Derek Beaumont guiding new Salford consortium as unexpected role revealed

Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has revealed that he has been assisting a newly-formed consortium in their efforts to launch a new Salford phoenix club.

In their current form under the ‘Red Devils’ tagline, Salford were officially wound up on Wednesday morning.

Following numerous adjournments in the High Court, the winding-up petition against them from HMRC was finally passed with the hearing in London lasting less than 60 seconds.

With liquidation proceedings ongoing, it means that if Salford are to continue in 2026 and beyond, they will have to do so with a newly-formed club – a phoenix club.

And there are numerous parties interested in being the people that lead that phoenix club.

‘There’s another consortium which I personally think is right for the club, and I’ve helped those people come together’

It has already been confirmed that former Red Devils CEO Chris Irwin is among one consortium interested.

But now, Leopards owner Beaumont has revealed that he has been assisting another group of six. He is not one of the six, but has been their go-between for numerous items on the agenda, including connecting them to the RFL.

Speaking to a selection of media, including LoveRugbyLeague, on Wednesday evening at Leigh’s 2026 home kit launch, he explained: ” There’s a consortium involving Chris Irwin.

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“But I also know there’s another consortium which I personally think is right for the club (Salford), and I’ve helped those people come together.

“I’ve helped them with a lot of advice because that’s what I did back in the day for Leigh.

“I’ve spoken to (Mayor of Greater Manchester) Andy Burnham about that process, connected them (the consortium) to the RFL and explained to them all of the things they need to do.

“They’re a group of people that have got six figures in the bank and a commitment from the same people to do the same again for at least the next two years.

“They’ve brought some good advisors in, they’ve got all the sponsorship in place, a shirt designed and ready to go and I can help with that (via DeBeau Performance).

“And they’ve also got a very good Salford person who can front that up for them.”

‘Salford will have a future and be competing next year, I think that’s massively important’

There are only around six weeks now until Salford are scheduled to begin their new season having been relegated from Super League into the Championship.

But Beaumont says the group he is assisting are well down the line with their plans, perhaps further than any other interested party.

He continued: “They’re a long way ahead, but they’ve remained quiet (until now) because it’s not appropriate to start saying, ‘you’re going to have another Salford rugby club’ when one still exists and until it’s been dealt with, which it has been today (Wednesday).

“I think you’ll probably formally hear tomorrow (Thursday) about that, who it is and what it is.

“Salford will have a future and be competing next year, I think that’s massively important. I was born in Salford and they’re my second club, if you will, though I’ve no financial involvement there and I never will have.

“You’ve got to hit rock bottom before you can get up there. You look how passionate their fans are, and I believe that with the right people behind it, (it can succeed).

“They (the consortium) have got some smart people involved who really care, and some people with money.”

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