The winding-up petition has been adjourned—again. For the third time in 2025, Salford Red Devils have been granted a reprieve by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, receiving a two-week extension to secure the funds necessary to settle debts exceeding £700,000. The ownership group, led by a consortium fronted by Swiss entrepreneur Dario Berta and managed through Jacobsen Venture Group, has once more promised that salvation is imminent—funds will arrive “within the next 12 days,” they insist. But for the loyal supporters of this storied Manchester club, promises have become worthless currency in a season defined by betrayal, humiliation, and the unthinkable: relegation from the Super League for the first time in 17 years.
This is not merely a story about unpaid tax bills or administrative failures. This is the systematic dismantling of a rugby league institution that has stood since 1873, a club that once competed at the pinnacle of the sport and now stands on the precipice of oblivion. What happened to Salford Red Devils in 2025 represents a cautionary tale about the fragility of sporting legacy when placed in the wrong hands—and a damning indictment of the governance structures that allowed this crisis to unfold unchecked.
The Takeover That Promised Everything and Delivered Nothing
When the Berta-led consortium completed their takeover in February 2025, the messaging was unequivocal. “The new owners have cleared all club debt and will deliver significant investment for the club’s future growth. This is the start of a very bright future,” Berta announced. Salford had narrowly avoided financial collapse in late 2024 by requesting an advance on their central distribution, and the new ownership was positioned as the club’s saviour.
The reality could not have been more different. Within weeks, the first wages were paid late. By March, it happened again. The sustainability cap imposed by the Rugby Football League—a mechanism designed to protect clubs from financial overextension—began to restrict team selections as Salford’s financial position deteriorated. What followed was an exodus of talent that would gut the squad beyond recognition.
Captain Kallum Watkins departed to Leeds Rhinos in April, a move the club admitted was necessary to “protect our long-term future”. Marc Sneyd, the experienced half-back who had been integral to Salford’s 2024 playoff run, signed for Warrington Wolves on an 18-month deal. Prop Brad Singleton joined Castleford Tigers. Centre Tim Lafai left. Deon Cross and Chris Atkin followed.
By August, the situation had become catastrophic. After a humiliating 74-12 defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers on 31 July—a match that exposed the hollowed-out squad—club captain Ryan Brierley and prop Jack Ormondroyd were sold to Championship side Oldham to raise funds to pay creditors. Veterans Chris Hill and Chris Hankinson also departed in the same week. Nene Macdonald, a key component of Salford’s 2024 playoff team, had been placed on unpaid leave in June.
Of the 17-man squad that faced Leigh Leopards in the 2024 Super League playoffs, only five players remained by August 2025. The club fielded makeshift teams filled with academy prospects and loan players, many of whom met their teammates for the first time on the bus to matches. The nadir came on 10 August, when Salford were demolished 80-6 by Hull FC, conceding 14 tries in one of the most lopsided defeats in Super League history.
When Player Welfare Becomes Collateral Damage
Behind the scorelines and statistics lies a story of profound human suffering. Ryan Brierley, a lifelong Salford supporter who had achieved his childhood dream of captaining his boyhood club, delivered a statement that should haunt everyone involved in this debacle. “This season has been incredibly tough, mentally, emotionally and physically. It’s been the most difficult period of my career, and I’ve done everything I can to keep going, to stay strong, to keep believing in better days ahead,” Brierley said upon his departure.
In April, Brierley had publicly spoken about the “deteriorating mental health” of players forced to perform while wages arrived late and the club’s future remained uncertain. Head coach Paul Rowley, who would later depart for St Helens after the club’s relegation was confirmed, described the situation as “surreal” and acknowledged meeting players on the team bus for the first time before matches.
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The financial chaos reached such severity that in August, Salford’s scheduled Super League match against Wakefield Trinity was cancelled over “significant” player welfare concerns—the club had only 13 players available for selection, one short of a legal matchday squad, and only two had previous Super League experience. On the day the match should have been played, supporters staged a protest at the stadium, their anger directed squarely at the ownership group that had presided over this collapse.
