Salford Red Devils bring in former referee Richard Silverwood to backroom staff
Tuesday 6 September 2016 11:48, UK
Former top-level referee Richard Silverwood will work with Salford in a bid to improve player discipline, the club's owner has confirmed.
Salford are also looking to bring in a specialist finance manager after they were docked six points earlier in the season for a breach of salary-cap rules.
Silverwood, 40, announced his retirement in July following a disciplinary investigation by the Rugby Football League, having spent 15 years officiating at the sport's top level.
However, after director of rugby Tim Sheens came up with the unusual idea to bring in a former referee, Silverwood has now joined Salford's backroom team to address on-field discipline problems.
"Richard will be working with the players to try and improve their discipline," said Salford owner Marwan Koukash. "We have been conceding far too many penalties recently - the penalty count at Leeds last week was 14-6 and you can't win games from that position.
"He will be reviewing every game and helping the players understand where they went wrong. He started this week and will be with us for the long term."
Salford's points deduction as a result of a breach of salary-cap rules allowed Wakefield to take the last top-eight spot, condemning the Red Devils to the Super 8s Qualifiers for the second successive year.
Three defeats from their opening four games in the series leaves the team facing the prospect of having to contest in the Million Pound Game in order to preserve their Super League status for the 2017 season, and Koukash wants to bring in a finance specialist to prevent the situation happening again.
"It's another crucial appointment," said Koukash, whose own future at the club remains the subject of much speculation. "We want to ensure that we never again fail to comply with the regulations. We have made an offer to an ex-salary cap manager."
Salford would have to find an alternative venue if they finish fourth and host the game on Saturday, October 1, because co-tenants Sale Sharks have priority over use of the AJ Bell Stadium and are at home to Leicester in the Aviva Premiership that afternoon.
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"We'll cross that bridge if and when we have to," Koukash added. "We need to make sure we win our next three games and see where we end up."
Meanwhile, the delayed RFL hearing into crowd trouble at Salford's Easter Monday league fixture at Huddersfield will be heard on Thursday.
