SALE FC was founded in 1861 and is the fifth oldest surviving rugby club.

Premiership club Sale Sharks is a professional offshoot.

Sale FC is semi-professional, based at Heywood Road, Sale, Greater Manchester.

The club had their first success in 2004 when they won South Lancs/Cheshire Division Four.

The next two seasons they completed a treble by finishing top of Divisions Three and Two.

Further promotions followed through the pyramid by finishing champions of South Lancs/Cheshire One (2012) and North One West the following year.

The National Three North title was clinched in 2015 while even further progress was made three years later with the National Two crown.

In 2018-9 the Cheshire side found life a little more difficult in National One, but finished six points above the relegation zone. They were then well clear of danger in 2019-20 as Rams were successful 26-19 up North in the only game played between the clubs before Covid hit.

Since then, however, the Dogs have been a bogey side for Rams, winning 32-21 at Old Bath Road and 22-21 at home following a brilliant comeback in the 2021/22 campaign.

They also snapped the hosts’ perfect 11-match winning streak last season, taking a 27-24 success before ultimately inflicting the 35-12 defeat which stopped Rams from winning National One at the start of April.

And they then made it five wins in a row to kick-start their campaign with a 29-17 success in November earlier this term.

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