SalfordOnline

The council say the former Ambrose Barlow school site - bounded by Chorley Road, Partington Lane and Stanwell Road - has been ruled out by planners because of the impact on local residents, difficulty with parking and access and the need for a new primary school and houses in Swinton.

Koukash put the cat among the pigeons last year when he announced he was to buy Swinton Lions for £100,000 - effectively to use them as a feeder club for his struggling Super League side.

Included in his grand plans were proposals for a 3,000-seater stadium in the middle of Swinton, returning the club to their home town for the first time since 1992.

Koukash was given three-month exclusivity on 21 March 2014 but no concrete plans or drawings ever emerged.

And planning restrictions mean the ground is not even viable.

Responding, a spokesperson for Salford City Council said: “We want to find Swinton Lions a suitable, long term home.

“We have identified a number of potential sites and we will be pursuing those options directly with Swinton Lions.”

Marwan angrily tweeted: “I feel very disappointed and angry with Salford City Council for wasting my time and money on the @swintonlion Stadium proposal.”

But Swinton came out strong in response, saying that Koukash's involvement (or lack of it) would be "no obstruction to the robust and sustainable strategy that we are already putting in place for our historic club".

Returning to their home town is a "fundamental ambition", the club's board of directors said in a statement.

“The club is under new and ambitious ownership, and we are in the midst of putting it on the firmest financial footing seen in many years.

“We have recruited a strong playing squad and have a coaching structure second to none outside Super League. We decided not to continue with dual-registration because we are genuinely ambitious and determined to re-stamp our own identity.

"We are also fully embarked on plans to put the Lions back at the heart of the local community."

The club was recently accredited by the RFL for its outstanding work in the training and education of young players, and has a strong vision to build solid relationships with local businesses, schools, colleges, and amateur rugby league clubs.

The club added: “The negotiations between Salford City Council and Dr Koukash were totally beyond our control and remit, and the club’s future does not in any way depend on the outcome of them.”