18 stone pot bellied pigs rolling around in the mud.

I accept the Sale fans come in peace, but to invite SCR supporters to your fixtures are we then lining the pockets of an impending cloak and dagger? My fear is the supposed co - tennancy debacle. I fear Sale will install phase 2 of the stadium giving them prime tenancy rights, most fans think this too hence the grievance, i sincerley hope Mr Kennedy has intentions of buying Salford i'd much prefer the partnership of Kennedy & Diamond, their input at Sale makes Wilky and Tarry look ijit's. This move definately hasn't worked for Salford yet, and it won't until it's disease is treated, not the symptoms.

I'm only interested in how it works for Salford and at present the pro-Sale mob are still sounding pretty short of answers on that front.

Made me shiver reading that post, ''come over and say hello we don't bite''

No thanks. I remember going on a Sale forum not long back and some of the comments about league were great, just great. I won't be fooled by this let's all work together in harmony bullshit.

You're still good at ignoring constructive posts and points that don't fit into your world view I see.

On a personal note, I probably have more issues with some of our fans who keep telling us how great this move is going to be for Salford without backing it up, rather than any Sale fans. The main target for Salford fans should be attempting to ensure that Salford continue to get a fair deal from the stadium management company once Sale inevitably start attracting bigger crowds and putting more money into the SMC coffers, rather than having cheap digs at the Sale fans.

it is only two years ago when an ex england Yawnian player now teaching at a public was coaching and was being filmed for some BBC ra ra celebration, and one of his charges asked if they could play Rugby League, his reply, "no way that is a game for the working classes."

Thanks for the posting: if you ever have had pre-match drinks in the Old Vic: I am that Rugby League fan.
So why am I worried? Sadly you and we cannot alter the business model of the directors one iota: yours have their mission statement and ours (hopefully) ours.
Sadly we get linked to that mission. So although you may disagree with Kennedy et al in their actions, you are associated with it. As we are with our (no comment on what that is).
I have no axe to grind with County fans (my team leader is home and away fanatic), Sale fans ( I know several and enjoy chatting to them), nor Union (ex De La Salle for God's sake).
I have an axe as Salford Reds is ripe for take-over. So paranoia is setting in.

Oh the rugby balls are different: the official league ball is rounder.

RL was born out of a Nations politics and Class system, and over a century later it still resonates in the modern era. While there is no doubt that modern RU has been softening in its attitude to RL it has been mainly born out of the need to adapt to professionalism and the converting of sport into business. The old divides are still there. The same bias is still evident. You just have to look to see it. A couple of cross-code players and coaches do not make us closer in any way.

Whilst I commend the OP's enthusiasm and optimism, a few cross-code get togethers are unlikely to amount to a revolution of shared fans/resources/finances etc etc. I feel that most Sale and Salford fans are very similar and want the same things, the problem lies where the 'powers that be' in charge of both Clubs see the coming together. Like all people in positions of power, plotting the downfall of rivals is second nature. This is why Salford fans are suspicious.

The fans are not really going to be the problem. They come, they support their team and they go home. If it was about watching both codes and all will be sweetness and light there wouldn't be a problem for some fans of either club. However, having been to Sale on a couple of occasions there is one major issue for Reds fans. The cost is significantly higher to watch Sale, which reflects the amount they can spend on players.

The biggest problem is Brian Kennedy and his rabid pitbull Steve Diamond. Someone posted on here about Salford dinosaurs spouting vitriol. Well the jingoistic claptrap the Diamond has come out with in recent months is what is worrying many Reds fans. When you put that next to what County fans say you can understand the concerns.

The divide will always exist and Union continues to try to destroy League. Steve Diamond said the Sale were aiming to become a Northern super club. "We want to seize Manchester and the North West of England". If he does not mean that to sound like he wants to come in to Salford, take over and dump us in the mire I don't know what does. He also said " It is a great stadium and deserves to have a World class rugby team playing in it". Once again he has a sideways swipe at the Reds! What he fails to admit is that Sale are hardly World Class right now are they? No Heineken cup this year and struggling to get in to the euor shake up for next year.

I took my father-in-law to Edgely Park a few years ago as he is a former Union player with Fylde. We sat there for 80 minutes in silence. It was like going to church. The only time there was any excitement and people actually got off their seats in anticipation of something happening was when a certain Jason Robinson got the ball. That was the last time Sale looked world class and it was down to player who has his origins in Rugby League.

The comments attributed to Diamond in the MEN were very quickly withdrawn overnight and have never resurfaced so did he actually make them of was it just a typical MEN piece with a great deal of poetic license?

lets just say he was extremely quiet during the official press conference at the announcement of the ground share! The MEN has always been a lot more positive about Sale than it is about us. I doubt they would risk damaging the reputation of the club without proper thought.

