SALFORD City Reds are celebrating after being awarded a franchise licence and landing their return ticket to Super League next season.
Jubilant chairman John Wilkinson sipped champagne after Salford were named among the 14 clubs to be awarded a licence for the next three years.
Reds will be joined in Super League by Welsh club Celtic Crusaders and the two National League clubs will join the existing 12 Super League clubs.
Widnes, who lost their place in the top flight in 2005, missed out along with Leigh, Halifax, Featherstone and Toulouse.
A delighted John Wilkinson told MEN Sport: “This is great news for both the club and the city of Salford. I am thrilled and elated by the decision to see Salford back in Super League.
“This was the aim, it is what we have worked towards and, like I have said all along, the future is extremely bright for the club.
“Our new stadium at Barton will be a landmark and be the finest of its kind in the game.
Relief
“I was confident – not over confident I might add – that we would be in and obviously it is a massive relief to know that we have been successful in our application bid.
“We can start preparing for Super League right away. I’m extremely pleased for our loyal magnificent fans, they know how much this decision means to the club. We are a very strong stable club, we have met the necessary criteria and we can press ahead with out future plans.
“Salford needed to be back in Super League and this is a wonderful opportunity.
“Our application was first class, it was thorough, it was detailed and professional. We held numerous meetings, we covered all aspects of the criteria and could not have done more.
“We simply then had to wait for the decision and I am just so pleased that everything has gone according to plan.”
Richard Lewis, the RFL’s executive chairman, said: “This is a historic day for rugby league and we are once again being innovative and leading the way in British sport.”
System
From 2009, the Super League will contain 14 teams and those sides will play in the league for the next three years.
The League say the new system will enable clubs to make long-term decisions and encourage them to invest in junior player production and stadium and training facilities, rather than place the short-term emphasis on recruiting established players to avoid dropping out of the elite competition.
All non-Super League clubs will have the opportunity to re-apply in three years’ time when licences are re-issued for the period 2012-14. Toulouse could be given the opportunity to play in the National League which is likely to be reduced to 20 teams and the RFL are to invest more money in the National League to ensure it remains a vibrant competition in its own right.
Although Super League in 2009 will have 14 teams, there is no upper limit on membership so it could be expanded further to 15 or 16 clubs in 2012.
A licence will initially be for three years but the RFL board will have the right to revoke a club’s membership at any time. Reasons could include insolvency, contractual breach, persistent under performance and persistent rule-breaking.
Any failing club who has its membership removed could be replaced by a successful club from outside Super League.
What do you think of the news? Have your say.
Salford secure Super League licence
July 22, 2008
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Fantastic News. Congratulations to John Wilko and all the team!
Here we go!!!
Congratulations to all at the club. A new dawn awaits. The Red Menace will not only come from Old Trafford.
Great news today for the Salford City Reds.
I can't put into words how I feel today after hearing this wonderful news.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
THE FUTURE IS SALFORD CITY REDS.
Can't wait for this coming Friday evening when the Reds play Leigh Centurions in NL1 in what should be a great night for all Salford fans to show our team what this announcement means to us fans.
Well done Mr Wilkinson or should I say "MR SALFORD"
Brilliant news, well done John,onwards and upwards.Must admit to feeling a little sorry for Widnes i can't for the life of me understand why a licence was given to Celtic,they never have and never will have a travelling support just like Harlequins,bringing revenue into our club.Rugby league is and always will be an M62 corridor sport and the sooner the powers that be understand the better (or are SKY the powers that be)anyway still brilliant news, come on you REDS!
Well done Irlam reds!!!
Maybe Next Year makes some excellent points. I was at the remarkable Salford 5, Harlequins 2 match last year (the only ever try-less Super League game!) and you could have fitted their away supporters in the back of my car. But their youth policy is superb - there's five or six Londoners playing Super League every week, and as much as it pains me to say it, there ain't many Salfordians in our side at present. But that aside, a great day for the club - without John Wilkinson, there might not even be a Salford club...
Great all round new my home city has finally got the stadium thsat was long long over due,dont get me wrong ive stood many a time at the willows in pouring rain watching these warriors play a game i think that footballers should look at and think??eh that guys just run in to a brick wall and thank there lucky starsthat they get paid massive silly wages and the game could be 0-0,as in rugby its really never ever 0-0 its all ways a joy to watch.
As a young lad i didnt have the gate fee and used to jump over the back fence to watch the reds at the willows,and there was allways a bobby hiding behind the stands and pillars of the biggest stand waiting to catch ppl as that was his job for the day,id hitch over and he would see me and wink and say hurry up son,what a decent copper,i was only around 13/14 at the time and it wasnt really a crime.
I could have asked some body fo r the extra odd 3 pound+tyhats including the hotdog and a cup of bovril but id choose to hitch over for the fun and to watch my team.
Happy dats.
