Salford Red Devils‘ owners have provided on the much-talked-about bridging loan that is needed to save the club ahead of their impending HMRC deadline.
A previous HMRC meeting saw the winding-up petition pushed back until September 3rd as ownership claimed that a bridging loan would arrive and help fix the current financial issues.
An update from the owners earlier this month confirmed that money would land in late August, ahead of that deadline, and now we have further details after the club’s much-maligned owners met with fan The 1873.
Formed in recent weeks to combat the club’s current position, The 1873 have made significant strides in terms of garnering support and actually contacting the club’s distant owners Saia Kailahi and Curtiz Brown, neither of whom have agreed to any media explanation to the current plight of Salford Red Devils.
Following the fan protest, organised by The 1873, on Sunday, the group met with ownership and have released minutes from that meeting to provide a major update.
Salford Red Devils owners admit to land grab purchase as loan update offered
The two-hour meeting happened on Monday and was with Curtiz Brown and Paul King with Saia Kailahi absent and in London speaking with lawyers.
Despite having finally sought some of what they have wanted – answers – The 1873 insist that whilst encouraged that communications have opened, they want that communication to be opened up wider and become more frequent.
They also confirmed that “no evidence of funding was presented” and that the next “10-14 days will be critical to the club’s immediate future”, making reference to the impending bridging loan and whether it is actually acquired.
Key notes from the minutes include the fact that the owners claimed to have “little awareness of the dissatisfaction” among Salford Red Devils’ fans, something you can question immediately given the fact that both Brown and Kailahi have been in stadiums where chants of ‘We want out club back’ ring out loud.
It was also conceded that the club purchase was a stadium and land grab with “clearing debts and stabilising the club part of the package”. Once that stability arrives, both Kailahi and Brown plan on walking away with Brown admitting that all options will be explored and that “they may be near the end”.
Interestingly, it was confirmed that Dario Berta remains part of the consortium despite no news of him since their initial takeover.
No figures were mentioned but it was confirmed that club debt has doubled with loan company WeDoFinance and HMRC the main creditors.
It was also accepted that the club face the risk of a points deduction given the cancellation of the Wakefield Trinity fixture and the team they fielded in Round One against St Helens, though they reported “no negativity from the RFL so far”.
Uncertainty remains over the club’s IMG grading but more so over their future if no bridging loan is secured. If it fails then owners will look to offload the club but as it stands, the loan is expected to clear debts and give a 12-month buffer, whilst being linked to the stadium with the club set to own 20% of the stadium company and receive revenue.
There’s still plenty of conjecture among everything that was said and ultimately, the proof will be in the next few weeks but it’s positive news that Salford Red Devils’ owners are communicating.
You can read all of the minutes and the full statement from The 1873 below.
Last night we met with the club’s owners.
As promised meeting notes published for transparency.
The next 10–14 days are critical and will define the clubs future. We will continue holding the owners to account and fighting for the truth.
The 1873 pic.twitter.com/4lV9PUVqHS
— The 1873 (@The1873_) August 19, 2025
John Dalton
August 20, 2025 at 11:29 am
Where is the money? When you take over an organisation, the reality is that you want to invest money to change it to your way of thinking.
This lot are just asset strippers, with no money & have been wanting to borrow money for a long time, but against what asset?
The whole thing stinks, really badly…………….
Anonymous
August 20, 2025 at 11:34 am
A) when will people realise a bridging loan does not future proof the club AND the bridging loan still has to be paid for in the future.
B) at said meeting no guarantees have been made to provide future investment for Salford RLC.
FINAL CONCLUSCION – Salford are in exactly same position after the meeting as before the meeting. What do they give you to eat and drink at these meetings, mind bending drugs or something. What do they mean they are unaware of any dissatisfaction from Salford supporters, these people are outright liars.
Anonymous
August 20, 2025 at 2:24 pm
these Salford “owners” must be quaking in their boots as Andy Burnham DEMANDS a meeting.
This situation is becoming comedy gold.
The latest meeting does not guarantee anything this promised bridging loan is no more certain than it was before the meeting and how many times have they promised to deliver and failed.
1873 say they are happy to now have a better line of communications with the owners, how easily they have been fooled; it isn’t a line of communication, more like a sewer pipeline of lies.
This will be proven when bridging loan fails to materialise.
The owners have mugged off 1873. Laughable.