Salford Red Devils today confirm the appointment of two new non-executive directors to the board of the Holding Company.
Paul King and Paul Trainor will take up roles with immediate effect and put their vast experience into two very different areas of the business.
Both men have lifelong associations with the Club, Paul King as a supporter and sponsor and Paul Trainor having played with the Club’s Academy in his youth before becoming one of the main advocates of rugby league in schools within the city.
King is a Director of Capricorn Security – a local Salford business – and has many years in the industry, including time as a former shirt sponsor Securitas.
Paul King said: “I’ve been a fan since I was seven years old and I was happy to get involved and offer any help I could. I am hoping that my wide sales and marketing experience couple with my customer-focused experience will bring some know-how to the table.”
Trainor meanwhile is set to head up the Club’s new innovative new player pathway programme and he will be coordinating the youth development in Greater Manchester.
Paul Trainor said: “It’s exciting to be working with raw and emerging talent in the region. We intend to expand Salford’s territory within the game and this new strategy underlines out commitment to developing a pathway for local players, while being able to visualise talent from untapped areas. “
Red Devils Director Andrew Rosler said: “The level of experience that these two men bring to the table cannot be underestimated. We have been negotiating for many weeks to get to the stage where we can announce them as the first of our new board members.
“More key appointments will follow and we finally getting to a position where we can start to realise our potential off the field in order to maximise our performance on it.
“The educational and alternative career pathway initiatives to be announced are a huge part in growing the Club’s relevance and importance within our community.”
“I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank Dawn Fidler and Hannah Fendall, who have both now left the board, for all their hard work and it’s great that they remain both committed and loyal fans.”
Ready for the Rhinos!
Purchase your tickets for our game with Leeds on Friday 27th July from the Club Ticket Office, on 0161 786 1570 or by simply clicking HERE.
Tag: Andrew Rosler
Andrew Rosler | Red Devils Readying For Second Phase Of Transition
We caught up with director Andy Rosler to get a forthright and frank update on the current situation at the Salford Red Devils. Our 2018 Season Ticket holders will have exclusively received this update via E-Mail yesterday.
“As we move towards the end of the regular Betfred Super League season it had now been some six months since the transfer of ownership from Marwan Koukash to the newly formed Holding Company on the eve of the current campaign.
“There is no doubting that it has been a tough few months but this was always going to be the case.
“The lack of a benefactor and transition to community club meant a challenging period financially and the club is still bearing the brunt of this, but the most important and prudent need is stability and financial sustainability – positioning us for future growth and investment.
“This is why unfortunately the club earlier on in the season wasn’t in a position to simply reinvest the proceeds from the sales of players, and the club hasn’t been able to make the same signings as other clubs do with significant benefactors supporting the purchase of players.
“That said, as a Club, we believe that our current squad and coach have the ambition and belief that they can remain in the Super League and we are doing everything thing we can to also help strengthen the squad for this season and next.
“To support the strengthening of the squad we are currently looking at multiple fund raising options and have retained Sedulo, a highly ambitious Manchester Chartered Accountancy practice, to assist the Club with these processes. In the interim, we have been encouraged by the initiative being shown by various supporter groups who are running their own fund raising schemes.
“We are also looking at expanding and strengthening the Clubs operational board and have announcements soon across various disciplines, including business development, but we welcome any genuine interest from individuals who wish to become involved.
“The Club will be expanding Holding Company membership and require committed and resourceful individuals to steer the Club through the transitional period and onto a new period of sustainability and growth.
“We are also working with Foundation closer regarding apprenticeships and focusing on opportuntities for the young people of our community.
“Supporters of other Clubs may point out incessantly that we have a smaller fan base than most, but they cannot doubt our loyalty and passion on the terraces which is always superb. Many people may think club doesn’t deserve to be in Super League but I do
“It remains crucial that we stick together as one community club and support each other. We cannot allow ourselves to become disillusioned with the situation. We are only three points off the top eight, which given this is our transitional season shows great promise for the future.
“However, we really cannot complete this journey without the fans turning up and cheering the lads on to a fully deserved position in Super League next season. Ahead of the next few fixtures all in the Club urge the fans to encourage others to attend because even if each fan brought just one person who doesn’t normally come to the game it significantly helps.
“The more supporters our existing fans can bring along will increase revenue to bring in quality players going forward. If the community wants to see a top quality team in the next few years they have to back what they are doing by coming along now, we need the help of our supporter’s now to get to this stage going forward.
“It is our aim to once more be the pride of Salford, as we have been in the past, with the whole city urging us on to success.
“Please remember we have mini season tickets on sale for the remainder of the campaign and every pound earned is doubled due to Marwan’s kind offer to match the amount.”
