When the new Super League campaign starts in February with the visit of Castleford, Salford City Reds will be right at home in their new state-of-the-art stadium at Barton.

Loyal fans, starved of success in recent years, are anticipating a fresh start.

Long-serving chairman John Wilkinson – who will mark 30 years at the helm in January – will make the move from the club’s old Willows ground safe in the knowledge that his team’s top-flight franchise status in guaranteed for at least the next three years.

New head coach Phil Veivers will be charged with building success on the field, while Salford’s chiefs will face the task of bolstering crowd numbers to fill the new ground.

With the move-in date fast approaching and the finishing touches being put to building work, M.E.N. Sport has canvassed the views of a group with the hopes and dreams of Salford Reds at heart.

The chief executive – Dave Tarry

The Salford City Stadium is a new beginning and, realistically, it is the only opportunity for the club to remain playing at the highest level and for us to become a major force in the game once more.

We have been in survival mode for many, many years due to a basic lack of support and very little in the way of income generating opportunities. The support base is not sufficient for us to survive as a Super League club. The financial support of the directors has been our only salvation - a task for which they are not readily thanked by the fans.

It is well documented that a £4m turnover is the minimum required to support a team operating at full salary cap and that’s not even necessarily a successful team.

The club has done well to stay alive and operate at the top level while many other famous names have not – Oldham, Leigh, Swinton, Featherstone, Widnes, Halifax – the list goes on, but we have never even come close to generating that level of turnover. The stadium brings hope that we can.

The answer lies ahead and we have always stated that this club can not break out of the doldrums until it breaks out of the inner city.

We are grateful to Salford City Council, who had the vision to recognise the positive influences of successful sport to a community and as importantly as a regional driver in promoting its values and spark economic growth. The new stadium opens the club up to a new audience and we can re-establish ourselves as a regional club playing a national game.

It also brings the intriguing possibility that Salford City Reds is now much more attractive to outside investment. There is an impressive precedent here with Simon Moran at Warrington, Adam Pearson at Hull and Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City.

None of these clubs were in any way attractive to this new money prior to their move to new stadia.

Sport is about competing and about belief – people will have to buy into what we are trying to achieve.

The player – Luke Patten

All the boys are very excited and pumped up at the prospect of playing at Barton.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Salford to really take off and I can’t wait to be out there. This will be the first time I have been involved with a club starting a new season at a brand new first-class venue.

As a team, we are back to normal pretty much following Matt Parish’s return to Australia. We simply have to move on and do what we do.

Everyone is working very hard under our new head coach Phil Veivers. Sean Long has also come on board as assistant coach and he has been pretty good.

Moving to a new venue brings pressure just as it did last season when we were hoping to make the final season at The Willows special.

No-one could have foreseen what would happen but, as I say, we now look forward to being at our new home.

We have still not seen the stadium but we realise we have got to be strong there as a team and make sure the opposition know they are going to be tested.

Back in Australia, Newcastle and Brisbane were always special venues with big crowds right behind their teams.

I was never particularly happy with my own performances against Cronulla at Shark Park. This was the case even when we won. I am certainly hoping to enjoy my footy at Barton. I’ll definitely benefit from having a full Super League season under my belt.

We plan to start well. Our training has been very good and there is a lot of determination and unity.

We have two very good wingers in Jodie Broughton and Danny Williams. There is no reason why they can’t become two of the most dangerous widemen in the competition. They have the pace and ability to excite, they could really go well at Barton and hopefully the fans will turn out in numbers.

The fanzine editor – Ian Peacock

Salford’s first game at Barton against Castleford is very important.

It needs promoting correctly; the team must perform and hopefully win.

A club can build a fanbase by having a team that goes out and competes every week - we know we won’t win every game.

The massive crowd for the final game at the Willows last season proves that the potential for support is there.

These people must become involved at Barton. More information from within the club is also needed.

Last season was turmoil. We saw four different head coaches but we didn’t fall apart as a team and credit must go to the players for this.

There has been very little squad strengthening in readiness for 2012 but there is talent within the team. The pack has to achieve and set a platform.

Many fans are disillusioned right now. Head coach Matt Parish has left and judgments will be made on his character. You can criticise him for walking away but there were clearly issues and he rubbed certain people up the wrong way. However, the dust now appears to be settling.

The disillusionment of some fans is tempered by the optimism of others, but in some cases that is rose tinted.

Debates on message boards quickly descend into arguments - especially talks of a ground-share with Sale Sharks.

If this happens and there is a bun fight for new people to watch rugby at Barton, we must show we have the superior product.

The Super League action must be top drawer. One of the best advertisements for Rugby League is Rugby Union. I would take five minutes action from the Four Nations any day over what we saw in the Rugby Union World Cup.

The fan – Danny Gray, founder of Forever Reds

There is not much excitement for the new season from what I can hear. There seems a lack of motivation to get behind the team.

I’ve never felt so distant and things seem poorly organised.

There’s a feeling of wanting everything from us as fans but there is nothing in return.

Matt Parish was a poor appointment in the first place. It was a desperation appointment and it portrayed insecurity. We just have to try and battle on. I’ve no problem with Phil Veivers as coach - the players want to play for him and that’s a positive.

If the target is 8,000 fans at home games, the product must be right. It appears far from being right at this stage and Salford really need to make a go of things from the word go at Barton.

The football director – Steve Simms

The Salford club has worked incredibly hard over a number of years to make the new stadium happen.

Now it’s here, it’s a fantastic venue and it’s all systems go. Pre-season training has been outstanding.

Everyone cannot wait to be finally up and running at what is a top class venue. In my view the location at Barton is one of the best in sport. It has everything.

It’s a brand new home to be proud of and we are all looking forward to the new season.

Yes, it’s an important campaign and standards will continue to rise in Super League.