ON Sunday evening, after a pitiful turn-out for Salford’s win over Wakefield, Marwan Koukash bemoaned his club’s lack of support.

Just 2,712 fans turned up and the good doctor was not impressed.

“Today’s crowd was the lowest since I took over. Nothing can excuse or explain that,” he said on Twitter.

Koukash, as he does, interacted with supporters and added: “We’ve tried Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Still no interest.”

Koukash reckons he has invested between £4million and £5million since taking over the Red Devils on January 31, 2013.

So far, he has had precious little return.

It is worth remembering that in his first season in charge, Salford finished bottom of Super League.

Last year, as a new team began to take shape, they ended up tenth after looking like relegation candidates for much of the season.

This year really is the acid test for Salford – on all levels.

Nothing less than a top-eight finish will do for Koukash, whose desire, ambition and energy are to be applauded.

But doubts – huge doubts – remain over Salford’s ability to build a crowd that will satisfy their flamboyant owner.

Which brings us to his bid, or rather his wife Mandy’s bid, to buy the Bulls last year.

I spoke with Koukash a couple of months ago and he told me: “My wife’s bid was there in black and white and she had £1million to spend on the team.

“I leave people to make up their own minds about whether that would have kept Bradford up.”

Koukash has certainly splashed the cash at Salford, but his frustration at the weekend showed that while you can buy a Super League club and top-class players, you cannot buy a fanbase.

If Koukash had managed to seize control at Odsal last year, he would have inherited one of the best-supported clubs in the game.

The followings that Jimmy Lowes’ men have commanded so far this season have illustrated as such.

Bulls fans are enjoying life in the Championship right now.

When relegation was confirmed with defeat at Huddersfield last July, perhaps no more than 600 diehards were there to see it.

It was arguably the most significant day in the club’s recent history, yet many supporters had already given up by that point.

Apathy and disinterest reigned among a fanbase who, quite simply, had had enough.

There was a healthy turn-out at London Broncos for the Bulls’ last game in Super League. Bradford supporters filled their boots that day and had a party.

But the backing that Lowes’ team have enjoyed in the Championship has easily surpassed many of the club’s away followings in recent Super League seasons.

In the three trips to Leigh, Featherstone and Batley, Bradford have possibly taken over 2,000 fans to each match.

That is amazing support in anyone’s book.

Rather than trudge to games with their heads bowed and shoulders slumped, fans feel proud to associate themselves with Bradford Bulls again.

Of course it is easy to support a winning team rather than a losing one.

A feelgood factor develops and momentum builds, both on the pitch and on the terraces.

As Lowes gave his post-match interviews after Sunday’s win at Batley, he pointed to the terrace behind the posts where the bulk of the Bradford support had stood.

It was at that end where the Bulls turned the game on its head, fashioning two late tries in front of their raucous following to claim the two points.

Lowes talked of the Bradford fans helping to get his team over the line in that dramatic finale.

“I'm sure that Bradford support helped suck those points in,” he said. “We had fantastic support again and they stuck with us right to the end.”

An older generation of Bradford Northern fans are enjoying going to grounds such as Featherstone and Batley again, while for the younger supporters it is new and exciting.

Watching those Bradford fans celebrate wildly when Ryan Shaw kicked a touchline conversion from Danny Williams’ try to effectively win the match was quite some sight.

It was a reminder of rugby league, and indeed sport’s, ability to lift the spirits and evoke the kind of emotions we experience only when supporting our team.

That kind of passion is something that money cannot buy.

There is huge latent support for the Bulls in Bradford and another 10,000 fans would be back at Odsal if the club were competing for Super League titles again.

The Bulls’ relegation has breathed much life into the Championship.

Rivals chairmen are rubbing their hands at the prospect of 2,000 Bradford fans coming to town, thus guaranteeing them a bumper pay-day.

For the Bulls’ opening three away games, we have seen crowds of 7,449, 6,346 and 3,019.

Meanwhile, Salford’s first three home matches have drawn attendances of 4,975, 3,606 and 2,712.

Huddersfield Giants are little better. They have failed to hit the 5,500 mark in their last two home games.

When Koukash tweeted earlier this week to say “Super League is missing Bradford big time”, he was spot on.