Partner | Salford Red Devils link up with New Bailey
Salford Red Devils are delighted to confirm we have teamed up with New Bailey as the official sports partner to the office, retail and leisure destination on the banks of the River Irwell.
Salford Red Devils season ticket holders will be able to enjoy discounts at Menagerie, New Bailey’s on-site bar and restaurant, while fans and locals will also be able to get involved in ticket competitions and pop-up activities at the development.
Director of Salford Red Devils, Andrew Rosler, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with New Bailey, a destination that has a real presence in the community, and just like our club, a connection to local people too.
“Beginning this relationship not only allows us to enhance the experience for our loyal supporters, but we also hope to get more young people and adults alike engaged and interested in sport.”
Phil Mayall, Development Director at the English Cities Fund, which is delivering the New Bailey masterplan said: “Partnering with the Salford Red Devils is a fantastic opportunity for us to not only continue to raise the profile of New Bailey but also support a team and its fans that have been an integral part of the local community for nearly 150 years.
“We want New Bailey to be an inclusive district with something for everyone and through his partnership we can offer a broader range of opportunities for events and something that’s a little bit different for fans and people who live and work in the area.”
The English Cities Fund is a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and Homes England in partnership with Salford City Council.
Statement | Red Devils Season Update & big news from Marwan
Super League Salford remain a Club in transition since Marwan Koukash gifted his ownership of the Club to the Community.
As the transfer of control was only approved by the Rugby Football League on eve of the 2018 season, time was always going to be of the essence to merely keep the famous old Club afloat, let alone replicate the successes of the campaign before.
With very little funds available to enhance the playing squad, 2018’s Salford Red Devils have begun to look increasingly vulnerable despite the best efforts of the team and the band of loyal supporters.
Club Director and Holding Company Member Andrew Rosler states: “Whilst prior to the season we had many initiatives planned to explain the new structure and start the marketing push for Season Ticket sales, the delays meant we had to scrap all that and concentrate instead on the opening game of the season. It was incredibly frustrating to not be able to announce anything for months, in fact there were times just after Christmas when I doubted it would happen at all.”
“Prior to the Season we were broadly satisfied that the Club would approach a breakeven position but the lack of pre-season marketing plus a general feeling of uncertainty meant that Season ticket sales were lower than expected. In addition, the home attendances have been quite poor compared to last year as is our away support. In fact most of the income has been down on last year. The playing squad had been contracted to the Club before the end of last season but for the first time in recent history didn’t have the support of the benefactor, so this Season survival on and off the pitch are major priorities”.
Given, the likely restructure to the entire competition especially the format of promotion and relegation this is the most crucial season, probably ever, for the Club.
The Club are currently in 8th position and will be pushing hard for a Top 8 finish in the regular season, which is a great achievement given the size and spend of the current squad, however, given the financial position is still uncertain and a general feeling of despair it is understandable that fans are getting frustrated.
They may not see that the many people in and around the Club, some of whom are volunteers, have been working around the clock to turn around the fortunes of the Club and have already put in place some long term strategies.
However, with the need to raise additional working capital and to strengthen the Squad this year and to build a competitive squad for next year some drastic action was needed.
Director Andrew Rosler: “For many weeks we have been engaging with the Supporters Trust with an emphasis on fund raising and sustainability,” he continues “They have been considering the various fan ownership and fund raising models that have been facilitated by Supporters-Direct, mainly in Football”
The Club can anounce that it will formally begin discussions with Supporters Direct to consider a number of options that will give fans the chance to raise funds for the Club, take ownership and have more say in how the Club should be operated. Details of the various schemes will be made public in the very near future.
As an incentive to motivate the whole Community to get behind this scheme, former owner Marwan has now offered to write off the entire debt owed to him, even though he has not asked for any repayment since his departure. But this is conditional on the Club becoming self financing for the rest of this season and next.
Andrew Rosler comments: “I think Marwan felt that having gifted his shares, the local Community would vote with their feet to demonstrate just how important the Club is to the City. He has been disappointed with the declining attendances and felt that the demand just wasn’t there. However he has now bought in to what we are trying to do and can see that the fans can shape the fortunes of the Club directly. It is an amazing gesture to write off such a large amount of debt but he is testing the fans and the whole community so do its bit and prove him wrong.
In addition, the Club will attempt to raise additional short term funds by shortly issuing half season tickets for the remainder of the season. There will also be a big push to target far more local businesses to buy season tickets. The Club is also delighted to announce that as a further gesture Marwan has also offered to match all half season ticket proceeds!
