We are still paying the price for that extremely disappointing performance against Saints I'm afraid. Cas is a must win game now if we hope to drag in a lot more next time. The sceptics will be expecting nothing more than a loss on Friday.

When are we going to stop kidding ourselves that there is a magic bullet solution to crowd numbers?
It will require a lot more than just a good run of results in a single season. It will need some years of consistency from the team, sound marketing from the club and continuing investment from the owners.
The fundamental problem (IMO) is that the cities of Salford and Manchester are now football towns (Manchester of course always was), stop any kid in the street and ask them their favourite sport and who they want to play for and the answer won't be "rugby league" and "Salford Red Devils". Any strategy to improve the attendance must recognise and start to address that and there is no way that will be a short term fix.
There are some reasons for optimism though - we do have a team capable of delivering better than we've seen for many a year, we do have an owner with financial clout and undoubted enthusiasm, we do have a management team with ideas and who are seemingly open to advice (eg from Tim Sheens), the stadium access improvements are happening (though far too slowly). All these factors can certainly help in moving us to the level at which we would like to be.
That said, there still has to be a realistic approach to the attendance problem. It isn't going to change overnight, it will be a slow growth (Warrington provide perhaps the best example) but it is achievable.
We must though stop shooting ourselves in the foot - scheduling a fixture with United at home and on Mothering Sunday was never going to produce a bumper crowd now was it?

There you hit the nail on the head.

Surely today everyone who came should have been able to bring Mum for free.

I agree with a lot you are saying but I firmly believe that increased numbers can be achieved sooner with a team producing good results and creating a feel good factor. Go back to 2006 and compare numbers to the previous few years. I appreciate you could say that was at the Willows but when we were there many people complained about the old facilties and worrying about having their cars vandalised. Also lets not forget the opening game against Leeds in 2007 drew in about 8500 after a good season the year prior.

I really think vickers isnt doing enough to bring crowds in apart from social media and half the time hes just moaning. Well we play leeds on the same day as the manchester derby so get ready for a bad day in the stands there

The stadium is becoming a nightmare to get to ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

Yesterday, I left my home in Rochdale before 12:30. I accept that the journey times were affected by the 20-25 mins walk to and from the station and by that no trains were running from Rochdale to Manchester (and back) so the relief bus had to be used. However I got home after 19:30. I had ten mins in a pub as I refused to wait in the cold outside Victoria but that did not affect the times.
Put into the equation that I was lucky to share a taxi with two other Salford fans (thanks lads) from Eccles to the ground and was offered a lift to Eccles after the match.

For some reason, the number of 67 and 100 s going to Barton on a Sunday have been cut in favour of more going to the Trafford Centre. I will have to plan far more carefully when I arrive at Shudehill.

But imagine I had brought a friend. Of the 7 hours, 1 1/2 hours at the game, and 10 mins in a pub. I.E. 5 hours 20 mins travelling.I cannot see that person travelling again.
From Rochdale/north Oldham on a Sunday,it's quicker to get to Warrington, Widnes, Wigan, Saints, Huddersfield, and Leeds. Cas and Wakefield are comparable in time/trouble.

There are several Salfordians living in Rochdale.

Or maybe we should see how we are once the team is consistently decent, rather than just being a couple of years into rebuilding after 30-odd years of disappointment?

If we're challenging for the playoffs every year and getting 2,000 or so I'll worry. Until then, how about we stop thinking the club in Salford is doomed at every opportunity? Then again, I'm starting to think some people can't wait for the club to drop the whole "Salford" thing, to be honest...

And then that'd be those who watch football outside the Premier League knackered, wouldn't it?

Sorry for the third post in a row here, but Hillbilly Red and Barton Flyer are spot on as well.