Salford Red Devils coach delivers payroll update as Leigh Leopards game admission made

Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley insists his side will take to the field against Leigh Leopards on Saturday night even if they haven’t received their wages by then.

The Red Devils‘ staff, including their playing group, are scheduled to be paid on the last Thursday of each month.

Due to the way the calendar has fallen this month, their wages for April should be received tomorrow, on April 24.

With the club’s financial plight still ongoing, there are still question marks over whether payroll will indeed be fulfilled as scheduled having not been for the last two months.

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Paul Rowley: ‘I think the players are very understanding and quite relaxed about the situation’

Last month, then-club captain Kallum Watkins and long-serving utility Chris Atkin refused to take to the field away against Wigan Warriors having been paid late. Watkins has now departed Salford, completing a return to Leeds Rhinos last week.

But Rowley remains confident that whatever the outcome on the payroll front this month, there will be no issues with his squad playing against Leigh on Saturday evening at the Salford Community Stadium.

Speaking in Wednesday morning’s pre-match press conference, the Red Devils head coach said: “I think we’ve got a group of players there now that are understanding of the situation a little bit, and that narrative is hopefully drifting away.

“We’ve got some good leaders and good people who are really understanding of the situation, and understanding that the stadium deal is going to be the catalyst for funds.

“Up until that point, we know it’s a struggle and things are sometimes 24/48 hours late.

“This month, it’s coming early in terms of payroll and the calendar, so I think the players are very understanding and quite relaxed about the situation.

“It is tomorrow and there is a lot of this day left to communicate (to us) if that’s not going to be the case.”

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‘I’m confident it’ll come, whether it’s tomorrow, the day after, or the day after that’

The only new absentee in Salford’s squad is Matty Foster, who failed a HIA during last weekend’s defeat against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan, and won’t be available against Leigh as a result.

Deon Cross now hasn’t been seen at the Salford Community Stadium for close to two weeks, while Papua New Guinea international Nene Macdonald is back in Australia with his wife after the birth of their child.

Rowley continued: “I think the players have got a good understanding at the minute, and there are other clubs that have been late on pay as well but don’t get a mention.

“Other clubs haven’t been taken over when they were meant to have been, but obviously we are the highlight and it’s been a fair old journey up until now.

“I’ll stay positive in thinking there’s something good to look forward to, and if that’s not the case, then we’ll move on.

“But I’m confident it’ll come, whether it’s tomorrow, the day after, or the day after that, we’ll be right.”

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