Paul McNally, Head of Communications at the Red Devils said: “Announcing, half season tickets on the back of four bad defeats would ordinarily be a tough sell however the facts are quite simply that this is the most intense and important period in the Club’s history. We need every lapsed, casual and disillusioned fan to stick it out and support the team like you’ve never before.”
Andrew Rosler agrees: “I think all of us are fed up with turning up every with season with no real expectations other than mediocrity and disappointment. The Club has to almost re-invent itself rapidly and challenge all the objections that have been levied against it for years. We have some fantastic ideas which we will be rolling out soon, including the very important local player development and there could finally be a great future for the Club. But in the here and now we need to all work together to make the fund raising schemes work and more than ever back the team no matter what.”
Chairman’s Corner #2 | From first kick to first team
In aiming to create and share a vision for Salford Red Devils as we progress through this new era of shared ownership, it’s important we think about the Club not as a sole entity, but as a part of the local and wider community as a whole.
With this in mind, the vision I am keen to put forward in my role as Chair of the Club, along with our Board of Directors, is one of operational development. This is rare on the part of a Board of Directors, as they traditionally have no ‘every day’ say in the things that go on within the running of an organisation. When putting together a vision, mission statement or ethos, however, I think it’s vitally important that the strategy affects the every day.
My own personal role within the Club is to promote public relations and to improve communications, and for this to happen more effectively, I want to set a pathway. That pathway starts with the youngest members of our community. In starting with that demographic, we want to create, develop and promote a clear pathway ‘From First Kick to First Team’, whereby the Club and its partners will provide opportunities for local boys and girls to progress both on and off the pitch with the support of Salford Red Devils.
It is not lost on us that not every young person is going to ‘make it’ at elite or professional level at our (or indeed any) professional sporting club, but what we can certainly do is play a part in ensuring that opportunities, support and resource are provided for young people so that everyone can play sport at the highest level possible for their age and ability.
What our vision also wants to promote is the fact that there are opportunities for those who play at the highest levels within our Club to gain a package of support should their journey in professional sport come to an end for any reason. This is a problem that is highly prevalent given the statistics of progression in elite sport, and one that causes issues for the young people in question who feel that they have nothing else ‘going’ for them in terms of a life outside of professional sport should they be released from their contracts.
Our aim as a professional Rugby League club is to work with local education providers, councils and local businesses to provide a style of apprenticeship pathway, whereby young people can be engaged in work programmes, vocational education and mentoring in order to develop a solid base of skills and experiences that will improve their future opportunities as they enter adulthood – either whilst still within or having come away from sport.
In bidding for the Women’s World Cup Final in 2021, we want and need to reiterate that this vision is on offer for both boys and girls, young men and young women; and such opportunity for girls and women is one that is an obligation we take seriously here in our position as a Super League Club.
As a club, Salford Red Devils currently have no Salford born players on our books, and whilst this is disappointing out on the pitch, it’s equally disappointing up in the stands. This is because local players will attract their families, their friends and local people who are all keen – and even delighted – to get behind to the ‘local lad’ they’ve seen grow up in their lives and communities. Our vision looks at players of the future, but we also need to appreciate the effect this will have on fans of the future as well. Via the First Kick to First Team vision, we will have the largest scope possible to find, nurture and develop homegrown players that our community – as well as our Club – can be rightfully proud of.
Chairman’s Corner with Andrew Rosler | The East Stand
New Year 2018 presented me with a belated Christmas gift – It wasn’t a gift I’d expected or even asked for, but it was one I was keen to make productive use of straight away.
The gift was that of the Directorship of Salford Red Devils Rugby League Club, or rather, the gift of being the voice of the newly established Board of Directors.
Salford was – and still is – a club that I had held close to my heart as a supporter for as long as I can remember, and a club that I had taken an active involvement with during recent years in having served to support them as a functioning business. As a professional Business Recovery Expert in my ‘day job’, my role as Director of Ideal Corporate Solutions in Bolton was key in ensuring that the Club served itself well as a business during recent years, so that it could continue in a positive fashion as a community-focused entity for the people of Salford and the wider local area.
Over the coming weeks, months and years – in the hope that the good people of Salford will continue to welcome me – my aim is to lead Salford Red Devils in the way that such leadership was intended when handed over to the Board just a few months ago, and that is to work for the benefit of the fans, the community, and the young people we hope to develop or attract as sports people of the future.
With this in mind, the first project I ask our community to get behind is that of the ‘East Stand Initiative’. This is a concept by where the Club will be gifting thousands of pounds worth of tickets to the Salford Red Devils Foundation, which serves as the independent charitable arm of our Club and is based within our fine stadium here at the AJ Bell. It is hoped that the Foundation will use its strong community links to fill the East Stand on match days, with local people who may otherwise never have purchased a ticket. We need to look at building the concept of ‘fans of the future’, but we also need to look at promoting a trip to the The Salford Stadium not purely as a chance to watch a game of Rugby League (it’s not everybody’s proverbial cup of tea, after all), but rather turn matchdays into more of a carnival style experience, whereby we use the community gathering to celebrate local music, dance and other community arts and sports as part of the ‘festival feel’ of game days.
