Salford Red Devils have been given £315,000 from the council in “immediate” financial support. The rugby league club, who play at Salford Community Stadium, said the money will help to secure its financial sustainability. The funds were sent to Salford City Red Limited on February 28 after a request from the club, which was put in special measures over its finances last year. Salford Mayor Paul Dennett approved the decision to transfer the money last week in consultation with councillors Jack Youd and John Merry. It was treated as “urgent” and avoided being called to a scrutiny meeting where councillors could debate the decision. The council recently decided to buy the Salford Community Stadium outright in what was seen as a major boost for the rugby league club and its future prospects. A Salford council spokesperson said: “The full acquisition of the stadium is going through many stages of pre-scrutiny and decision making engagement along with financial and legal diligence. “As we move towards the start of a new future for the community stadium and a sustainable financial plan for the club, we have agreed temporary, reasonable and proportionate financial support of £315,000 in line with the Subsidy Control Act. “This will support the club to get on a firm footing as we move to the next stage. “Salford City Council continues to recognise the value of Salford Red Devils to the city and local community and the importance of the club continuing to play in Salford.” Leader of Salford Conservatives, Councillor Robin Garrido, said the decision was made without his input and could end up hurting Salford residents with higher council tax. He said: “This is not the first time it’s happened, over the last few years we’ve had urgent requests for money because they’d run out. “This is the club that will be paying rent on the stadium, if they can’t even afford to run the club how can we justify buying it without sufficient income? “The whole thing doesn’t stand up.” Mr Garrido added that the club was given £170,000 last year which has not yet been repaid. He raised concerns about the decision being made without being scrutinised by councillors. He said: “We were not able to give our view on it, we’re being gagged. We’re the official opposition on the council but we can’t comment properly on something that significant. “How can they find that sort of money at the drop of a hat, we’re not talking about £10 here. We can’t keep on with this, that stadium is going to cost taxpayers every year.” Salford Red Devils rejected claims that they can’t pay their own way. A club spokesperson said: “On this occasion, we have received financial support from the local authority to secure the financial sustainability of the club – and one reason we have received this is due to unnecessary delay and obstruction from the current opposition which has set the budgeted timeline back. “To challenge the perpetual false narrative that the club seemingly does not pay its way, we would also like to be clear that the club have paid and continue to pay rent on a monthly basis that is higher than any amount paid by any of the club’s previous ownership since moving into the Salford Community Stadium.” The club said it has tens of thousands of people coming through the turnstiles each year. It added that as part of the lease to play at Salford Community Stadium, it pays eight percent of its ticketing revenue, and has not made “a penny” from in-stadia food and drinks sales during its tenancy. Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Salford Red Devils are rightly acknowledged in the council’s Statement of Strategic Intent for the acquisition of the Salford Community Stadium as a 150-year-old institution in our city, a significant cultural contributor, and we expect them to be a key part of our planned city-wide Rugby Strategy. “By providing this temporary financial support, we are securing the future of rugby league within Salford, as well as ensuring the successful delivery of the regeneration and social value benefits due from the council’s purchase of Salford Community Stadium, finally delivering on the visions first articulated 14 years ago. “The Conservative Party nationally has recognised the importance of securing the future of Rugby League in this county, with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport providing an emergency support of £16 million to the Rugby Football League during the Covid-19 pandemic. “It’s disappointing that Councillor Garrido does not share this enthusiasm for supporting rugby within our Salford.”