Senior players threatened strike action in July as wages continued to be delayed. Chief Executive Chris Irwin resigned less than three months into his tenure. Chief Operating Officer Claire Bradbury departed after making explosive allegations that she had been told to “sleep with an individual at the RFL” to alleviate the club’s financial troubles—claims that added another layer of scandal to an already toxic situation.
Jacobsen Venture Group and the Vanishing Investment
The consortium’s structure and legitimacy have been subjects of intense scrutiny throughout this crisis. Jacobsen Management, the investment group linked to the ownership consortium, was introduced to Salford City Council by representatives of the club as potential buyers of Salford Community Stadium, which the team shares with Premiership Rugby’s Sale Sharks. The ownership’s strategy appeared predicated on acquiring the stadium—a £14 million asset—as the foundation for their promised investment.
In May, those ambitions collapsed spectacularly. Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett formally ended all negotiations with Jacobsen Management, stating it had “not been possible for the council to progress negotiations and carry out a detailed due diligence exercise as required in a timely manner”. The statement was diplomatic, but the implication was damning: the council could not verify the financial credentials or documentation provided by the consortium.
Subsequent investigations revealed even more troubling details. Reports emerged in September alleging that owners Isiosaia Kailahi and Curtiz Brown had attempted to purchase the £14 million stadium using what were described as “fraudulent bank documents from Emirates”. While these claims remain unverified in court, they contributed to a growing narrative of an ownership group operating beyond its means and credibility.
The ownership’s public communications have been characterised by a pattern of promises made and broken. In mid-October, the group announced an “important announcement” would be made within a week that would “unify all supporters and stakeholders”. That announcement never materialised. Thirteen days later, after the third HMRC adjournment, they finally issued a statement—not to apologise for the silence or explain the delay, but simply to claim that funding had been “formally secured” and would arrive within 12 days.
The repeated adjournments have followed a consistent pattern: the ownership promises a bridging loan is imminent, secures another extension, and then fails to deliver. The loan was first promised in late August, then mid-September, then October, and now supposedly by 12 November. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Salford Mayor Paul Dennett issued a joint statement expressing their “disappointment” at yet another adjournment, stating: “It is increasingly difficult to see how repeated delays serve the best interests of Salford Red Devils or the wider rugby league community”.
Fan group The 1873, formed this summer in response to the crisis, has launched petitions calling for intervention from the Rugby Football League and Salford City Council to remove the current ownership. In October, Krisnan Inu—the club’s assistant coach who had been appointed director of Jacobsen Venture Group Ltd—resigned from his directorship position, a development The 1873 described as “a highly significant indicator of his dwindling confidence in the ownership”.
Relegation Confirmed: The IMG Grading System’s Verdict
While the financial crisis dominated headlines throughout the season, the on-field consequences were equally catastrophic. Salford finished bottom of the Super League table with just three wins from their entire campaign—a shocking fall from grace for a club that had reached the playoffs under Paul Rowley’s guidance in 2024, finishing fourth with a thrilling, attacking brand of rugby.
When IMG’s club gradings were announced on 15 October, Salford’s fate was sealed. The club dropped from 12th place in the 2024 rankings (with a score of 13.97) to 15th in 2025 (scoring just 12.65). The grading system, introduced as part of rugby league’s “Reimagining Rugby League” initiative, assesses clubs across five pillars: on-field performance, fandom, finance, stadium, and community engagement.
Salford’s decline was evident across almost every metric. Their performance score plummeted as they finished last in the table. Their finance score, while marginally improved from 2.15 to 2.30, reflected data from the 2022-24 seasons and did not capture the full extent of 2025’s financial carnage. The club was also deducted 0.25 points for breaching operational rules regarding team selection in their opening fixture against St Helens—they had fielded an understrength team due to the sustainability cap restrictions imposed on their spending.
