But when the Rugby Football League refused to sign off on the takeover heading into their first game against St Helens last week, the Red Devils took the controversial decision to field their reserves, given how they were still subject to salary cap constraints that left them unable to field a full-strength side.
Nothing is won or lost in the first two rounds of the season of course but in Arthur, Leeds have a coach with proven pedigree – and they have a squad of players that could well challenge, despite starting the season last weekend with a home defeat by Wakefield.
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.
And for Salford, while this may well have ended in grave disappointment on the field, the fact the Red Devils have come through the most turbulent of off-seasons unscathed should, in itself, be considered cause for celebration because at some points over the winter, it looked far from certain they would make it.
Berta, Irwin and the new investment group have big plans, which includes a possible arena being built on the land surrounding the Salford Community Stadium and transforming the club’s off-field fortunes.
