“We want to write our names alongside theirs in history” Sam James: The chance to re-create history

17 years ago a wide-eyed Sam James was a ball-boy at Edgeley Park, Sale Sharks former home in Stockport.

As with any boy or girl who has picked up or kicked an oval or round ball, Sam dreamed of re-creating the success of the heroes whom he watched every week.

Unlike most kids, however, Sam has the chance to do just that when he plays in the Premiership final this Saturday, Sale’s first Premiership Final since they won their only title in 2006.

As a boy growing up in South Manchester in the early 2000s Sam was in the midst of the brutally dominant Alex Ferguson-era of Manchester United and on the cusp of the ground-breaking purchase of Manchester City by Sheikh Mansour.

However, on the 14th May 2006, a week after Ferguson’s United ended their campaign with a 4-0 win over Charlton in front of 73,000 at Old Trafford, Sam was in his usual spot at Edgeley Park watching Sale play a Premiership semi-final.

“Those days I dreamed of being involved with the club in any capacity, I was in awe of those players like Charlie Hodgson, Jason Robinson, they were superstars.

“When they won the title it really pushed me to want to be in their shoes.

“I wasn’t allowed to ball boy at Twickenham so I watched the final on TV at my local club, Manchester, it was a huge moment for everyone.”

Now, 17 years later, Sam and the rest of the Sale team have the chance to turn their idols into peers and bring a second Premiership title back to Manchester.

“We want to writer our names alongside theirs in history.”

The legacy of Sale’s victory in 2006 can be seen in their current squad. A team pioneered and encapsulated by hungry and determined young talent: Bevan Rodd, Ewan Ashman, Gus Warr, Raffi Quirke, Tom Roebuck, Joe Carpenter – all were at the tender age of 5-8 years when Charlie Hodgson and co lifted the trophy.

If Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes were the poster boys for the ‘Class of 92’ then the 2023 crop of youngsters at Sale are their rugby counterparts.

Sam hopes that a similar feat on Saturday can kickstart another generation of rugby obsessed Mancunians.

“The supporter bases are their and you can see them at the local clubs,

“We want to provide that pathway for the next generation. If young kids see us at the top of the game and playing well then more of them will want to follow us, just like I did at Edgeley Park all those years ago.”

In a notion of poetic justice, Sir Alex was in attendance at Sale training this week.

Visiting their camp in Carrington, ironically the former base of Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City, Ferguson spoke to the coaches and players about leadership and playing under immense pressure.

A microcosm, perhaps, of how far this Sale team has come. A team of players who have gone from fans to heroes, who as kids watched their team play in front of 5,000 fans and who themselves will play in front of 70,000 at Twickenham.

Rugby will never surpass football in Manchester. However, if there are any future Sam James’ watching live or at home on Saturday, then they can go along way to ensuring another generation of talented rugby-obsessed Mancunians.