Sale FC is a semi-professional

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

club based at Heywood Road in

Sale, Greater Manchester Sale is a town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, in the historic county of Cheshire on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of Manchester. In 2011, it had a population of 134 ...

, England, which plays in

National League 1 National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...

following promotion from

National League 2 North National League 2 North is one of three, level four leagues in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in the northern half of England, the North. The remainder of England is covered by the two counte ...

at the end of the 2017–18 season. Premiership club

Sale Sharks Sale Sharks is a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. Originally founded in 1861 as Sale Football Club, now a distinct amateur club, they adopted the ...

is the professional offshoot of Sale FC.

History

Formed by a team of sportsmen drawn mainly from Sale Cricket Club, Sale Football Club was founded in 1861 and is the fifth oldest surviving rugby club. In the early days of the club, rules were usually deemed unnecessary and those that were enforced were often made up on the spot. As the game began to evolve, however, the need for specified regulations became apparent and in 1865 the Minute Book was created stipulating the ten rules to be followed by all players. This is reputedly world's oldest existing rugby rule book and a much treasured possession. Games were originally played on either a rented portion of Sale Cricket Club or on fields owned by local farmers. In 1905, the club bought a field at the end of Heywood Road. Sale FC have featured many prominent international and county players. Pat Davies became their first England international in 1927 and the 1930s saw an international backline of

Hal Sever Hal Sever (c. 1910 – June ) was an English rugby international playing ten matches. He was educated at Shrewsbury School, which is normally regarded as a footballing school. He made his debut in 1936 as a member of the first English team to def ...

(England wing),

Claude Davey Claude Davey (14 December 1908 – 18 February 2001) was a Wales international rugby union player who played club rugby for several teams, most notably Sale and Swansea. He was awarded 23 caps for Wales and captained his country eight times. Dave ...

and

Wilf Wooller Wilfred Wooller (20 November 1912 – 10 March 1997) was a Welsh cricketer, rugby union footballer, cricket administrator and journalist. He was acclaimed as one of the greatest all-round sportsmen that Wales has ever produced. He captained ...

(Wales centres) and Ken Fyfe (Scotland wing).

Fran Cotton Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a c ...

, Steve Smith, Dewi Morris, Richard Trickey and Jason Robinson also played at Sale. In 1936, Sale were invited to take part in the

Middlesex Sevens The Middlesex Sevens was a Rugby Sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England until 2011. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London-based Scot.Bath, ''Scotland Rugby Miscellany'', p82 Th ...

Cup and went on to win the competition. Before World War II, an increase in membership meant that the club had almost outgrown facilities at Heywood Road and an additional site on Woodbourne Road was purchased. Initially this was meant to be a training ground for the junior team, but there were talks to eventually relocate the rest of the club there too, but when war was over it was instead decided to focus efforts on the redevelopment of Heywood Road. Land was sold to fund the project and the ground gradually began to evolve. A new clubhouse was built, the old bath house replaced by squash courts, changing facilities improved, floodlights installed and the commemorative Jim Birtles Stand erected.

Current season

Facilities

In December 2017 at their home game against Sedgley Tigers, Sale FC opened their Suite @Sale hospitality suite. This new suite overlooking the main pitch with sliding windows onto the balcony, seats 190 for meals in the main room, 24 people in the Executive Suite and has two bars. There is also a bar downstairs named after Steve Smith "Smithys". The new development includes a new gymnasium and a Martial Arts facility used by TaeKwonDo.

Training ground

Sale FC Rugby also own the Sale FC Rugby Training ground on Carrington Lane. This high performance facility has four pitches, one of which is floodlit and a training resource area including dining room, performance analysis suite and it is also where Minis and Juniors train on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings. This is also the home venue for Sale FC 1861, Sale FC Vikings and Sale FC Senior Colts. The gymnasium provides rehab, strength and condition facilities and changing rooms. Recently the club house has had a complete refurbish and now contains a bar and a cafe. Cafe Sale FC Rugby Training Ground

Mascot

On 23 December 2017 the club unveiled a new mascot, Trickey the Mutt.

Teams

Sale FC currently has Four senior teams
Sale FC 1st Team
playing in National One
Sale FC Vikings
new entry to the leagues 2022-23 season
Sale FC 1861
women's team playing in Championship North Two
Sale FC Chargers
Touch Rugby Team Sale FC also has * Sale FC Senior Colts * Sale FC Junior Colts * More than 350 Juniors and Minis

Touch Rugby

In the 2022-2023 season, Sale FC have added a touch rugby team to their club. Manchester Chargers in the search for a new home have joined forces with Sale FC to form Sale FC Chargers. Home games and training are at Sale FC Training Centre Carrington Lane.

Honours

Old amateur club (pre Sale Sharks) *

winners: 1936 * Glengarth Sevens Davenport Plate winners (2): 1968, 1985 * Cheshire Cup winners (17): 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1997 * Glengarth Sevens Main Event Champions: 1978 * Courage League National Division Two champions: 1993–94 Modern amateur club (post Sale Sharks) *

South Lancs/Cheshire 4 South Lancs/Cheshire 4 was a regional English rugby union league at the ninth tier of national competition for teams from the South Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester area. Teams were promoted to South Lancs/Cheshire 3 and generally there was ...

champions: 2003–04 * South Lancs/Cheshire 3 champions: 2004–05 * South Lancs/Cheshire 2 champions: 2005–06 * Cheshire Plate winners: 2006 *

South Lancs/Cheshire 1 Lancs/Cheshire Division 1 (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 1) was a regional English Rugby Union league for teams from Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, ranked at tier 8 of the English league system. The top tw ...

champions: 2011–12 * Cheshire Bowl winners: 2012 * North Division 1 West champions: 2012–13 * Cheshire Vase winners: 2013 * Cheshire Cup winners: 2014 2019 * National 3 North champions: 2014–15 *

champions: 2017–18

References

External links

Sale FC Rugby Club Official Website
{{Rugby union in England 1861 establishments in England English rugby union teams Rugby clubs established in 1861 Sale, Greater Manchester Sale Sharks Sports clubs in England