Sale Sharks can confirm that Head Coach Paul Deacon has left the club following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.
Former rugby league man Paul joined the club as attack/skills coach from in 2015, four years after bringing down the curtain on a glittering playing career in the 13-a-side game.
He won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and one World Club Challenge during a 14-year career which saw him make more than 300 appearances for Bradford Bulls and almost 50 for Wigan.
After retiring, ‘Deacs’ spent four years on the Warriors’ coaching staff, before switching codes and joining Steve Diamond’s staff at Sale.
He was appointed Head Coach in 2020 after Diamond’s departure, and he has remained in the role ever since, forming a key part of Alex Sanderson’s staff.
Paul said: “It’s been a rollercoaster ride over the last 10 years but I’ve loved every minute. I came to the club not knowing too much about the game but I wanted to test myself.
“The last five years, in particular, have been unbelievable. To reach four semi-finals out of five season has been incredible – my only regret is that we didn’t manage to win the Premiership but I’ve got no doubt that will come.
“I’ve worked with some amazing players and some brilliant coaches and I’ll look back on my time at Sale really fondly and with a lot of pride. I’m just sad it’s come to an end.
“I’d like to say a massive thank you to Steve Diamond for bringing me to the club, to Simon, Michelle and Ged and to Alex for their friendship and support, and I’d like to thank the players and Sharks supporters for making the last ten years so enjoyable.”
Alex said: “Deacs has been here ten years and in that time he’s brought through a generation and he’s developed a team from being competitive to having the ability to reach finals and compete for the title.
“For the last five years he’s been the first person I call on a Sunday. He’s been the most diligent, the most hard-working and the most dependable Head Coach and for me on a personal level, he’s been a rock.
“As a man he’s got real class and I know he’s never wanted the kind of praise or recognition that I’m giving him now. But he deserves it, and I’ve told him that whatever we go on to achieve, it’ll have his stamp and his handwriting on.
“I’m really grateful to have had the chance to work with him. On every level, he’s got the full respect of not just me, but everyone at the club, and I know I speak for everyone when I say that we wish him all the best for whatever comes next.”
The club will be making announcements on the coaching line-up for next year in the coming days.
