Is there any appetite for rugby league in Manchester or London?


Far too much competition from football. We need teams who can realistically get five figure attendances.

How much of that is clubs not spending the full cap though? Salford clearly aren't, I'm not convinced Cas and Hudds are. Also there are/were good players not getting a game down under, such as Pryce, Amone, Hastings etc. They'd come and play here if the money was right.

Maybe the NRL will cover it from a much improved TV deal? Presume this is the case in the Nrl currently? 

Difficult to gain attention in these places. A big problem for London has been moving ground, travel time wise it'd be like us moving to Donny, Grimsby, York, Scarborough etc every couple of years and hoping the hardcore support we've built up at the last one still want to bother. But the big concern there is Richard Branson, Offiah and Edwards couldent make it work so dubious a new effort would work either.


Frustratingly for Salford their Grand Final was followed by a lockdown season without crowds then a behind closed doors CC Final, will always be a what if in terms of boosting crowds.

both dead ducks imo, wonder if they will be seen like franchises.....after 2 or 3 seasons without any growth in crowds.....bye bye

If London were to return to SL, the first thing they need is a permanent ground. They’ve had 45 years of nomadic existence, they need to build a fan base. It’s impossible to do that if you start in Fulham, go to The Stoop, then Brentford, go North to Barnet and then South to Wimbledon, plus a few others in between.

more Salford drama..... https://x.com/GaryCarter_1979/status/1919361292621455486

more Salford drama..... https://x.com/GaryCarter_1979/status/1919361292621455486

They need to try and tie up with a Premier League football team in some way so that the game is introduced to their fans.Most of them probably have never watched a game of Rugby League.
Like you say no point playing on a park pitch if you are trying to promote the game in London.
I would say Salford need to try and do the same thing with one of the Manchester clubs

I presume you mean salford city or are you suggesting they play at old trafford or the etihad?

Fulham or Brentford would seem the obvious choice there. Ironically, London have decamped at both of those clubs during their existence and arguably it was during those periods that it appeared most likely there could possibly be some reasonable chance of success for the club as an established SL side.


It's interesting to speculate how it may have panned out for a London RL club if the original Fulham RLFC (1980) had been successful, had remained at Craven Cottage these past 45 years and had been able to establish roots and a committed fanbase around West London for all these years. A well supported and well established SL team in London would undoubtedly help the profile of the sport, but as we have seen too many times it is pointless them being in there if it is only as a token gesture as a non M62 corridor club.

Salford's fans can disappear inside their current abode, can you imagine what it would look like if Salford-Huddersfield was to be played out at a cavernous empty Old Trafford! Think Man Utd have more program and hot dog sellers on match day duty than Salford have fans! Well they did have until Ratcliffe sacked them all as a cost saving exercise!!

Chris Irwin has resigned from Salford. They've had it