SALFORD RED DEVILS have been wound up at a specialist companies court, it was reported today.

The 152-year-old club’s existence came to an end after a one-minute hearing relating to an unpaid tax bill due to HM Revenue & Customs.

Salford crashed out of the Super League last season after a torrid campaign in which they repeatedly made late wage payments and failed to fulfil a fixture after a mass player exodus.

They were relegated to the second-tier Championship, and had been set to kick off the 2026 season with a home match against local rivals Oldham on January 16.

The club said in a statement today: “We regret to inform stakeholders, supporters and partners that Salford Red Devils and its operating company, Salford City Reds (2013) Limited, have been subject to a winding-up petition filed by HMRC, and liquidation proceedings have now commenced.

“We understand the gravity of this situation and the uncertainty this creates for everyone connected with the club.

“For the original club staff that remained up until this point, this is an incredibly emotional moment. Whilst there is sadness in seeing things come to this point, there is also a sense of relief that an extremely challenging period for the club has finally come to an end.

“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to all the fans who have stood by us through everything. Your passion and loyalty have meant the world to us. More than anything, we hope that the club’s proud name and history can live on and continue to represent the people of Salford.”

Supporters and businesses are understood to be interested in immediately resurrecting the Red Devils as a “phoenix club,” and potentially fulfilling the old club’s fixtures.

The case against Salford was initially brought in June and had been adjourned several times to allow allow an opportunity for the debt to be paid. The club was not represented in court.

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, following which, detail on the process to new club ownership will be advised.”

Salford Red Devils supporters group The 1873 mourned the death of the club and called on the council to support efforts to form a phoenix organisation to safeguard the future of rugby league in the city.

They said: “Today marks a new low in the long and storied history of Rugby in Salford.

“The legal entity that carried our badge, our players and our dreams through some of the sport’s most memorable nights has now been ended.

“The name may have been written off the Companies Register — but the club, the spirit and the soul of Salford Rugby League have not.

“Rebirth is not an easy process. It takes honesty, hard work and humility. It requires learning from what has gone wrong — secrecy, short-term thinking and decisions made in boardrooms far away from the people who matter most.

“We call on Salford Council and the RFL to work jointly, and constructively to appoint a ‘newco’ to take on the tenancy of the stadium and assume the membership left behind by the liquidation of Salford City Reds (2023) Limited. This action must take place in the coming days.”