To our valued Sharks Family, we have come to the end of another rollercoaster 12 months and it falls to us to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year from the three of us and everyone else at Carrington.
It’s a year that ends with the men’s team not exactly where we want to be in the Prem table, but we hope that, like us, you’re full of optimism and excitement about what the next year will bring. We’ve already announced two signings and we can’t wait to see Joe Marchant and Nicky Smith wearing blue. We’ve also kept George Ford for what we all believe will be the best years of his career and that is saying something after the way he’s played in the past year. We’ve got plenty still to fight for this season in both the Gallagher Prem and the PWR, but we’re already excited for 2026/27.
Of course, we have faced challenges and we will face plenty more going forward around things like stadium ownership. But – and it’s Christmas panto season so forgive us – we don’t have a magic lamp to rub and like Jack, we can’t climb this beanstalk overnight. BUT, we are desperate to grant you your wishes and we have plenty of magic beans in our pockets to do it. We’re all fully committed to getting to that magic castle at the top.
We’re incredibly passionate and determined about building this club into one of the biggest, most successful clubs in Europe. We’re in for the long haul and that commitment runs through our supporting cast of players, coaches and staff at Carrington and, we hope, to you, our loyal supporters, too. We’ll get there together. There’s no big bad wolf, no wicked witch or ugly step-sisters – even if a couple of performances recently have been more beast than beauty. We’ve just got plenty of Fairy Godmothers trying to work their magic.
Looking back on the last 12 months, it has been one full of memorable moments, from reaching another Prem semi-final, to our magnificent win in Clermont a couple of weeks ago. While we fell agonisingly short of another trip to the Allianz Stadium in 2024/25, a third-place finish in one of the most competitive Gallagher Prems ever was a huge achievement and it was just reward for the lads’ efforts. We’ve also seen a huge improvement from the women’s team, helped by the arrival of some fantastic coaches and players. Attendances at the Morson Stadium have more than doubled this season and we’re nowhere near finished on that front either.
As always, you’ve more than played your part in everything we have achieved this year and it’s no exaggeration to say that without your unconditional support for the men and women, through the good times and bad, we’d be in a very different place. Whether you’re new to us or you’ve been with us through the years, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you have given to the club. Please continue to get behind the players because they’re working so hard.
We do want to take this opportunity to say a massive heartfelt thank you to a lot of special people who make this club what it is – and please bear with us because it’s a long, but important list! Thank you to every single one of our men’s, women’s and academy players; our men’s and women’s rugby coaches, analysts and medical teams; our CEO Paul Smith, the commercial, media and finance team, Grace, Steve and Ollie in the kitchen at Carrington, Abi Dean and all the passionate staff of the Sale Sharks Foundation, our club volunteers and Lifeguards, the academy and DPP staff and volunteers, our groundsmen, and the staff at the CorpAcq and Morson Stadiums who work so hard to make matchdays so special.
We have made huge progress on and off the pitch this season and we couldn’t be more excited about the future. We are determined to make sure this club reaches the very pinnacle of rugby union, in both the Prem, the PWR and in Europe.
So, thank you once again for your support in 2025. Enjoy a well-earned break over Christmas and New Year and we’ll see you again in 2026.
Simon, Michelle & Ged.
