Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen

I come in peace as a Sale Sharks supporter, so please bear with me and hear me out.

Many of you are, presumably, somewhat apprehensive of our arrival at SCS Barton come the Autumn and several of you may even have read some somewhat colourful views about us expressed by a small yet vocal element of Stockport County supporters on both their own Yellow Board and the Glasgow Rangers board, the latter because of Brian Kennedy's interest in that football club.

May I urge you to put aside any prejudices which you might hold based on their respective views? Please take we Sale supporters as you find us, give us the benefit of the doubt and reserve judgement until we have been together for a while. Then, and only then, can you see what we are really like and we can see what you are like!

The vast majority of our supporters are decent people, following our own sport of choice - just as the vast majority of you are decent people following your sport of choice. We have our own small yet more excitable element, as no doubt do you, but they are not representative of the supporter base as a whole. The days of antagonism between Union and League are long gone and the two codes now exist side by side in harmony, as indeed they should.

I would imagine that you had as much say in, and were consulted just as deeply about, your move to Barton as were we - namely, not one single iota. Our respective moves were engineered, for whatever individual reasons, by your Club management and by our Club management. Sometimes, as non-corporate supporters, we seem to be at the bottom of the food chain - but that's life, like it or not.

Nevertheless, i do think that we needed a fresh home from Edgeley Park and I welcome the move (although public transport home on a Friday night is a really serious concern for me), especially after having a look around the stadium yesterday. I had even committed to a three year South Stand Season ticket blind, before I'd even seen the facilities save from the top of the Barton High Level Bridge!

There are several entities involved in the Sale side of things (known as The Unoffy) which will include details of final numbers and timings closer to the time. If you want to join us, either post your interest on there, as a reply to this thread on the Turkey or send me a PM and I'll add you to the list.

Let's make this work, one and all!

Regards, and good luck for your season.

iBozz

Speaking for myself I have no issues with the fans from Sale, I actually work with a couple who have been asking questions about the ground and how I have found watching salford there.

Most of us feel that Kennedy is the issue.

Many years ago he was offered the chance to join Red City Developments to build a truly Iconic stadium, he didn't want to put any money in but wanted to reap the rewards.

Personally I see him as a wide boy in the worst sense, a low life, who will try to destroy any other sport or team that stands in his way. This may also apply to Sale if it stands in his way to owing Rangers.

Who are you trying to kid my friend?

Union and League are, and always will be, miles apart. The only thing in common is the shape of the ball.

GET REAL!

Willow: BK might be a concern to you, but I'm pleased to see your agreement that we supporters are not to "blame".

Rooted: Ah, a reasoned and considered response to a genuine hand of friendship, worthy of the extreme elements of SCFC. Rugby and synchronised swimming are miles apart as well, but that doesn't mean they need to be enemies. If I recall, the culprits in the Union/League divide of yore (not the split, but the way it was subsequently managed by the administrators) were Union and not League so why do you feel that that should be carried on? I could, but won't, suggest that you get real yourself.

iBozz,

Thank you for your extended hand of friendship. As you say, as fans of our respective sports we have more in common than we have differences. I think you are being optimistic in saying that the days of antagonism are long gone - after over 100 years of the Union administrators trying to destroy Rugby League by fair means or (mostly) foul it will take a long time before any trust can be built up. The perception amongst league fans of union supporters are as a bunch of upper middle class idiots who look down their noses at the honest working class league followers. It is only by meeting fans that these stereotypes can be broken down (or possibly re-inforced if it all goes wrong). As far as I am concerned you will be welcome at the City of Salford Stadium on 18th May - I hope you and your friends enjoy the game.

This is the key point here and something the two clubs should be pushing.

Ibozz ,,,, you make some fair and valid distinctions between the SS fans and the clubs management / owners. You also say "A mistake that some Stockport County supporters make, in my view, is that all those entities are one and the same and totally interchangeable, although Sale FC was mixed up to a lesser extent. This means, in practice, that anything that displeases that minority element, whether or not it might be justified, is therefor the personal and direct fault of any and all Sale Sharks' supporters.

Please do not make that same mistake!"

Fair enough but that has lessened to a great degree, remember that many County fans were aware that we were (and still are) getting shafted so there was always going to be an element of dislike of anything to do with Sharks. Remember that Uncle Dave promised shared fans groups, more consideration of County's history (the skip incident was a disgrace) but all that was spin and PR and I can't help but laugh when I saw the same tripe being trotted out on the SS message board

You guys are just fans (or customers to SS) and that's fair enough but Salford fans deserve to know whats allegedly gone on at SCFC ... just for info and only time will tell.

County fans have a lot to be angry about (and its not a minority as I suspect you know) but I support you general point in your post that the Reds fans have no need for any issues with SS Fans ...... keep an eye on the club though

John, thanks.

Last spring, a few Sale supporters met up with a few County supporters for a pre-match drink and a chat.

I, alas, had been working that afternoon and didn't have time to get home to change before the match so arrived at The Royal oak, Edgeley, replete in my working clothes: dinner jacket, waistcoat, black bow tie and highly polished shoes. That reinforced all the stereotypes! In explanation, I volunteer at a theatre and had been on "Front of House" dutes that afternoon, usually I'm backstage and am all in black - scruffy, but black!

I'm not sure that Union tried to destroy league, I guess it depends upon from where you see the standoff, but there was certainly a "them and us" mentality when I first joined Sale FC way back in the mid 1960s. I don't see any of that nowadays, though, save in jest.

Wayward: we can't just sit back and wait for the Clubs to do it, we need to seize the initiative ourselves.

meister: I meant County, but shall be more careful in future! I didn't know salford had a football team but, as it is a sport I cannot stand (each to their own), I tend to be blissfully unaware of any and all football clubs!

Union didn't try to destroy League? Did you honestly just say that?

Ibozz

Well done - a good post but you will find a few dinosaurs on here who not only know how to run SC at a profit but also with a full Salary Cap and without a Chairman who has dipped into his pockets for Millions of Pounds over a 30 year period.

However There are many - like me - who have accepted the situation and agree that the clubs have to work together to make it work.

So don't be alarmed when the dinosaurs post on here with their vitriol - its surely now all about how we can make it work for both clubs.

I'm only interested in how it works for Salford and at present the pro-Sale mob are still sounding pretty short of answers on that front.

Made me shiver reading that post, ''come over and say hello we don't bite'' 9.71484375:10