I'm also not happy with the way things are going on the pitch (who is?) but it shouldn't be much of a surprise as the public impression, rightly or wrongly, is that the club is being run off the steam from the directors' piss.

However, I do have a gripe and I'm going to whinge about it. It's about the abandonment of the promised post-match entertainment in The Willows.

We were told, relatively late in the day, there would be a band playing in The Willows after the match on Friday nights — throughout the season. The Shocks, a band who had recently supported Ian Brown, were first up after the Celtic game. Despite the result and a bit of barracking, I heard they were pretty good; it was an encouraging start.

I say 'I heard' because I wasn't there. For one reason or another, a few of us drank elsewhere that night. One of those reasons was because last season the beer stank in The Willows and not many of us knew there was even a band on. After hearing that a future booking was very possibly going to be The Clone Roses, word went around, and people in the pub were generally up for going in The Willows post-match again.

On Friday just gone, we go in The Willows at half-time and the beer is better. We also learn that the post-match entertainment has been scrapped... after one game. One game. A reason being there wasn't enough people who went in The Willows after the Celtic match to justify the cost. So after none-existent promotion (the new SMS system could have been used but was poo-pooed), after one of the most unanticipated Super League matches for years, after giving barely a few days notice for word of mouth to begin, the fans are blamed for being unreceptive and the plug is pulled.

Iain rlremarkedrl that, what with the standard of rugby being served up at present, we're too embarrassed to suggest to friends, family and work colleagues that they take in a Salford match. There is nothing of merit to suggest they will have anything like a good time; many of us are still going because of some duty-bound, masochistic urge rather than for pleasure. It's like inviting your new neighbours to your son's execution for a crime he didn't commit. Yet throw in a gig from say The Clone Roses, and things change a little.

The Clone Roses are playing Manchester Academy in the summer. You can go and see them for £12. Yes they are a cover band, but they are respected; they aren't hacks. They don't do hatchet jobs of Abba and Girls Aloud (and you thought their back-catalogue couldn't sound any worse).

People of my age, slightly older, and a fair bit younger too would have pushed such a post-match gig to our families, friends and work colleagues because it would have made for a much easier sell. A Clone Roses gig and a game thrown in, which you don't really have to watch. But a win-win nonetheless for Salford City Reds and The Willows.

I'd say the lack of foresight in this decision was abysmal if it didn't feel typical, which it does these days. If the original plan was to give this post-match entertainment a go for one match, they shouldn't have bothered at all. Not only does it make Salford City Reds and The Willows look stupid, it makes those supporters who pushed it via word of mouth, as with all the other half-arsed, short-lived schemes the two have bungled between them in the past, look like mugs... again.

Surely they realise word of mouth takes time to work. You only have to look at what Harlequins have done with their post-match fare. They stuck at it and have gained praise from opposition fans as a result.

The other reason why the post-match band business was culled is because the club and The Willows bickered over who was footing the bill. Suffice to say the eventual payers were not prepared to do it again. Which leads me to my final point: when such a thing happens, blame is placed squarely on Salford City Reds because I bet many of you still believe our club and The Willows are run by the same company, the same people. They are not and it's clear the decision makers at the two companies don't really get along with each other, and haven't for years. I know there are people at the club who'll be tearing their hair out at this decision, as no doubt there will be those doing similar The Willows. It's a shame for those who worked to get this idea off the ground, but the outward projection is of another bungled, harebrained scheme by what is perceived to be a single, accountable body.

Perfect summary Chico. Youve said it all there mate.

Eloquent as always Chico.
Plenty of info there to digest/ponder.
I must admit to being one of those who still believed the 2 operations to be under the control of one team. Who actually runs (owns) The Willows nowadays ?

It's a real pity that this hasn't taken off, as now we're left with just the rugby, and that fare is fast becoming increasingly hard to swallow.

Bigpev has championed a move to Sunday matches with a carnival type atmosphere pre and post match. Considering what has transpired, perhaps this too would also be difficult to organise, and considered a financial non-starter.

To me, it's all another clear indication that all energies and ideas are now being routed towards the new stadium and the hopes firmly pinned on it. Question is, will there be any fanbase left to entertain when we finally move to Barton

That's a great and very informative post mate.

Quality Gaz but the only surprise is it lasted just the one game usually the bulls*it promises just peter out as the season does .

No I take that back there really is no surprise.

I thought the rugby side was one company and the Willows another.

Mrs Wilkinson runs the willows variety centre with her daughter it's main function is a business not there to support the rugby club

So Gaz is suggesting that Mr and Mrs Wilkinson are at logger-heads then??

But surely supporting the rugby club can be beneficial to their business?
At the moment for me it holds no attraction pre or post-match so I go elsewhere - how long before more & more people do the same?

Apart the from the barmaid there wasnothing of any note in the club last Friday, I can see the church getting busier again before long.

Surely the showing of a video and haveing a few fringe and academy players milling about the chat with the fans costs begger all but can only be seen as a positive thing, how come we the fans seem to be able to suggest better ideas to help promote the club than the people who the club actually pay???.

If the marketing and promotions department fancy coming and running a car hire office for a couple of weeks i'd feel confident I would do at least the same high quality job that they do at present.

Think it's about time we had a thread on here with SENSIBLE suggestions to the club for marketing and promotion that can be used for everyones benefit.

The marketing lot could have a month teaching my lot and i would happily stand in and see what i could do

Do the Marketing Department do anything!!!!

Because as far as I can see they do Feck all to promote the club or any SL games.

Why don't we (ie. Shirley?!) invite 'the marketing department' to the next Forever Reds meeting so that some of these ideas can be presented and discussed?