John wilks has been the heart and soul of salford rugby team as a chairman and owner so i an only say john(i used to work for him at welding star in wardley industrial estate)well done all your hope have dreams have come true,may salford be a mighty force like when feildhouse played for them,says my brother,but in my time it was the full back garry jack,what a player and allways remembered as a top notch player gazza.
All the best and i hope and pray that all those who atch sale come and watch the other mancheter team,but a differnt code.
Lets be winning the super league in a few years to come.
Up the red's.
Absolute disgrace, relegated twice already from SL. Average crowds of less than 4000 when in SL. Widnes and Leigh should have been given a chance to establish themselves. As for Celtic Crusaders what a joke, the RL are an absolute joke.
Not bad for a team that never win!
LeythBlue just take defeat with a bit of grace you should be use to it by now, your town will never compete in rugby or football as long as Wigan is next door,cheer up & enjoy games against Batley & Dewsbury. UP THE REDS
Quite amazed at Salfords good fortune, little or no support, no real history and zero chance of ever winning anything, should have been Widnes.
Agree with Paul & Lethyblue - this 20,000 capacity stadium at Barton (if it's ever built that is!) with a handful of fans every other weekend watching their team get leathered will provide a laugh for the rest of Super League I suppose....
Lets hope the Mancs get out and support the Reds and stop watching that overated pri-madona sport called Football or as the Yanks call Soccer.
Well done Salford from a Warrington and Man United fan.
The truth is Salford is NOT a Rugby league Town, their 4-5000 average gome gates last year were boosted by large away followings from Wigan, St Helens, Leeds, Bradford etc, they do remarkably well to actually survive so hats off to the commercial side of the club but when push comes to shove they are a small club who really haven't a chance against the powerhouses of the game.
Lets hope the Mancs get out and support the Reds and stop watching that overated pri-madona sport called Football or as the Yanks call Soccer.
Well done Salford from a Warrington and Man United fan.
Ste of the Casuals, Warrington
22/07/2008 at 14:41
Why??? it is Salford who have been promoted not a team from Manchester
Black Sabbath, just like the band your comments are poor,for your info the NEW stadium is well on its way & the revenue from the hotel and shops around the stadium will make The Reds a very rich club indeed & with the backing from Peel Holdings will attract the best players available.Clubs that have missed the boat will be left far behind & never be able to compete with the Super League clubs again having missed the gravy train.UP THE REDS!
bothered....two bit sport will die off soon thats why the sport is panickin about franchises
Why??? it is Salford who have been promoted not a team from Manchester
A Manc and blue
22/07/2008 at 15:08
Why you ask?
Well If Salford are gonna succeed and fill their new stadium they are gonna have to attract fans not just from the ghettos of Salford but from all over the Manchester City Region.
That means people like you mate.
"Black Sabbath, just like the band your comments are poor,for your info the NEW stadium is well on its way & the revenue from the hotel and shops around the stadium will make The Reds a very rich club indeed & with the backing from Peel Holdings will attract the best players available.Clubs that have missed the boat will be left far behind & never be able to compete with the Super League clubs again having missed the gravy train.UP THE REDS!"
Really?
I live half a mile from the site & nothing has happened there for a couple of months now - no work, nothing.
And it will be empty - do you honestly think your home crowds will top 6000 or so?
You're living in a dreamworld mate!
Congratulations to the club but particularly John Wilkinson...Mr Salford...Mr Rugby League... You are a gentleman and deserve it.
Gutted I can't make the game on Friday to join the celebrations.
ermm salford are 1 of the oldest rugby leage teams to have been playing the game.
Salfords history is in the past but to be in the premier league and last year relegated by a poor shape of play,well they will rise again.
the shops and other out lets will create money ,but a new stadium for a team with history will only get metter.
So come on rome wasnt built in a day.
Wigan used to dominate rugby for 10 years and allways won the challege cup when martin ofire was platying.
Dont look at this as a bad thing lets get behind this thing and push it and follow it.
Salford could attract the cheshire set who i do admit watch mufc,so why not a game that guarentees a result (win,lose or draw).
Its a fantastic sport and to have salford city in the super league winning and having massive crowds would just be amazing.
Black sabbath what are you waffling on about you probably dont even know that salford have beaten wigan ,leeds st's and all the top 6 clubs the year before they were relegated.
God know ya stuff man.
Never heard of john fieldhouse,a salford legend.
Get a life.
Let's hope that Celtic go bust within 12 months. Why not make it a larger competition and incorporate Leigh, Widnes, Halifax and Featherstone. Real RL clubs with a proud history and tradition. I have just watched Richard Lewis sit and look very uncomfortable being questioned by Gordon Burns trying to justify the Celtic bid over Leigh's. It is purely a geographical decision and for this reason I hope it fails. Good luck to Salford.
Great stuff!!
Good luck to Salford for the next hundred years.
well done to big john and the backroom staff and players at salford .it been a long time coming but well deserved. also would like to say well done to celtic who started in nl2 and worked hard to get to super league. and a big well done to both sets of supporter. ps. deano you look just as bad on tv as you do in real life. widnes see you in three years.