Northampton Saints facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Northampton Saints

Full name	Northampton Rugby Football Club
Union	East Midlands RFU
Nickname(s)	Saints, Jimmies
Founded	1880; 145 years ago (1880)
Location	Northampton, England
Region	Northamptonshire
Ground(s)	cinch stadium at Franklin's Gardens (Capacity: 15,249)
Chairman	John White
CEO	Julia Chapman
Director of Rugby	Phil Dowson
Captain(s)	George Furbank
Most appearances	Ron Jacobs (470)
Top scorer	Paul Grayson (2,786)
Most tries	Teddy Cook (219)
League(s)	Premiership Rugby
2023–24	1st (Champions)
1st kit 2nd kit
Official website

The Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union team from Northampton, England. Their official name is the Northampton Rugby Football Club. They play in Premiership Rugby, which is England's top rugby league.

The club started in 1880 as "Northampton St. James". This is how they got their famous nickname, the Saints. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, a stadium that can hold 15,249 fans. It is located in the St James area of Northampton. Since the early 1900s, the team has worn black, green, and gold colours.

At the end of the 2023–24 Premiership Rugby season, the Saints finished first. This win meant they could compete in the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup. The current director of rugby is Phil Dowson. He took on this role in the summer of 2022.

So far, the Saints have won seven major titles. They became European Champions in 2000. They were also English Champions in 2014 and 2024. They have won the European Rugby Challenge Cup twice, in 2009 and 2014. Other wins include the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2010 and the first Premiership Rugby Cup in 2019.

The Saints have also won the Second Division title three times. These wins were in 1990, 1996, and 2008. The Saints' biggest rivals are the Leicester Tigers. Their matches are known as the East Midlands Derby. It is one of the most intense rivalries in English rugby.

Club History

How the Saints Began (1880-1945)

Starting the Club

The club began in 1880. It was first called Northampton St. James. A local church leader, Rev Samuel Wathen Wigg, started it. He wanted to help young people in his church. This is how the club got its nicknames: "The Saints" or "Jimmies". Rugby had already been played in the town for about 17 years.

The first official game was against a local team called the Star. In the early days, Saints played against other Northampton teams. These included All Saints, St Michael's, and Scorpions. The Saints quickly became one of the best rugby teams in the country. By the 1896-97 season, they rarely let opponents score.

Twenty years after the club started, the first Saints player, Harry Weston, played for England. Big crowds of about 10,000 people came to watch major games. This was especially true for games against their rivals, Leicester.

Club Relationships

In 1897, a small issue came up. The Saints wanted to change their name to "Northampton Football Club". But the recently formed football club, Northampton Town FC, also wanted this name. After some talks, the football club let the Saints use the name.

The Saints also formed a good relationship with the Cricket Club. They gave all ticket money from their 1897 game against Portsmouth RFC to the cricket club. They did this again after a game against Bedford in 1899.

Playing the Original All Blacks

In 1905, the Saints played against the famous Original All Blacks team. The Saints lost 32-0. After this game, a third, gold stripe was added to the Saints' shirt. This was to remember the special match, even though they lost.

Edgar Mobbs, a True Hero

Eight years after Harry Weston, Edgar Mobbs became a Saints player. He was a hero in Northampton and also in Bedford. Edgar was the first Northampton player to captain his country. He is best remembered for his actions in World War I. He was first told he was too old to fight. So, Edgar created his own group of soldiers, called Mobbs Own.

Edgar was killed in battle on July 29, 1917. He was leading his group by kicking a rugby ball into no man's land. His body was never found. Thousands of people came to see his monument in Market Square.

The club started the Mobbs Memorial Match to honour him. It has been played every year since 1921. From 2024, this match will be a pre-season game between Bedford and Northampton.

After the war, the Saints continued to grow. They produced some of England's best players. These players helped the team for the next 60 years.

Club Changes and Growth

The club faced tough times and fell behind other teams. Top players were not joining the Saints. In 1988, former players started the 'Saints Revolution'. They made big changes to bring the club back to the top.

Barrie Corless became the director of rugby. He rebuilt the club. The Saints started to improve, especially after signing All Blacks legend Buck Shelford.

In 1990, Northampton Rugby Union Football Club moved up to the First Division. The next year, they played at Twickenham for the first time. They lost in the Pilkington Cup Final to Quins. But this showed the team was getting stronger.

