Salford owner Q&A: Transfers, coaching plans, name change and long-term vision

Former Salford Red Devils winger Mason Caton-Brown has successfully led a team that have acquired the old club’s playing licence to compete in the Championship in 2026.

Caton-Brown’s consortium were given the green light by the Rugby Football League this week – and they now have just over three weeks to build a club from scratch going into the Championship opener against Oldham.

This week, Love Rugby League met Caton-Brown to get his take on everything that has happened, his plans for a new-look Salford – and so much more. Here is that discussion in full.

Love Rugby League (LRL): It must be a relief to get the winning bid – but does the hard work start now?

Mason Caton-Brown (MCB): Definitely. It’s been a very tough five or six weeks getting this bid together. But there was huge relief and excitement at the same time. We’ve now got to get to work.

LRL: What was it that made a former rugby league player want to launch a professional club? Why Salford?

MCB: It was just a feeling. It all happened very quickly and Paul Hancock, bizarrely, used to be my player sponsor and we’ve stayed in contact throughout the years. I’ve got businesses in the Manchester and Salford area and when the previous club was in trouble, we spoke about going in together. I just wanted to help: this club means a lot to me.

LRL: What was it that made a former rugby league player want to launch a professional club? Why Salford?

MCB: It was just a feeling. It all happened very quickly and Paul Hancock, bizarrely, used to be my player sponsor and we’ve stayed in contact throughout the years. I’ve got businesses in the Manchester and Salford area and when the previous club was in trouble, we spoke about going in together. I just wanted to help: this club means a lot to me.

LRL: What was it that made a former rugby league player want to launch a professional club? Why Salford?

MCB: It was just a feeling. It all happened very quickly and Paul Hancock, bizarrely, used to be my player sponsor and we’ve stayed in contact throughout the years. I’ve got businesses in the Manchester and Salford area and when the previous club was in trouble, we spoke about going in together. I just wanted to help: this club means a lot to me.

LRL: Were your previous ties as a player instrumental in launching the bid?

MCB: Without a doubt. It’s a very special club to be a part of. I moved there as a 21-year-old and the whole community embraced me and took me in. Even when I left and played for other teams, the fans always showed me lots of love if I returned. I wanted to give something back to them and try and help their club.

LRL: The IP rights of the previous club appear to be a complex issue. Does that lead to the possibility of there being a name change – and is there appetite to start with a new name?

MCB: Let me be clear: this will always be a Salford club. There have been lots of rumours about Manchester but this is Salford rugby league, and it will have Salford at the heart of it. We’re going to pick a name that fits the ethos and culture of the club.

LRL: Could you retain the Red Devils name at this stage?

MCB: It will most likely be a new start and a new name. We want to make sure we’re doing it right though, and we will be engaging with our fans every step of the way on what that could look like.

LRL: How do you plan on rebuilding relations between the Salford fans and its rugby league club?

MCB: There’s no doubting we have to earn trust after what’s happened. We’re starting from scratch here so we have to be as open, honest and transparent as we can be. We’re going to be doing a fans forum in January just after the New Year to get everyone down at the stadium and bring the actual fans back together. These last 12 months have been horrible and we want to get everyone associated with the club back together and on the same page.

LRL: There will be a lot of questions and queries about players – but how important is it to get an off-field staff that can run the club as a first priority?

MCB: That’s big. We need to build a foundation inside the club first and foremost and have that stability of staff and management. We’re doing that right now, and then obviously we’re going to put pen to paper with a coach.

LRL: What will your role be? Will you take a hands-on, day-to-day running of the club?

MCB: I’ll be as involved as much as I need to be: we’ve got a good team behind us. These guys like Paul and Malcolm have been supporters for 20-odd years, they’ve been investing in the club and as a group we’re doing the same thing.

LRL: What does success look like in year one? Given what the fans have been through, is it more preferential to have stability over success?

MCB: I think the fans want stability but they want transparency and honesty. We’re going to give them that and we’re going to deliver that as a priority. Whatever success we have is a bonus in our first year, and I think the fans understand that. I’m an ex-player: I want to go into every game wanting to win – please don’t think otherwise. But we don’t want this club to be in this situation ever again. 

LRL: The big question: how confident can you be that you’ll have a full squad ready to go to face Oldham – and will you have to use the loan market?

MCB: We’ll definitely get a squad together. We’ve got players that are ready to sign and we’re going to be doing that in the next few days and we’re speaking to Super League clubs to get some agreements in place too, as you mention.

LRL: And the coach?

MCB: He’s ready to go. We want to have a coach that fits the right culture and this guy is exactly that.

LRL: Finally, it’s a short turnaround to the Oldham game – but it’s a huge opportunity to relaunch the club. Are you confident supporters will return in big numbers or do you think you’ll have to earn trust?

MCB: We’re really targeting this game to be a celebration of survival – it’s big for rugby league history in Salford. We want to make this a big celebration and tell the world Salford rugby league has gone nowhere. We’re willing to earn trust; so long as we’re open and transparent with everyone, I think we’ll get it. It’s going to be a busy Christmas period – but I can’t complain.