Salford remains at AJ Bell Stadium after fears he would be forced out

SALFORD remain at AJ Bell Stadium after City Council intervened to stop Sale Sharks RU and Salford City from buying it.

The Red Devils were looking to move to League Two Football Club’s Moor Lane in 2024 while their current groundmates take over their base and the Ammies move in.

2

However, a joint venture approach was rejected and the council is now buying out the development company Peel from the current ownership company to take sole control.

That means the rugby league club will remain in place for at least the next five years, with talks expected over a new lease.

Salford City, whose current home isn’t good enough for the Championship – where it’s aspiring – didn’t hide its disappointment.

They said: “This news came as a surprise to us.”

Sales chief Sid Sutton added: “We will continue to have a long-term home at our stadium.

“We knew we wouldn’t do anything until the Salford Red Devils secured a place to play.

“The proposed agreement by Salford City Council will allow for this while ensuring the stadium remains the home of Sale Sharks.”

Castleford has also finally submitted plans worth £12.2million to refurbish its crumbling Wheldon Road stadium as rugby league’s focus is off the pitch as well as on it.

But Matt Dwyer, the man behind IMG’s ‘reimagining’ of rugby league and its scoring system – which will guarantee A clubs a place in the top flight from 2025 – said: “In the past things were very much based on business plans – planned things, not actual.

“People didn’t necessarily stick with her. We look at it from the perspective of ‘What did you actually do?’”

2