County deny Sharks return
STOCKPORT County have moved to deny talks of a potential Sale Sharks return to Edgeley Park this week, after claims by the Sharks’ majority owner that a return to the borough remained an “active possibility” for the rugby club.
The Sharks currently play at the AJ Bell Stadium, home of the Salford Red Devils – but owner Simon Orange has been vocal in recent weeks about his desire to relocate the club if a deal to purchase the stadium outright cannot be reached.
Orange, speaking to BBC Sport last Friday evening, explained that an Edgeley Park comeback for the Sharks was “one of a number of options” available to the club – a statement which sparked outrage amongst the Hatters fanbase, after a number of torrid years groundsharing with the Aviva Premiership club.
Any deal would be done between the rugby club and Stockport Council, who purchased Edgeley Park in 2015 in a reported £2m deal which saw County become the sole tenants of the stadium – but club officials denied any talk of a Sale return on Saturday afternoon.
In a short statement, the club said: “The football club were not aware of (Mr Orange’s) interview beforehand, nor invited to comment.
“As such, we haven’t had an opportunity to discuss the matter with SMBC. However, we do not envisage a return to a groundshare with a rugby club.”
Sale initially moved into Edgeley Park 15 years ago, as the rugby club’s former owner Brian Kennedy purchased both the football club and stadium in one deal with The Hatters’ former chairman Brendan Ellwood.
But, after Kennedy’s tenure in charge came to a miserable end with The Hatters suffering relegation from League One, the Stockport County Supporters Trust obtained ownership of the football club in 2005 – though Kennedy retained ownership of the stadium.
A number of years of County playing as rentpaying tenants in their own stadium followed, in a spell which coincided with The Hatters dropping out of the Football League for the first time in 106 years – a period which led to huge ill-feeling and animosity from the County support towards the Sharks.
Stockport Council moved to purchase the stadium in 2015 after Sale relocated to Salford, and SMBC duly struck a deal with County to play as the sole tenants at the ground whilst paying a rental fee to the local council – but Orange’s comments sparked fury late on Friday evening amongst County supporters.
Despite the much-publicised comments, it is understood that no serious talks have taken place between any of the three parties with regards to a Sale Sharks return, and contrary to reports stemming from the rumours it is also believed that the football club did sign a long-term lease with the Council to remain at Edgeley Park.