Salford Red Devils chief angry at stay-away fans

Salford Red Devils chief executive Martin Vicker has expressed his disappointment at the sparse number of supporters who turned up for his side's home clash against Huddersfield Giants.

Just 1,972 were in attendance at the AJ Bell Stadium to watch the Red Devils fall to a 19-0 reverse - their fourth Super League defeat on the bounce.

As many as 40% of the club's season ticket holders failed to turn up for the televised clash on Thursday night, which has led to Vicker urging stay-away fans to return.

"The time for excuses about staying away from our games must stop right now," he told Manchester Evening News. "Far more people must start coming to games and supporting the club. We need far bigger crowds it's as simple as that. This is surely now a wake-up call for the entire city of Salford and clear proof of the need to support the city's premier professional sporting club.

"We are bound to be frustrated. We know the stadium is not based in the heart of the community but something must change to get more people inside it for home games. I really am sick and tired of hearing people saying Manchester United are playing at the same time, the weather was not good, we did not know a game was on.

"Like I say, the excuses must stop. I am not knocking our hard core of fans in all of this - I am merely highlighting the need for more people to become involved in Salford Red Devils. They have to if we are to fulfil our ambitions. We cannot keep on chasing the world's best players if we don't have the backing to help us."

Salford return to league action on May 22 when they host Warrington Wolves.