Salford Red Devils have a safety blanket for themselves next year as the stadium saga rumbles on around them.
On December 1st, their tenancy agreement at the stadium expired which would have left the club in violation of IMG’s minimum standards which threatened their Super League status.
They were then placed under special measures by the RFL but now they have a 12 month extension on their agreement.
The club are also hopeful that they can agree a more permanent deal in March but that is still a concern having been unable to reach the original deadline.
The club can at least focus on preparing for the new season and adding more new faces having signed Joe Mellor from Leigh Leopards.
“I’m excited,” Mellor told Salford’s YouTube channel, “It’s been going on a bit now, so I’m excited to get it all done and start training tomorrow.”
There’s no time to rest for the 33-year-old, who is straight into pre-season work with Rowley’s squad.
Mellor has worked with two members of our coaching staff before – Kurt Haggerty and Krisnan Inu – so he knew a transfer to Salford would be a smooth one.
“I just feel like the way Salford play really suits my game,” he continued.
“I know a lot of the lads who play here already, I’ve played with a lot of them, which is good when you’re coming into a new team – so that’s what really excites me about being here!”
After a very successful time at Widnes Vikings, Mellor’s switch to Leigh has seen him pick-up a Betfred Challenge Cup winners medal in 2023, defeating Hull KR at Wembley Stadium.
A year prior, Mellor was part of the team that earned promotion back to the Betfred Super League, alongside some very familiar faces.
“I spoke to a couple – Adam Sidlow and Andrew Dixon,” Mellor said when asked if he has spoken to any of the current squad about the move.
“I know them well, but I’ve played with both of them. And then there’s the likes of Ryan Brierley, Sam Stone, so some of the squad I’ve played with already, which is nice.”