The club opted not to submit a formal application for one of the two additional Super League spots that would be awarded by an independent panel as part of the competition’s expansion to 14 teams. Given that applicants would face “rigorous financial scrutiny” specifically introduced in response to Salford’s collapse, it’s understandable why the ownership chose not to subject themselves to that level of examination.
Bradford Bulls, who finished 10th in the IMG rankings with a score of 14.81—a remarkable improvement from their 16th-place finish (12.15) in 2024—will take Salford’s place in Super League for the 2026 season. It marks the Bulls’ return to the top flight after 11 years, following their own liquidation and subsequent rebuilding through the lower divisions.
The contrast between Bradford’s trajectory and Salford’s could not be starker. While the Bulls have been praised for their “club-centric approach,” sustainable financial management, and community engagement under CEO Jason Hirst and head coach Kurt Haggerty—who incidentally left Salford in September to join Bradford—the Red Devils have become a case study in how not to run a rugby league club.
Losing the Architect of Salford’s Revival
If there was one individual who symbolised what Salford could be under proper stewardship, it was head coach Paul Rowley. Appointed in 2022 after three years as a coaching consultant, Rowley transformed the Red Devils from perennial underachievers into genuine playoff contenders. His attacking, high-tempo style of play thrilled supporters and earned respect across the competition. In 2024, he guided Salford to fourth place in the Super League table—their best finish in years—and a playoff semi-final appearance against St Helens.
Rowley’s loyalty to Salford throughout the 2025 crisis was extraordinary. As the squad disintegrated around him, as wages went unpaid, and as the club lurched from one disaster to another, Rowley remained at his post. Interim CEO Paul King described him as “a stoic presence” whose “unwavering commitment was a steadying influence on the squad and staff”. Rob Parkinson, host of the fan podcast ‘Devil in the Detail,’ stated: “If Paul Rowley had gone during the season, the wheels would have really fallen off, because he stayed and was able to keep the players playing, and keep the fans sort of on side”.
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But loyalty has its limits. On 15 October—the same day Salford’s relegation was confirmed—the club announced Rowley’s immediate departure to take up the head coach position at St Helens ahead of the 2026 season. For a man who had been expected to transition into a director of rugby role at Salford, with assistant Kurt Haggerty taking over as head coach, the decision to leave was telling. Both coaches are now at different clubs—Rowley at St Helens, Haggerty at Bradford—leaving Salford without the leadership that had provided the only semblance of stability through this catastrophic year.
The club’s statement on Rowley’s departure was gracious but tinged with resignation. “Unfortunately, the failure to retain a Super League place resulting in a further player exodus is heartbreaking, and clearly Paul now has to consider his own future within the sport, which I fully understand,” King said. Translation: even Rowley could not remain aboard a sinking ship.
Championship Football and an Uncertain Future
Salford Red Devils will compete in the Championship in 2026—their first season outside the top flight since 2008. The club’s statement following relegation was remarkably upbeat given the circumstances, claiming they remain “committed to developing across all areas and look forward to building toward a strong 2026 campaign in the Betfred Championship”. Yet this optimism rings hollow when the club’s very existence remains dependent on a winding-up petition hearing scheduled for 12 November.
If the ownership fails to pay HMRC in full by that date—and their track record provides little confidence—the club faces liquidation. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Salford Mayor Paul Dennett have been in discussions with the Rugby Football League about the potential entry of a “Salford Red Devils phoenix club” into the Championship, a contingency plan that speaks volumes about the gravity of the situation.
The supporters, represented by fan group The 1873, have been abandoned by an ownership that promised the world and delivered ashes. Their club—founded in 1873, older than the Football League itself—has been brought to its knees not by sporting failure but by financial mismanagement and what appears to be either gross incompetence or something more sinister.
