Caketaker coach Steve Simms knows the best, biggest and most significant result for Salford City Reds will not come on the field of play this season.
Instead, it will come inside the corridors of power at RFL HQ when, over the next few months, it will be decided which clubs are awarded three-year Super League franchise licenses.
With Widnes almost certain to move up from the Championship to join the big boys, one of the current top-flight clubs is at risk.
Wakefield’s financial troubles won’t have helped their cause, but no-one at Salford will rest easy until the decision is announced.
The Reds do, however, have a great deal going for them and remain one of the best run clubs in the game.
They will be playing in a new stadium at Barton next season with possibly a new coach in charge and no doubt new ambitions.
“The stadium is a big boost for us and it is fair to say I am quietly confident we will be awarded another franchise,” said Simms. “We have progressed as a club, we are ambitious and I am still quietly confident that we will enjoy success this season.
“We are building for the future and we are definitely a long way in front of many other clubs in terms of structure, facilities but most importantly the way a business is operated.
“Another pleasing factor is the way home-grown youngsters are coming through and coming into the team. Last week against Hull KR we were forced to throw in two 17-year-olds, yet both put their hand up and contributed to a great victory.
“The future is very bright and there is a great deal going for this club.”
Reds should find out by early July if they have been successful in securing one of the franchises.
Meanwhile, Ashley Gibson looks set to return for the Reds against Les Catalan on Saturday night after recovering from a hamstring injury, while Ray Cashmere will be back following his suspension.
Salford, however, will still be without injured duo Feka Paleaaesina and Vinnie Anderson.
The squad fly out to France today, with Simms taking as many players possible with Reds having suffered from late withdrawls through injury ahead of recent matches.
“We can’t take any chances of arriving in France and finding ourselves short of players,” said Simms. This will be a tough game but we want to build on a great win last week.”
What do you think? Have your say.
D-day looms: Salford Reds scrap to stay with Super League elite
March 24, 2011
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Were in. Widnes in for Wakefield to make the 14 the RFL wanted in the first place.
The SL needs as many clubs in big cities as possible and that is why the RFL should keep the Reds in the SL.. Aclub in a big city means better media exposure and that is something RL should treasure. Smaller markets do not generate much media attention and these days TV coverage rules most sports. With good TV coverage you open up the game to fans nationwide and so encourage new support.
Good luck to the Reds in their search for a new backrow forward, preferably one with no injury baggage! torred
If we are so incredibly well run why are we so crap?
Seats are RED!
My question, if the decision is made early in July, half way through the season, what is the point of the team who loses the franchise carrying on, the fans won't turn up and the players will be looking for other clubs, knowing that no matter what they do they will still go out. The extreme is a club could be on track towards a Wembley final and be told no future in the League and the decline will start. If one club don't carry on because they are out their future games will give an unfare advantage to the teams that play them after the decision has been made they could be running cricket scores against a squad made up of under 20s, we have seen the effect on the team when one player knows early in the season they are off to a better offer at the end of the season.