Preston Grasshoppers v. Sale – 31st August – Kick Off 2.30pm
Hoppers second and final practice game before the season begins is at home to old adversaries Sale FC who continue to play at Heywood Road after the departure/split from professional outfit Sale Sharks.
Our last fixture with the Cheshire outfit was on Good Friday at the Sale ground back in 1991 when the home team handed out a bit of a thrashing and although fixtures between the two clubs have been few and far between, they go a long way back with the first meeting being played at West Cliff on the 1st of November 1884 when the home side ran out winners.
Sale FC were promoted from North West 1 at the end of last season will be playing in National 3 North this season and have been busy recruiting players from clubs at a higher level to add to their reportedly youthful squad. Amongst their newcomers are Nick Flynn from Sedgley Park, Ben Lloyd, Liam McGovern, Jack Moorhouse plus Luke Wishnowsky who was outstanding for Darlington Mowden Park last season.
Sale ‘A’ scrum half feeds the scrum in a fixture played at our Faringdon Park ground back in October 1926 The picture shows Hoppers playing in their change colours of black shirts.
Hoppers squads for this game will include a number of trialists and all but a small number of last seasons First XV members with the coaching team viewing their options as to who will travel to Dore Moor on the 7th of September where their 2013/14 league campaign commences.
Other pre-season games involving Hoppers teams during August include our Thirds away to Blackburn Seconds on the 31st while the Sixths entertain Manchester Thirds also on the 31st.
