Salford Red Devils have promised to repay a £1.5m council loan - despite the club being under financial pressures.

Councillors are concerned that the taxpayers’ money will be written off as the club faces legal action on several fronts over alleged unpaid bills.

It is understood bailiffs were at the club this week in connection with an unpaid bill from one supplier.

Legal action is also understood to be threatened by at least one player alleging he is owed unpaid wages.

When asked about the bailiffs and the suing player, Martin Vickers, a former senior council officer, and now chief executive of the club, said: “It is difficult to comment directly on these questions as some of these matters are subject to legal proceedings.

“In understanding the reality of the Club’s position, fans need to view the Club’s accounts which show unprecedented levels of investment in a Super League Club by the Club’s owner Marwan Koukash. The Club would also wish to confirm that 100% of the debts of the former Club are being paid in full including those to the Council.”

He said that the Devils had inherited a total debt of £3m from the former management regime when the club played as Salford City Reds at the now demolished Willows ground in Weaste.

Mr Vickers said: “The totality of the debts of the former club are £3M and these are being paid in full within the CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement).”

A CVA is an arrangement to pay creditors over a fixed period.

The council loan is currently being paid through an independent administrator after the previous club’s assets were seized to pay off creditors.

The council refused to say how much of the £1.5m loan, dating from 2010-12, had been paid and how often repayments were made.

In 2012 councillors blocked a proposal to loan the club another £750,000 as they deemed it ‘too risky’.

Asked to comment on the Red Devils financial situation a council spokesman said: “It’s not a matter for the city council, nor the stadium company, but rather a matter for Salford Red Devils.”

On the council loan the spokesman added: “The old club (Salford Football Club (1914) Limited) debt to the council is being repaid by a court approved CVA arrangement overseen by the Administrator. The terms of CVAs are confidential so we can’t be more specific.

It runs until 2018. After this there is a separate agreement with the new club to pay the residual loan.”

In September bailiffs were poised to move in after Cheadle Hulme based kit company, Kooga, served a county judgement on the club as it was owed £35,000. The bill was later settled.

Also in September last year a town hall audit report revealed a ‘secret’ deal by the council to pay the Reds £164,000 made in July 2013.

The mayor, his deputy.

David Lancaster, and former council officer, Martin Vickers agreed to the bailout without the knowledge of anyone else. Weeks later Mr Vickers received a £79,000 pay out from the council after taking voluntary redundancy, then got a job at the rugby club, where he is now chief executive.