Departure.

Chris Ashton’s shock departure from Sale Sharks last week came as much of a surprise for him as it did for us, the winger has revealed.

The England international parted ways with the northern club last week, with the club wishing him all the best in a shock press release that came completely out of the blue.

Sale boss Steve Diamon later cited differences in opinion, suggesting they perhaps had an argument that went south and led to his departure.

“There is no situation, just a disagreement on how we want to play the game. He wants to do it one way, I want to do it another and that’s it, so end of story,” Diamond said.

But Ashton is disappointed with the comments made by his former boss and made it clear it was not planned, despite him signing for Harlequins just two days later.

“I didn’t feel as though we had the relationship that I’d hoped for,” Ashton said on BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly pod.

“We did bang heads on a few things but it’s only because I wanted the club to get better and win. It was never any other way than that.

“It is a shock that Steve said that and it’s a shock he said it to me last Monday night, that he felt that way. I could have gone in and said I want to change this opinion you have of me but I didn’t necessarily believe it was right.

“After I got home from my meeting (with Diamond) my mum and missus said ‘what’s wrong with you’. I must have been as white as some kitchen cupboards. They said ‘what’s up?’ ‘I haven’t got a job, I don’t think I’ve got a job’ – it was that fast.”

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care added that while he did play a role in bringing his podcast co-host to the Stoop, it was never pre-planned with Ashton getting in touch with Paul Gustard after it was made clear he was no longer welcome at Sale.