No, but they do pay plenty of other people's wages (my wife included, in Salford CC's case).

They are laying people off left, right and centre and their own staff are already pee'd off that they are even considering giving the reds money.

Salford CIty Council refuse £750,000 lifeline to City Reds, stating too big a risk.
Where does this leave Salford Rugby now?

I can't see this as anything but short-sighted. Not only will it likely send them bust, but Sale won't be able to run that stadium on their own, and any leisure or additional retail development on that side of Barton bridge will surely come to a grinding halt too. Perhaps they're just more interested in the wendyballers down the road??

Having said that, I think it [iwas [/ia mistake to move so far from Weaste, anyone know what their attendances before & after the move were?

[edit

You could be playing Fev at the iconic POR in Feb instead of us.

RFL needs a major overhaul.

To realise the value in any business you need to understand your strengths and sell them to the marketplace. We seem to have a policy of ignoring our strengths, indeed we often seem embarassed by them, in favour of pipedreams that cannot succeed.

We have a great product and a customer base greater than Wales, Scotland or Ireland to sell it to, indeed the greater heartlands are as big as all three combined.

Sorry CPM I think that your post is complete and utter nonsense from start to finish. What has Salford's situation and specifically their relationship with the City Council got to do wth "wendyballers down the road"? Totally unconnected.

Sale might in the short term offer salvation from a stadium viability veiw point, better to have one paying tenant rather than none. Two would obviously be ideal generating year round income.

Peel's aspirations for this area will not be halted as the opportunity to develop along the Ship Canal from Salford Quays to Liverpool of which this site is a small part can't be tied to the (mis)fortunes of Salford City Reds.

It would be interesting to know how the increase in attendance was achieved before stating whether it was bizarre or not? A large proportion of away fans adding a new ground to their list, unsubstainable promotional offers to home supporters to soften the blow of a move from Weaste might affect any business plan going forward?

BTW I take no delight in the situation at Salford

Yes, cash for the development work Harlequins/Broncos were doing down south which is what I said. The RFL were taking on more of those responsibilities rather than just giving the club money.

I question the council's commitment to RL

Agreed, however if Sale continue in their current fashion for any length of time, will [ithey [/ibe a viable long-term proposition?

Fair enough, but as Peel also co-own the stadium will they want to have a large white elephant in the middle of any additional development (if it does end up being empty for half the year)?

again, agreed. was it home supporters or away that lifted the numbers? Either way, given that there [iwas [/ian increase and at least some attempt being made to consolidate it by SCR's management, where is the logic in the council pulling the rug from under them? They quote the privations of the times, but surely they could concede that you often need to spend money to make some? Which sends me back to questioning their commitment to one sport at the expense of another. With MU's retail expansion plans affecting large chunks of nearby Trafford, have they got one green eye on trying to cash in?

me neither

the thing with the united reserves might have some legs if the stadium isn't paying, i know a couple or so years back they where looking at the LSV as an option, the SCS would be a good base for them and peel will take money off anyone who's willing to pay them

I hope so. Don't want to see any RL clubs in this position and that includes Wire and Saints (well, I'd chuckle at first)

money is money. Maybe the RL should try and invest in the area where they have the the potential to link up or tap into the largest sporting team in the world (man utd). A lot of their ex and current players are RL supporters.

That would be huge, fans would go just for the connection. Is Maurice Watkins still on the board of the RFL? He is/was also a director of MUFC.

He's just been appointed the head of UK swimming i think