Interim CEO Paul King has admitted he “strongly doubts” the club can field a team in 2026 unless substantial financial assistance arrives. The ownership’s statement that they have “consistently met wage obligations under difficult conditions” and continue to “tackle over £3 million in inherited debt” attempts to frame them as victims of circumstance rather than architects of disaster. But the evidence tells a different story—of delayed wages, mass player departures, failed stadium deals, allegations of fraudulent documents, and broken promise after broken promise.
The Systemic Failure: Where Were the Safeguards?
Beyond the immediate crisis at Salford lies a more uncomfortable question: how was this allowed to happen? The Rugby Football League approved the consortium’s takeover in February 2025, despite warning signs that should have triggered deeper scrutiny. The sustainability cap—designed to prevent exactly this type of financial overreach—was imposed only after the damage was done. By the time regulatory action was taken, the club had already begun its spiral.
The IMG grading system, while innovative in attempting to professionalise rugby league club operations, has itself come under scrutiny. Clubs have openly discussed finding “loopholes” to acquire points, with one club reportedly installing LED advertising boards for a single match solely to boost their stadium score. The system’s financial pillar uses data from previous seasons, meaning Salford’s 2025 catastrophe won’t fully reflect in their grading until future years—by which time the club may not exist.
Super League clubs met in October to discuss returning to traditional promotion and relegation rather than the grading system, describing it as a “blank canvas” discussion. The fact that this conversation is happening now—after Salford’s relegation and Bradford’s promotion have exposed the system’s flaws—suggests reactive rather than proactive governance.
The Salford City Council’s role also merits examination. The council part-owns Salford Community Stadium and had loaned almost £200,000 to the club in 2014 to keep them afloat. Yet when Jacobsen Management was introduced as potential stadium buyers, the council’s due diligence process took months before ultimately collapsing—time during which the club’s financial position deteriorated further.
The Supporters’ Burden: Carrying a 152-Year Legacy
Throughout this entire nightmare, one group has remained constant: the supporters. The 1873 fan group—named for the year of the club’s founding—has organised protests, launched petitions, and demanded accountability from owners who have shown none. When the match against Wakefield was cancelled in August, fans turned up anyway to protest. When the ownership went silent for weeks, fans kept showing up to watch a decimated team get hammered week after week.
These supporters have watched their club humiliated with an 82-0 defeat to St Helens, an 80-6 thrashing by Hull FC, a 74-12 loss to Hull Kingston Rovers, and countless other heavy defeats. They’ve seen their childhood heroes like Ryan Brierley—a local lad who achieved his dream of captaining Salford—forced out in tears. They’ve watched a club built over 152 years nearly destroyed in a single catastrophic season.
And still they stand by their club, because that’s what supporters do. They carry the weight of history and tradition when those entrusted with the club’s stewardship have shown themselves unworthy of it. The question now is whether there will be a club left for them to support come 2026.
A Warning to All of Rugby League
Salford Red Devils’ fall from Super League playoff contenders to Championship relegation and potential extinction in the space of 12 months represents one of the most dramatic collapses in modern British sport. This is not a story about sporting underperformance—this is a story about systemic failure at every level. Failed ownership. Failed governance. Failed due diligence. Failed regulation.
When the next HMRC hearing takes place on 12 November, the fate of a 152-year-old institution will be decided. If the promised funds finally materialise—and that remains a very big “if”—Salford may survive to compete in the Championship. If not, the phoenix club contingency plan will be activated, and the Salford Red Devils as currently constituted will cease to exist.
Either way, the damage is done. A generation of players has been traumatised. A community has been betrayed. A sporting legacy has been desecrated. And rugby league must ask itself: if this can happen to Salford, a club that was competing in the Super League playoffs just 18 months ago, how many other clubs are a failed takeover away from the same fate?
The final whistle may not have blown yet, but for Salford Red Devils, the 2025 season will be remembered as the year a proud club was brought to its knees—not by any opponent on the field, but by those who promised to protect it.
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