The players and staff at Salford Red Devils went unpaid on Friday, according to head coach Paul Rowley.
Salford’s miserable start to the season has seen them concede 156 points in their first three games having fielded a youth team in their opening game against St Helens due to salary cap restrictions while a takeover process was ongoing.
Before their first Super League match of this season, last year’s fourth-placed finishers in the league announced a deal had been agreed with a consortium to buy 100 per cent of the club in an agreement that should clear their current debts.
Rowley had been confident they would be paid on Friday, but that has not transpired.
If the players and staff remain unpaid the club could be placed under a Financial Stability Cap once again.
Rowley confirmed to Sky Sports on Friday: “We’ve not been paid yet. We have assurances that it’s still part of a process where money’s coming from overseas, there’s fraud checks etc, etc. The players and the staff, backroom staff included, nobody’s been paid just yet.
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Highlights of the Super League clash between Hull KR and Salford Red Devils
“It’s very hard to put into words because it’s a unique situation. I know people have been in situations where they’ve not been paid or they’ve had periods of uncertainty at clubs but we’ve spent a full pre-season where it’s been very quiet, we’ve not really had an arm put round anybody or nobody’s really asked about the players other than people from within. Then obviously we’ve become the centre of attention within the last three weeks.
“But they’re human beings, everybody’s a human being, they’ve got mortgages to pay, the staff, the players and so it’s distracting and the chat is about other things other than playing and I just want to get back to playing. I can’t speak highly enough of the players though.”
On Friday the RFL held an emergency meeting of its special measures committee and contacted Salford Red Devils to reiterate the position regarding special measures.
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Sky Sports’ Jon Wilkin does not hold back with his criticism of Salford’s decision to field a team of reserve youngsters for their season opener against St Helens
A statement read: “The RFL have been in regular contact with the club to understand their latest position, following the month end – having previously sought and received assurances regarding club financial sustainability.
“The committee will meet again on Tuesday to consider the position, and whether the special measures which currently apply to the club should be extended to the reinstatement of a Club Financial Sustainability Cap.”
Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+