Former Salford Red Devils chief executive Chris Irwin has insisted the club “will never die” after it was wound up at a specialist companies court on Wednesday following an unpaid tax bill to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
The 152-year-old club’s existence ended after a one-minute hearing. The Rugby Football League immediately terminated Salford’s membership. The Red Devils had been relegated from Super League after a turbulent 2025 season.
Irwin, who is leading one of several interested consortiums, said: “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.”
He said his group has already begun talks with prospective coaches, players and other staff and has been preparing a sustainable business plan for a phoenix club. An RFL board meeting due on Thursday could quickly ratify the return of a Salford club in time for the 2026 Championship season.
Salford endured a difficult 2025 campaign, repeatedly making late wage payments and failing to fulfil a fixture after a mass player exodus. Head coach Paul Rowley left to join Super League rivals St Helens.
Irwin added: “A consortium and I, who we will name in due course, have been working in the background to create a realistic and sustainable business plan to take the fabric of our beloved club and start again. Conversations have already begun with a prospective head coach, staff and potential players to take the club forward.”
Salford are due to start the 2026 season against local rivals Oldham on January 16, and the aim is for a newly formed club to take the place vacated by the liquidated Red Devils.
An RFL spokesperson said: “Following today’s court decision, Salford Red Devils’ membership of the RFL has been terminated with immediate effect. The RFL board will meet tomorrow [Thursday], following which, detail on the process to new club ownership will be advised.”
The winding-up petition was first filed in June and was adjourned several times to allow an opportunity for the debt to be paid. The club was not represented at Wednesday’s hearing.