Red Devils’ coach Paul Rowley laments toll of takeover as his team fall 32-6 to Leeds but at least fans can smile

Losing 32-6 at home to Leeds will not be a result Salford Red Devils fans look back on with too much fondness but in terms of the significance of the day itself, its importance can hardly be overstated.

Salford have, regrettably, been the story of the opening fortnight of the new Super League season for all the wrong reasons. After a winter of financial discontent in which the club had to take a £500,000 advance in central distribution money to make ends meet, there was some much-needed good news on the eve of the new campaign when the club were sold to a consortium led by the Swiss investment banker Dario Berta.