Sale eye super status

Aviva Premiership outfit aim to become northern super club







Sale Sharks chief executive Steve Diamond believes the move to the Salford City Stadium will help their ambition of becoming "a northern super club".



The Aviva Premiership outfit confirmed on Wednesday they will ground-share with Stobart Super League neighbours Salford City Reds from next season at the 12,000-capacity stadium at Barton, which was completed earlier this year at a cost of £26million.Sale, who will leave their current home at Edgeley Park next month, will pay a six-figure annual rent to stadium owners Peel Holdings and Salford City Council after agreeing a 25-year lease.The Sharks had the option of re-developing Edgeley Park - which is owned by Sale backer Brian Kennedy's Cheshire Sports company - but given the high cost of such a project they concluded Barton offered better value for money.



Sale, whose first game at their new home will be a pre-season friendly against Leinster, believe the location - next to the M60 motorway and the Trafford Centre shopping complex - will enable the club to grow their supporter base.