Bailiffs could be sent into Salford Red Devils rugby club in the very near future after a County Court Judgement (CCJ) was served on the company yesterday for non-payment to shirt suppliers, Kooga, the Salford Star understands.
A source revealed that the bill - a `reasonably substantial amount...a large five figure sum' - due to the Cheadle Hulme based rugby kit company dates back to last November. The CCJ was being served as Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart, was praising Red Devils owner, Marwan Koukash, for bringing "stability" to the club at a meeting of the full Council yesterday.
Justifying giving the Salford Red Devils two years free rent at the Council's joint owned AJ Bell Stadium, plus subsidising match day costs of up to £164,000, plus allowing the owner twenty years, interest free, to pay off the majority of the £1.5million historic debt to the Council (see here and see here), the Mayor said...
"We encouraged a new owner to make sure the club didn't go bankrupt...The new potential owner said that he wanted to have as much money as he could, his own money, to invest in players, to build the team up. We didn't know whether he would do that but let me say he has done it, and done it in spades.
"Those people who pay attention to these things know that the current owner of Salford Red Devils has invested over £1.5million of his own money into players and he intends to invest more, stabilising the club" he added "...And I know that the people of this city, as they get to know the real facts, not the innuendo, the specious statements and the allegations – when they get to know the real facts, will say the right decision was made...." (see extracts from the speech on the Salford Star YouTube channel – click here).
Martin Vickers, the controversial ex Salford Council officer who is now Chief Executive of Salford Red Devils (see here) is apparently handling the debt. Meanwhile, Marwan Koukash, who has three companies relating to property in Liverpool currently in liquidation and two that have been dissolved (see here), has voiced his intention to buy a further rugby club in Australia.
The Salford Star understands that Salford Red Devils may dispute the bill but, when contacted this morning for a comment, or to confirm or deny the story, no-one responded. The Salford Star also contacted Kooga but, again, the company didn't respond...
* See also related Salford Star articles...
* Salford Mayor reveals Salford Reds' £164,000 was taken from front line services - click here
* Massive public money scandal rocks Salford City Council - click here
* Public Inquiry call launched over Salford Red Devils scandal - click here
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