Salford Red Devils' RFL membership officially terminated with decision to come on 'phoenix club' replacement
Salford Red Devils have been wound up following their HMRC hearing after financial woes; The 152-year-old club's existence came to an end after a one-minute hearing relating to an unpaid tax bill to HMRC; multiple consortiums have expressed interest in taking over with a 'Phoenix Club'
Thursday 4 December 2025 15:18, UK
The RFL has officially terminated Salford Red Devil's membership after they were liquidated on Wednesday.
The 152-year-old club's existence came to an end after a one-minute hearing relating to an unpaid tax bill due to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
However, there are hopes a 'phoenix club' could rise in time to fulfil the old club's fixtures in next season's second-tier Championship, with multiple interested consortiums.
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The club was officially wound up on Wednesday as Salford City Reds (2013) was ordered to be liquidated with debts believed to be around £4m.
The club was not represented in court. The decision means those debts will be written off and Curtiz Brown and Sire Kailahi, who had become the faces of the takeover, will no longer be owners of the club.
Now, a decision will be made by the RFL by December 17 on which consortium, if any, will take the brand of Salford Red Devils forward.
In a statement the RFL said: "Further to the RFL Board meeting this morning, the Board have formally terminated the membership of Salford Red Devils.
"The Board discussed the process which will now allow interested parties the opportunity to provide submissions for consideration, with a deadline for decision set for Wednesday 17th December.
"Several parties have already expressed interest, and they will be provided further details of timelines in due course.
"The Board are recognisant of the challenging circumstances the staff and players of Salford Red Devils have found themselves in, and with RL Cares are providing support."
One openly interested party is a consortium led by former CEO Chris Irwin who said in a statement: "Today marks the end of what has been a turbulent year for fans of Salford Red Devils, its stakeholders and its partners. We all knew it was coming - the inevitable was prolonged.
"But it's not the end. The club, its fans, its community will never die."
Another consortium that has expressed interest is one branded as 'The Phoenix Bid' which is headed by former Salford player Mason Caton-Brown with the mantra 'Rise Again Together'.
"This isn't just about rebuilding a club, it's about rebuilding belief," said Caton-Brown. "Salford means everything to me as a club and is part of my story. We want to create something the city can be proud of again; a club that stands for honesty, sustainability, and genuine community connection."