Players like Tim Rodber and Ian Hunter joined the England team. Younger players such as Paul Grayson, Matt Dawson, and Nick Beal also became England players.

In 1994, Ian McGeechan became director of rugby. The club was moved down a division in his first season. But they came back strong the next season. They won every game and scored about 50 points per game. Fans call this season the "Demolition Tour of Division Two".

The Professional Era (1995-2007)

In 1995, rugby union became a professional sport. Local businessman Keith Barwell took over the club.

In 1999, the Saints finished second in the Allied Dunbar Premiership. They lost a key local game to Leicester Tigers. Ian McGeechan left the club, and former Saints player John Steele took over. Steele built on McGeechan's work. With the great leadership of Samoan player Pat Lam, the club won in Europe the next season.

In 1999–2000, the club became a Public Limited Company (Plc). Shares were sold to the public. That season, the Saints lost the Tetley's Bitter Cup Final to Wasps. But they beat Munster 9–8 in the European Cup Final. This was their first major trophy.

After a bad start to the 2001–2002 season, former All-Black coach Wayne Smith became head coach. He quickly changed the club. A team that looked like it was struggling in November reached the Powergen Cup final. They also qualified for the Heineken Cup. Travis Perkins became the club's main sponsor in 2001.

The club almost moved down from the Premiership. This happened after coach Alan Solomons was fired in the middle of the 2004–05 season. Former teammates Budge Pountney and Paul Grayson took over. They had a slow start in 2005–06 but stayed mostly unbeaten after the New Year. Budge retired in 2006, leaving Grayson in charge.

The Saints played in the 2006–07 Heineken Cup. They finished second in their group. They then beat the French champions Biarritz 7–6 in the quarter-finals. This was surprising because they were last in the English league at the time.

Moving Down and Back Up (2007-2014)

On April 28, 2007, Northampton moved down from the English Premiership. This happened even though they won 27–22 against London Irish. After some changes, Jim Mallinder became the new head coach and director of rugby. His assistant, Dorian West, also joined.

On March 22, 2008, Northampton beat Exeter Chiefs. This win meant they would return to the Guinness Premiership. On April 12, 2008, Northampton beat Exeter Chiefs again, 24–13, at Twickenham Stadium. This won them the EDF Energy Trophy. On April 26, 2008, they finished their National Division One season without losing a single game. They had 30 wins from 30 games.

In the 2008–09 season, the Saints finished eighth. They only lost one home game. They also won the European Challenge Cup. They beat French team Bourgoin 15–3 in the final. This win earned them a spot in the 2009–10 Heineken Cup.

In March 2010, the Saints won the Anglo-Welsh Cup final against Gloucester 30–24. This was their fourth trophy in three years. They also finished second in the English Premiership. They lost to Saracens in the semi-final. In the Heineken Cup, they reached the quarter-finals.

Northampton finished fourth in the 2010–11 English Premiership. They lost to Leicester in the semi-final. The Saints also reached the final of the Heineken Cup without losing. But they were beaten by Leinster 33–22.

At the start of the 2011–12 season, nine players were away for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The Saints were knocked out of the 2011–12 Heineken Cup by Munster. When the international players came back, the Saints started to climb the league table. Eight Saints players were chosen for England's squad. This was a new club record. In 2011–12, the Saints reached their third Premiership semi-final in a row. They also reached their second Anglo-Welsh Cup final in three seasons.

In 2012–13, the Saints won their first five matches. But then they struggled in the Premiership. They also left both the Anglo-Welsh and Heineken Cups. The team finished fourth in the league. After beating Saracens in the semi-final, they reached their first Premiership final. They lost 37–17 to Leicester. Seven players from the team went to Argentina with the England squad. Tom Wood was the captain.

In the 2013–14 season, the club finished second in the league. They had 78 points, just behind Saracens. But they went on to win the 2013–14 English Premiership. They beat Saracens 24–20 after extra time. They also reached the final of the 2013–14 European Challenge Cup. They won this by beating Bath 16–30 in Cardiff, Wales.

Recent Years (2014-Present)

After their most successful season, the Saints finished first in the Rugby Premiership in 2014–15. But they lost to Saracens in the semi-finals.

