Paul Rowley vowed Salford Red Devils will have a team out to face Wigan Warriors in Sunday’s Betfred Super League match.
The social media rumour machine went into overdrive after the club’s players and staff saw their wages delayed for the second time this season, although they were eventually paid a day late on Friday afternoon.
Head coach Rowley was eventually able to name a sustainability cap-restricted squad for the match on the back of that, albeit only containing 16 players, and the 50-year-old half-jokingly suggested he might pull his boots back on at The Brick Community Stadium.
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“We’ll play – I’ll play myself,” Rowley told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.
“We’ll play and we’ll compete.
“I promised myself the day I took over that whatever side I play, we’ll compete.”
This month’s wages arriving on Friday have staved off another crisis for Salford, who are still searching for some stability even with the takeover by a consortium led by Swiss investment banker Dario Berta being approved last month.
Rowley is trying to stay positive amid the chaos, though.
“There are people in life a lot worse off, that’s how I get my head around it, and I said to the players ‘you’re in in control of your emotions’,” Rowley said.
“It’s all about the journey, it’s been a tough four months and it’s been really rocky the last few weeks…and if we come through the other side it’ll be a nice story, won’t it?
“But if we don’t, then we’ll move on.”
