Jon Wilkin’s honest Salford Red Devils take as new owner finance fears outlined

Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin has described Salford Red Devils’ ability just to name a squad this week as ‘remarkable’, given the players still haven’t been paid. Salford are due to take on Castleford Tigers on Friday night and Paul Rowley has named the strongest 17-man group available to him.

The squad is compliant with the club’s sustainability cap of £1.2 million, and after being given permission to make necessary changes to the group, due to suspensions and injuries, they have been able to name Marc Sneyd, Chris Hill and Kallum Watkins in the fold.

However, while assurances have been given by the club’s new ownership group, the players are still waiting for payment, with February’s pay date being missed. The money is yet to arrive for the actual purchase of the club, too, with Wilkin underlining his fears regarding the amount of time it has taken to land in the required bank accounts.

The pundit has also given his take on the players’ apparent willingness to play without being paid, suggesting he wouldn’t be willing to take such a risk.

“It’s just a mess. The optics of it are bad,” Wilkin said while speaking on Sky Sports News. “They started the year skint, they had no cash, so they needed to be bailed out by the game, initially.

“Then a new ownership has come in and said ‘we’ll sort out your historical debts and we’ll put you in a position of liquidity and send the money’. For one reason or another that money hasn’t shown up.

“There’s two sides to it. One is the money has come in, there’s been proof that the money is in the account and on the way and everyone feels fine, it’s just regulatory checks that happen when you send £1.9 million. The other side is, is it actually ever coming? Because the dog can only eat your homework so many times.

“Just for the optics of it, the new ownership need to get that money there ASAP. They play Castleford this week and Salford have put a 17-man team in and the game has relaxed the sustainability cap to allow Kallum Watkins, Chris Hill and Marc Sneyd to come into the squad.

“I just think its remarkable that Salford, who haven’t trained all week, haven’t been paid and haven’t got any confirmation on when the money is coming, are going to play a game. I think it’s remarkable that they have a squad that’s willing to go out there, I’m not sure I would.

“I don’t think I would step foot on a rugby field unless I was being paid, it’s too dangerous.”

Salford Red Devils will be looking to claim their first points of the new season on Friday, having lost to St Helens, Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR in the opening three rounds.