Salford to appeal points deduction

Salford owner Marwan Koukash says he is shocked and disappointed by the Red Devils being docked six points and has confirmed today he will appeal the decision.

Koukash tweeted this morning: “I owe it to the current squad and to our fans to fight the decision made by the RFL tribunal. The club will appeal.”

Koukash maintains that he believes Salford did not breach the salary cap.

“I’m really shocked and very disappointed,” he told media yesterday.

“I thought we would get a fair hearing but we don’t think we got a fair hearing today. The outcome does not justify what we’ve done.

“If you look through the salary log of 2014, I don’t believe we exceeded the salary cap even if you include the amount of money that was paid to Tony Puletua.”

The sanction equals the heaviest handed out to a club in the Super League era, when Bradford lost six points after going into administration four years ago.

Koukash later tweeted on Monday evening: “We did not breach the salary cap and still penalised with 6 points deducted. Its their court, their rules and we can’t argue against that.

The points deduction means that the Red Devils are now at the bottom of the table.

“The tribunal have made a decision which we disagree with,” lawyer Paul Barrow, of Quinn Barrow solicitors, told media.

“We’re disappointed, six points is ridiculously unfair on a young squad who are trying really hard and have got lots to aim for this season.”

“We maintain that the contract Puletua had was a genuine contract but the tribunal found against us on that point and so be it.