Quote ="Michigan red"The comments attributed to Diamond in the MEN were very quickly withdrawn overnight and have never resurfaced so did he actually make them of was it just a typical MEN piece with a great deal of poetic license?'" www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... -West.html It was his quote about being able to cherry pick all the best young rugby league talent that disappeared.

Quote ="Michigan red"The comments attributed to Diamond in the MEN were very quickly withdrawn overnight and have never resurfaced so did he actually make them of was it just a typical MEN piece with a great deal of poetic license?'" www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... -West.html It was his quote about being able to cherry pick all the best young rugby league talent that disappeared.

Not bothered reading through the whole thread yet as I'm in work so apologise if things have already been said, but my take on it is....

Rugby Union has been trying to belittle and crush the sport of rugby league for years and I am very wary of Sale because I know what Kennedy, Sale, the RFU and the poor management of our own club could possibly mean for Salford. Sale have already come out and said they want to 'take Manchester and the surrounding areas' and they won't stop at anything to make that happen and if that means trampling over Salford in the process then that's what they will do, because they can with help from the RFU no doubt because they need a successful team up north.

We've worked for 15 years to get a stadium built for Salford RLFC and even though it's not ours anymore the fact Sale can just jump in without doing anything knocks me sick. I've heard at the open day they had on Sunday their fans were already talking about making it 'home', they were even discussing decoration in the concourse, they will be having a fans bar as well and even a statute for outside the ground was talked about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can bet your bottom dollar when Sale start to bring the crowds in and put more money into the SMC coffers then no matter what anyone say's they WILL be given priority over Salford. It'll be us who has to move fixtures around and play into their hands I've no doubt about that what so ever.

It seems strange that people who say 'market forces' meant it was inevitable the joint venture company would have to find another tenant to play in our stadium don't think that when Sale start pouring large amounts of money into the stadium funds they will become primary tenants (whatever the tenancy agreement says) due to those same market forces.

Erm not quite? Whilst we understand our club relinquished ownership of Barton due to financial constraints and the collapse of Red City Developments, are you under the impression that if it wasn't for the immense effort over 15 years that our clubs management, board of directors and chairman, its supporters, the local Salford council along with Peel Holdings that the Salford Community Stadium would still be there?

There simply would be no stadium but for Salford RLFC and after 15 years back breaking effort the management team for the SCS have let the Ra Ra's slither in for any further financial gain (of which they are quite entitled) but to no satisfaction of the majority of us who were looking forward to OUR VERY OWN new home stadium. FWIW we knew we were moving to a new state of the art stadium, one of which was being solely built for Salford RLFC from the beginning. There was never any intention of letting Sale move into our new facility!

We had our home taken away from us by our own club management and we've been sent down the creek without a paddle IMO! We've lost our old home and now our new place has its doors wide open to all and sundry, its like we've provided the bait for any shark to take lumps out of without a hook and line!

Diamond's ill judged/deliberately inflammatory rhetoric (different people will interpret this in their own way) isn't particularly helpful; neither is the comparative wall of silence from SCR management throughout this protracted affair.

Nevertheless, despite the concerns of both sets of fans, it's incumbent that we as stakeholders work together in order to achieve positive outcomes for all.

Even though I have played and watched both codes for a number of years, I can totally relate to your emotions and frustrations. The air was turned blue in my house when those seats mysteriously appeared without any explanation. I also agree that there's an inherent unfairness in all of this, even though from a selfish point of view I'll quite enjoy having two teams to watch.

However, we have to get past that as I honestly don't see what we can possibly gain by sulking and lashing out.

So what does primary tenants actually mean to our club. If their (sale) get priority over fixtures then surely that will only mean our starting fixtures will work.between their home games. How is that such a big problem? Surely they will have to work their opening fixtures around our end fixtures?

I suppose the problems occur if we get regular play off rugby as then there could be the possibility of clashing on a fri night. That's a.bloody big if though.

How else would primary affect us?

The problems will only occur if either party behaves in a dishonest, dishonourable or confrontational way.

Until that happens, I think it would be better to enter into this relationship in a positive spirit and take people - particularly the fans - as we find them. If I'm wrong and Sale do turn out to be malevolent predators then feel free to say 'I told you so!' I'd sooner cop that than run the risk of this becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.

Frightening,sickening,i`ve had dealings with the dark side,i do not want anymore,what they want they will get,does`nt matter who stand in their way.i`ve no issues with their fans only to say they must be easily pleased watching that week in week out.They havent come to Barton to help us,they have come here to help themselves,and believe me they will.I wonder if they would of moved in if we had some financial say in the stadium,which we all thought we would have,you know what,i don`t think they would have.Ive said it before,my main concern is that they finance the second phase,where would that leave us.Sorry Salford you cannot play here for 4wks we have got to reseed the grass,you know how it goes from there.Don`t trust them as far as i could throw them.

If it wasn't for the challenge cup game then we wouldn't have had a home game for 4 weeks. So how is that any different?

Whilst I like many others have some concerns I also think that a few are being a bit OTT.