Former Salford Red Devils star delivers emotional response to club’s plight

Ex-Salford star Gil Dudson has passed his well wishes onto his former Red Devils team-mates and colleagues amid their current financial plight, detailing just how tough it will be for them having previously been in this situation himself.

Dudson made 62 appearances for the Red Devils across two stints, representing them in both the 2019 Super League Grand Final and 2020 Challenge Cup Final before returning last year for a season-long loan from Warrington Wolves.

Under Paul Rowley’s tutelage in 2024, he featured 16 times across all competitions to help Salford into the play-offs.

Former Salford Red Devils star delivers emotional response to club’s plight

The 19-time Wales international has moved onto pastures new ahead of 2025, bringing an end to his full-time career and joining ambitious Championship outfit Oldham.

But in the months since his departure from Salford, the Red Devils have become embroiled in huge financial difficulties, with their future in the game still hanging in the balance.

Speaking to LoveRugbyLeague last weekend about the situation at Salford following a pre-season friendly between Oldham and reigning Super League champions Wigan Warriors, Dudson said: “It’s not great to see, it’s not good for the game.

“Salford over the last six or seven years have been a real consistent team pushing at the top end of that Super League table, massively pushing above their weight.

“It’s a club that holds a fond place in my heart. I had some real success there and reinvigorated the second half of my career, so I would like to see them stay in the game. Ideally, that’d be with a competitive squad as well.

“I believe from what I’ve read that there’s someone interested in buying the club, but it seems as though it might come a bit too late because they’re already being hit with these sanctions where they’ve got to move players on.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s the nature of the beast at the end of the day.”

‘My heart goes out to the lads at the minute… Rugby league is a great sport, but it’s not massively remunerated’

Indeed, the Red Devils have been told they need to move players on by the RFL, and most of those are people Dudson shared a dressing room just a few short months ago.

Dudson himself is no stranger to a situation like this having been through similar with both Crusaders and Widnes Vikings.

The 34-year-old detailed: “I had a similar situation at Crusaders, and the same when Widnes got relegated as well, so I’ve had it a couple of times.

“With Crusaders, I’d signed a long-term deal there and then the previous owners pulled the pin, they didn’t want to stump the cash up to give the confidence to the RFL that they were in it for the long-term.

“Thankfully, I was younger, single and I didn’t have a young family at the time.

“My heart goes out to the lads at the minute (at Salford) given the situation that they’re in, those with families in particular.

“Rugby league is a great sport, but it’s not massively remunerated either, so lads do depend on those contracts and you plan your life accordingly.

“Boys will be there with mortgages, multiple children and it’s not a great spot to be in. Hopefully things will end up panning out for the best.”

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