Salford CEO addresses player sales before harsh special measures prediction

Salford Red Devils CEO Chris Irwin has warned the club may remain under special measures for a while yet: with delays over crucial funding to help ease restrictions continuing.

The Red Devils are limited to a £1.2million sustainability cap, meaning they are hamstrung with who they can select each week. A number of key players were notably missing for Friday’s Challenge Cup win over Bradford.

But the crisis surrounding Salford has gone a step further in recent days, with Marc Sneyd sold to Warrington and more player sales now becoming a distinct possibility.

And Irwin told BBC Radio Manchester that he hopes the club will be on a much better footing come April: but there is still a wait for significant funding from the club’s new ownership group to arrive.

However, he stressed the club would have no problems meeting payroll in March.

He said: “In terms of the large funds that we’re hoping to come over that will really elevate the club and kick it on, we’re going to be waiting for those funds a little longer than we hoped for but through March pay, we’ll be fine with that.

“Come April, we hope the large funds come into the club and we hope we can really kick on on the pitch but off the pitch as well.”

But Irwin did admit that there is not much chance of restrictions being lifted on the club in the short-term.

He said: “I think that will be the case for another couple of weeks unfortunately. The RFL need to see liquidity in our bank account. We need the large funds to come over and we need the £500,000 central distribution paid back to the RFL.”