The next few seasons were not as good. On December 12, 2017, Jim Mallinder, the successful director of rugby, left the club. He had been there for over 10 years. On December 29, 2017, Australian coach Alan Gaffney joined as a temporary coach. The team finished 9th that year. But they avoided moving down and stayed in the 2018–19 Premiership Rugby season.

A new era began on January 29, 2018. Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd joined the Saints for the 2018–19 Premiership Rugby season. Boyd was a well-known coach from the Southern Hemisphere. He had won the 2016 Super Rugby title with the Hurricanes. In Boyd's first season, the Saints won the Premiership Rugby Cup. They beat Saracens 23–9 at home. The Saints also finished in the top 4 for the first time since 2015. They then played Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership Rugby semi-finals.

Winning a Second Title

The 2023–24 season was very competitive. The Saints finished at the top of the table. They were just ahead of Bath on points difference. They then faced a strong Saracens team in a home semi-final. The Saints won 22-20 after a great performance. This match was the last home game for Courtney Lawes.

The final was on June 8 against Bath. The Saints were up 15-10 at halftime. The game became tied at 18-18. After some penalties and tries, Northampton played strong defense. The game ended 24-21, with the Saints winning.

This was their second league win, exactly 10 years after their first in 2014. A parade was held the next day. Thousands of supporters came out. Roads were closed, and the parade went from Franklin's Gardens to Northampton Guildhall.

Third European Cup Final

The Saints had a successful run in the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage. They then won knockout matches against ASM Clermont Auvergne and Castres Olympique. They comfortably won both games. Next, they faced a tough Leinster team in Dublin. This was a repeat of the previous year's semi-final, which the Saints lost closely. This time, the Saints won in a stunning 34-37 victory. This win sent them to their third European final on May 25 in Cardiff. They will play against Union Bordeaux Bègles.

Stadium Information

Franklin's Gardens Stadium

Stadium Overview

Northampton Saints have played at Franklin's Gardens since the club started in 1880. Franklin's Gardens is a stadium built just for rugby. It is on the west side of Northampton town centre. Besides the stadium, the club also has two training pitches, an indoor training centre, and a club shop.

The stadium is about 1,250 meters from the railway station. It is about 2,000 meters from the bus station. The stadium can hold 15,249 fans for games. It can hold 18,000 people for concerts. There are also 40 special boxes for groups, each holding 8 to 24 people. The stadium is also used for conferences. It is the only Premiership ground with its own war memorial. This memorial is under the main screen in the north corner of the stadium. All stands have areas for wheelchairs and easy access for disabled visitors.

Northampton Saints had a long unbeaten home record from March 2007 to March 2009. Much of this happened when the Saints were moving up from the RFU Championship. In the 2008–09 season, the Saints only lost one game at Franklin's Gardens. This was to the Newcastle Falcons.

In September 2021, Northampton Saints announced a six-year deal with cinch. This deal included naming rights for Franklin's Gardens. The stadium immediately became cinch stadium at Franklin's Gardens. Cinch also became the club's main sponsor from the 2022 to 2023 season.

The Carlsberg Stand

This stand used to be called the Tetley's Stand until 2018. It is the biggest stand in the stadium. It is on the eastern side, running along the length of the pitch. The stand was built in 2001–2002. It replaced the old east stand. It has both seats and a standing area. There are 14 special boxes above these areas.

Underneath the stand, you can find the Rodber bar. This bar can also be used as a conference centre for up to 600 people. The Captain's Bar and Heroes Restaurant are also on the ground floor. They serve fans on match days and can hold 150 people each. On the first floor, there is a Cocktail bar called the 1880 Suite. It can hold 50 people. There is also the Director's Lounge, which is a smaller conference area for 120 people.

Cinch Stand

The Cinch Stand is at the south end of the ground. It has the tallest seating area in the stadium. It runs along the width of the pitch. It was built at the same time as the Carlsberg Stand in 2001–2002. It replaced an older temporary stand. Building it was tricky because there was a lake behind it. A lot of work was needed to stop the ground from sinking.

In 2005, plans were approved to make the stand bigger. It was made several meters taller, adding about 1000 seats and 5 special boxes. The lake still made construction difficult. Three stairwells and seven entrance tunnels were added for easier access. New bars and toilets were also added. There is a gym in the lower part of the stand. In 2010, it was named the Burrda Sport Stand. It later became the Elite Insurance Stand in 2016 and finally the Cinch Stand in 2022.

