Sports Thoughts: Salford Red Devils

The Salford Red Devils' parent company was ordered to be liquidated on 3 December 2025 by the High Court, leaving the club's future in doubt after a year of chaos.

What happened?

The 152-year-old club has had a troubled year, with players leaving, late wage payments, and a 25-5 loss record in the 2025 season of the rugby Super League, capped off by a December order to liquidate, leaving its future uncertain mere months before the 2026 season kicks off. The team first appeared in the High Court in June, reportedly owing GBP500,000 to HMRC. Four extensions were granted to the proceedings as the club was confident of obtaining a bridging loan to pay their tax bill.

The situation escalated after players threatened a strike, it was revealed that the club had paid only two months of players' pensions over the year, and a supporters group demanded answers following a "wall of excuses" from the club's ownership. Additional difficulties included match cancellations, a revolving door of leadership, and failure to pay suppliers. The club was unsurprisingly demoted from the Super League.

The December High Court hearing ultimately lasted a single minute, with the club unrepresented, and HMRC's winding up petition was granted.

An uncertain future

The Red Devils' demotion from the Super League and its revocation of its Rugby Football League (RFL) playing licence paint a shaky picture of the next season for fans. Takeover talks have commenced in earnest, with former player Mason Caton-Brown and former CEO Chris Irwin leading rival bids to relaunch their alma mater, but any new owners will need to work closely with the RFL to reinstate the club's playing licence, and with less than two months until the 2026 season commences, time is not on the Red Devils' side.

The RFL met last week to formally terminate the Red Devils' membership and to determine the next steps for the club's ownership, and Salford City Council and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham have expressed support for a quick rebuilding. Despite calls for public funding, politicians' goodwill hasn't (yet) extended that far.

Reminders for owners

In a competition marked by tribalism, the demise of the Salford Red Devils is almost unanimously depressing. It serves as yet another reminder to sports clubs of the value - and vital importance - of strong financial management and of complying with an entity's legal obligations to creditors, suppliers, employees, and the tax authorities.