The financial idea behind the East Stand Initiative is that the money generated from the sale of tickets will be split equally between the Foundation and a raft of local charities or not-for-profit groups who could benefit from such a cash boost. Money invested into the Foundation will contribute to – and support the development of – young players, which is a post from me for another time. Meanwhile, the money going back out into the community can support anything from a local junior grassroots sports team to a community brass band or senior citizens club. If there’s a charitable or community-based aim, we want to be a part of it. Put simply, our aim is to ensure that businesses such as ours can actively support good causes in the local area.
In getting this initiative to really kick off, I’m asking all fans of Salford Red Devils to get behind the project and take to social media to promote its worth. Likewise, get in touch with the Club www.salfordreddevils.net/contact/ or Foundation www.salfordreddevilsfoundation.co.uk/contact/ and tell us what role you see your local Rugby League Club playing in your community. If you’d be interested in claiming community tickets
Thanks,
Andrew Rosler.
Salford Red Devils vs Swinton Lions – Sunday 14th January
Salford Red Devils host Swinton Lions in our opening game of the 2018 season on Sunday 14th January, 1pm kick-off. Here are all the details you need to know:
Ticketing
Tickets for our ‘2018 Season Launch’ event and the pre-season friendly against Swinton Lions will be able to purchase from the Club Ticket Office on Sunday.
The ‘2018 Season Launch’ is scheduled to begin at 10:30am so fans are advised to purchase their tickets early. If supporters are only intending to watch the game and not attend the pre-season event they can purchase any time before 1pm on Sunday. There will be a separate window for upgrades to the ‘2018 Season Launch’ for any fans who have purchased regular tickets.
Our concession discount for employees of Salford City Council, Manchester City Council, Trafford Council and Peel Holdings will also apply on gameday with any employees receiving a concession price for the ticket they wish to purchase.
All fans will be situated in the West Stand with Salford Red Devils supporters towards the South Stand and Swinton Lions fans towards the North Stand. A full list of ticket prices for Sunday’s game can be found here.
Following the game supporters will be able to purchase or collect their 2018 Season Tickets from the Club Ticket Office. Also, tickets for our pre-season friendly at Warrington and our 2018 Betfred Super League opener against Wigan Warriors will also be on sale. You can also purchase tickets for the Wigan game here.
‘2018 Season Launch’ event
Our ‘2018 Season Launch’ is scheduled to begin at around 10:45am so we advise that all fans are in the 1873 suite by 10:30am.
The ‘2018 Season Launch’ will include the full reveal of our 2018 Salford Red Devils squad and our new captains before interviews with Head Coach Ian Watson and new Director Andrew Rosler. Swinton Lions will also be represented with Head Coach, and former Red Devil, Stuart Littler and Chairman Andy Mazey both speaking.
Salford Red Devils legend Keith Fielding will also be in attendance and shall be interviewed by Paul Highton. Fans can also then go outside to watch the Salford Red Devils Education Academy U16’s open their season against Barrow provided they are wristbanded.
There will also be a minutes applause prior to kick-off to remember Alan McInnes, Hugh Duffy, Fred Smith, Tommy Grainey, Gary Lloyd and Kato Ottio.
Fans Bar and Kiosks
The fans bar downstairs will be open prior to the game as well as the bar in our 1873 suite being open for our ‘2018 Season Launch’.
The fans marquee will not be open for Sunday’s game but will resume normal service when we face Wigan Warriors in our Super League opener on Friday 2nd February at the The Salford Stadium.
Club Shop
Steeden will be present at Sunday’s game and will be setting up their pop-up Club shop in the downstairs fans bar beside reception.
Fans are free to browse and purchase any items on sale and Steeden will do replacements if the stock is there. However, we encourage fans to exchange their merchandise by contacting Advantage Sport directly rather than on Sunday.
Volunteers from the Salford RLFC Supporters’ Trust will be helping out with the Steeden store with the Supporters’ Trust also having a table upstairs to take memberships.
Car Park
Car Parking will be available at the game and will cost £5 however the price is set to increase to £6 in the regular season. Season Car Park passes will be valid for Sunday’s game.
Programme
The Red Devil will not be on sale at Sunday’s game with a brand-new programme set to be launched for our Super League opener against Wigan Warriors however a teamsheet including all Salford Red Devils fixtures for 2018 included.
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