We won’t feel the SQUEEZE
BLEASE IS TAKING CARE OF SALFORD BUSINESS
IAN BLEASE insists Salford Red Devils are strong enough to survive any short-term financial hardship.
Last year’s Grand Final runners-up have the tightest budget, the lowest crowds and the smallest income in Super League.
They looked most at risk when the current lockdown prompted predictions that some clubs could go out of business.
But chief executive
Blease – who has put all his players and staff on furlough – reckons recent stringent belt-tightening by the club is now paying off.
He said: “We are doing
OK. Small is beautiful at this time. It’s good that over the last few years we’ve got costs down and the structure right.”
The club are topping up all salaries, above the 80 per cent Government-paid furlough, so nobody loses pay in the foreseeable future.
Blease said: “We believe it’s right to treat them with dignity. We are not sitting here saying everything is rosy but if we can get through this it is massive for us. We could be very proud of ourselves.”
The club, which almost went out of business a few years ago, admits they may have to reassess topping up salaries but scrum-half Kev
Brown says Salford’s salary arrangement have helped calm players’ concerns.
He said: “It’s an amazing gesture when it would have been easy to pay 80 per cent. A lot of our fears are eased.”
Warrington have also put their players on furlough, like most of the 10 Englishbased Super League clubs.
Chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick said: “We are topping it up but I need to stress things are changing daily and the game is probably on a knife-edge.
“We have to run lean operations but there is not much fat to cut in the game.
“It is important that we all stick together and the collaboration has been brilliant so far.
“The sport has lasted for 125 years and I’m confident it will last for another 125
– although what it looks like when we come out the other side of this is hard to say.”