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Charlie Hodgson at Manchester Airport

Sharks Take-off for Toulouse with New Shirt at Manchester Airport

Thursday, October 8th 2009

The Sale Sharks begin their Heineken Cup journey from Manchester Airport on Friday. Kingsley Jones’ side will be flying over to France to tackle three-time winners Toulouse in their opening match of the 2009/10 European campaign.

However, before they depart on Friday morning, the Sharks’ head coach Jason Robinson, scrum half Dwayne Peel and Sharks’ club captain Dean Schofield will be stopping by JD Sports in Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1 to launch their new black and blue European shirt.

The new shirt, designed by the club’s official kit manufacturer Cotton Traders, will feature the Sharks’ trademark fin on the front, and the black and cyan colour scheme has already been a hit amongst Sharks’ supporters with the club receiving record numbers of pre-orders for a European shirt.

JD Sports will be stocking the shirts in their shop in the airport’s brand new terminal 1 facility throughout the weekend. This is the first time the Sharks’ shirts have been available in Manchester Airport for three seasons. The club estimates that approximately one thousand Sharks’ supporters will be making the journey from the North West to support their team in the south of France this weekend, with most of these supporters travelling through Manchester Airport.

Andrew Harrison, Commercial Director for Manchester Airport, said: "Sport has been instrumental in putting Manchester on the map so we're delighted to partner with Sale Sharks as they prepare to launch their European campaign in the Heineken Cup. The new shirt will be stocked in the brand new Terminal 1 facility at Manchester Airport and we look forward to welcoming fans to Manchester and helping them to support Sale as they look to bring the cup back to Edgeley Park."

Nathan Bombrys, Commercial Director for Sale Sharks, said: “It’s great to once again have our shirts on sale in Manchester Airport. Visitors to the region quite rightly associate Manchester with sport, and so it is important to us that, as Manchester’s rugby team, we have a visible presence in Manchester Airport, particular given that we represent the city and the region in the best club rugby tournament in the world – the Heineken Cup.”