A consortium of fans "completed a takeover" of Super League rugby side Salford Red Devils from Marwan Koukash, according to Stuart Greer of the Manchester EVENING NEWS. The group formed a not-for-profit holding company, Salford RD Holdings, to take control of the club. The Rugby Football League approved the deal, "which sees ownership pass to the consortium of long-standing supporters of the club:" Andrew Rosler, owner of Ideal Corporate Solutions Ltd.; Asif Latief, marketing director at A-Plant; Hannah Fendall, senior associate at Williamson & Croft LLP; and Dawn Fidler, founder and CEO of The Joshua Wilson Brain Tumour Charity. Koukash, a Palestine-born racehorse owner, "rescued the club from potential collapse" in '13 (EVENING NEWS, 1/9).
The BBC reported Koukash was "often an outspoken figure during his five years as Salford owner, clashing with the authorities on several occasions." One such instance was in '16, when Koukash threatened "all-out war" on the RFL after Salford was charged with breaching Super League salary cap regulations. The club was deducted six points, and an appeal was "unsuccessful." At Salford, Koukash made "big alterations." He changed the club's name from "Salford City Reds" to "Salford Red Devils" before the start of the '14 season and "invested heavily in the playing and coaching staff in search of success" (
BBC, 1/8).
THE NEXT MOVE: The BBC also reported Salford Red Devils' new owners will "look into the potential of buying the AJ Bell Stadium" the club shares with Premiership Rugby side Sale Sharks. Sale previously made an offer to buy the stadium but said that it "will build a ground" if unsuccessful. Red Devils Dir Andrew Rosler said, "The stadium is an event now. It's growing all the time and every time you go, nearly every day of the week, the car park is full so it is generating revenues for the stadium." The stadium is owned by City of Salford Community Stadium Ltd. and opened thanks to an initial £22M loan from Salford City Council. If the Sharks succeed in their bid to buy the ground, Sale Owner Simon Orange confirmed Salford "would continue to be tenants" (BBC, 1/9).
