Salford Red Devils fan group issue defiant and firm response to ownership statement

Salford Red Devils supporter group The 1873 have issued a firm response to the statement released by the club’s owners.

Following months of silence, financial uncertainty and misery on the field, the ownership group, led by Sire Kailahi and Curtiz Brown, published a statement through the club’s official channels on Monday night.

The message attempted to clarify the ownership’s stance on a number of issues, while also stating that bridging funding is on the way and could be in place by the end of the month. The statement, which was nameless, stated that the owners were keen to re-enter negotiations with the council over the purchase of the stadium and ended with a firm message that club would not ‘close’.

That communication was the first of any kind from the ownership since May, with wages being paid late, a HMRC winding up petition being issued and question marks over insurance, pension payments and unpaid bills emerging since.

That’s not to mention issues on the field, with a raft of senior players leaving including four just last week, ensuring the club are now unable to boast a competitive Super League team, something which was hammered home on Sunday as Salford lost 80-6 to Hull FC with the owners in attendance.

And, ahead of a planned protest march on Sunday before the game between Salford and Wakefield Trinity, fans group The 1873 have now released a statement, picking apart the statement from the owners.

Salford Red Devils fan group issue response

The message, published on the group’s social media channel started: “Your late night statement, issued at 22:47 without so much as a name attached to it, says everything about the level of accountability and transparency we’ve come to expect from your tenure – none. If you truly stood by your words, you’d sign then. But you didn’t.

“You couldn’t even get the name of our stadium – the one you’re apparently so desperate to acquire – right. For reference, it is the Salford Community Stadium, not the AJ Bell Stadium. That basic mistake tells us everything we need to know about your attention to detail, your respect for the club and your connection to its identity.”

It continues: “Your portrayal of Salford City Council’s withdrawal from stadium negotiations as ‘unexpected’ is another blatant distortion. Their public statement on 15 May 2025 made it clear why talks ended – you repeatedly failed to provide adequate and credible funding plans. That is on you, not the council. The 1873 fully supports their decision and would strongly advise them never to reopen these discussions again.”

The statement goes on to discuss the reference to the bridging funding, Chris Irwin, failing to pay players and staff wage before accusing Kailahi and Brown of single-handedly dismantling what had been Super League’s strongest team culture.

The fan response concludes with a simple message: “Salford Red Devils will prevail – but not with you anywhere near it.

“Your time is up.”

Statement from The 1873:

We asked for answers and honesty — instead, we got a statement full of lies, excuses and blame aimed everywhere but where it belongs.

The pressure from fans is growing and we will not back down.

The 1873 pic.twitter.com/AAXDzlFPhY

— The 1873 (@The1873_) August 12, 2025