“SALFORD’S despised owners have been handed a simple message as the club’s immediate future is set to be mapped out – go. Political heavyweights will attempt to thrash out a way through as the disastrous reign of Sire Kailahi and Curtiz Brown threatens the Red Devils’ future. 6 Salford Rugby League fans held a protest”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
Political heavyweights will attempt to thrash out a way through as the disastrous reign of Sire Kailahi and Curtiz Brown threatens the Red Devils’ future.
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Salford Rugby League fans held a protest against owners Sire Kailahi and Curtiz BrownCredit: Gary Carter
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Hundreds of fans descended on the home ground demanding the owners leaveCredit: Gary Carter
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Sunday’s clash with Wakefield was forfeitedCredit: Gary Carter
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Some angry fans brought coffins to the protestCredit: Gary Carter
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The protests come ahead of discussions between owners and politiciansCredit: Gary Carter
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One angry fan said he did not see a future for the owners at the clubCredit: Gary CarterMayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett will meet Rugby Football League bosses on Monday ahead of the governing body and Super League’s board getting together after Sunday’s clash with Wakefield was humiliatingly forfeited.
Options include pulling the Red Devils from Super League completely, although one club owner has told SunSport that it is unlikely to happen – it is more a case of “how can they get through the next five games?”
But hundreds of angry fans, some of whom were carrying coffins, brought their message to the owners’ doorstep – get out, now.
After a week which saw former chief operating officer Claire Bradbury allege one of the ownership group suggested she sleep with someone at the RFL to “smooth things over,” the cancellation of the Wakefield match arguably made the situation even darker.
SunSport has seen a 17-player squad, featuring reserve players from Championship clubs, that was willing to take the field.
But it was also full of teenagers and just two senior stars of their own and the fact they would not even have met until 90 minutes before kick-off raised sufficient worries people would have been put in danger.
That did not stop irate supporters from marching through the streets, with banners including “We want our club back,” “152 years – don’t let it die” and “we want answers,” before converging on a stadium at which they should have been watching their team in action.
Paul Waggoner, a fan of more than 50 years, fumed: “We’re putting our point across. What they’ve done with the club is f***ing s***.
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“They’ve absolutely s*** on us. They’ve promised things but we don’t want promises – clubs don’t survive on promises.
“If I came face-to-face with the owners, what I’d say wouldn’t be very nice.”
Nick Holt, of The 1873 – the group which organised the protest and may yet meet Kailahi and Brown after a planned summit was cancelled following Mrs Bradbury’s allegations – could not believe it had come to this.
He told SunSport: “We’ve not seen anything from them that’s even worth mentioning. I personally don’t think there’s a future for them here.
“They’ve done too little but caused too much disruption, within the fanbase and the whole sport.
“They’ve not showed us anything, they’ve hidden away in plain sight almost. There are rumours about whether finance is coming in or not.
“It doesn’t look good but when you look back to the start of the season, you wouldn’t have expected we’d be here six months later.
“There was all the excitement around the Leeds game the week after the takeover was announced – everything was looking great.
“It’s gone from elation to despair in that time. If there is a future for Salford, they need to be away from the club.”