Among the thousands of passionate supporters filling the stands at Sale Sharks rugby matches, there are individuals whose extraordinary actions and inspiring stories stand out. Whether they’ve overcome significant challenges, made remarkable contributions to their community, or achieved great personal milestones, these fans remind us that you never know who might be sitting next to you at a Sale Sharks match.
We are taking time to interact with such people and are asking some questions, but overall allowing them to tell their story to a much bigger audience. Today we are going to share the story of Merrall Stanworth and what Sale Sharks means to her.
What inspired your love for rugby and particularly for Sale Sharks?
Merrall: “I’ve always liked sport generally but only ever watched rugby internationals and I was always more of a football fan, particularly Manchester United. Ian was a big Sale Sharks fan so when we got together, I started going to watch with him and gradually rugby and Sale took over as my preferred sport and team ”
How has being involved with rugby positively impacted your life?
Merrall: “Rugby was something that Ian and I could enjoy together, and we did a lot of the European trips away which were always fun. After Ian died, watching Sale Sharks was one of the things that kept me going together with all the friends we had made through them.”
How does the Sale Sharks Foundation’s work in promoting rugby and community engagement resonate with you personally?
Merrall: “It resonates with me massively. During Covid, Sale put a post on FB saying that if you needed someone to talk to let the Foundation know and someone would ring me. The first person to call was Vicky Irwin, then Georgie Perris-Redding, but I also got a call from Johnny Leota, who then called me every week and kept in touch after everything eased. As a result of that contact, I looked to find a way of volunteering with the Foundation and in July 2021 I got involved with Sharks Forces, supporting Armed Forces veterans, which gave me real sense of purpose and I am still involved today.”
Can you share a memorable experience or story related as a Sale Sharks supporter?
Merrall: “The biggest one is winning the Premiership in 2006. I remember we were winning 38-20 with time starting to run out but Ian still wouldn’t relax as “it was Leicester”. Then with seconds remaining, Chris Mayor got the ball and ran ¾ of the length of the pitch in front of us to score. At this point I was jumping up and down and turned to hug Ian and he stood crying saying, “I never thought we’d do it”! He obviously got over it very quickly and the coach journey back was amazing with quite a lot of drink going round.
The European trips were also great though – Petracha and Montpelier were brilliant and one of the most fun was Benidorm where someone had arranged a big meal the night before for all the supporters, over 100 of us, and then La Vila had laid on brilliant food and entertainment at the ground”
This is just one of many stories we will tell throughout the season hoping to inspire future generations of Sale Sharks fans.
If you are able, please scan the QR code below to make a donation to the Sale Sharks Foundation. Your support will greatly help us in giving back to our communities