Church's Stand

The Church's Stand is on the west side of the stadium. It runs along the length of the pitch. It was built in 2001–2002, along with the South and Tetley's Stands. It has only seats and no special boxes. This is probably because it is next to public land.

Under the seating area, you will find the changing rooms for both teams. There is also a gym and kit facilities. The Tunnel Club is also here. It is a special viewing area for guests inside the tunnel. The head coach's seating area is at the top of the stand. The team benches are directly below.

Barwell Stand

The Barwell Stand was built in 2015. It replaced the Sturtridge Pavilion. It has seats everywhere, except for the special box section at the top. In 2009, the Saints planned to make the stadium bigger to hold 17,000 people. This would involve redeveloping the North Stand. The club hoped to get money from a supermarket chain, Asda. Asda would build a new store on the land used for training pitches.

After some disagreements, the club found other ways to get money. They got a loan from Northampton Borough Council. Building started in the summer of 2015. The Barwell Stand, named after the Barwell family, was finished for the start of the 2015–16 Premiership Rugby season. It increased the capacity at Franklin's Gardens to 15,249. The stand also has the Members bar on the ground floor. This bar can be used for conferences on non-match days. A picture of every international player who has played for the club is on the wall.

Stadium Village

The Stadium Village is behind the Cinch Stand to the south. It has many bars and food stalls. There is also a large screen and a seating area next to the lake. The Northampton Saints Foundation offices are in one corner of the village.

Club Shop

The Club Shop was bought in the 1990s. It used to be a nightclub or bar. It is north of the stadium and faces the main road. Here, you can buy replica kits, accessories, and other clothing. The main ticket office is behind the shop.

High Performance Centre and Training Pitches

In 2023, the club opened the Northampton Saints High Performance Centre. It is on the opposite side of the Village from the stadium. This centre is an indoor training area. It helps the team train in any weather. It has an artificial grass pitch and changing rooms. There are also two outdoor training pitches. These are used by youth players and the second team. They also host youth rugby tournaments.

Other Facilities

The stadium has six car parks. They can hold 1,500 cars. The main car parks are next to the outdoor training pitches. They were built in 2005. They are across from the car parks used by the Football Club. The special parking for VIPs is just outside the stadium, next to the Carlsberg Stand.

Other Stadiums Used

The club's first home was on Mill Lane, south of Franklin's Gardens. The Saints played there from 1880 until they moved to Franklin's Gardens in 1894.

Northampton Saints also played some games at the County Ground in the early 1900s. They used it for important games, like East Midlands vs All Blacks in 1924.

The club played a 2011 Heineken Cup quarter-final match against Ulster at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes. Franklin's Gardens was too small for the 15,000 seats required by the tournament organizers. The Saints won the match, beating Ulster 23–13. Over 21,000 fans watched. The Saints also played their semi-final there the same year. They beat Perpignan 23–7. The Saints then hosted one Premiership match a season at Stadium MK from 2014–15 to 2016–17. After that, it was decided it was not good for the club to keep playing there. No more games have been held there since.

Team Kits

In 2008, after moving up to the Premiership, Saints changed their kit supplier from Kooga to Rhino. After two years with Rhino, they switched to Burrda Sport. This Swiss company brought back the old-fashioned ring design for the home shirt. For the 2014–15 season, Burrda released a kit with equal green, black, and gold stripes. This was one of the most popular kits in Saints history. Since the 2016–17 season, Macron has been the Saints' kit supplier. They signed a 10-year deal.

For the 2021–2022 season, the club released a special away shirt. It had the names of season-ticket holders who had given their ticket money to the club during the coronavirus pandemic.

Kit History

Years	Kit Manufacturer	Main Sponsor
1970s–1989	Europa Sports	None
1989–1993	Cotton Oxford	Carlsberg
1993–1995	Puma
1995–1996		Firm Security
1996–1998	Cotton Traders
1998–2000		Tetley's
2000–2001	Canterbury
2001–2003		Travis Perkins
2003–2007	KooGa
2007–2010	Rhino Rugby
2010–2015	Burrda Sports
2015–2017	Macron
2017–2020		Toolstation
2020–2023		Travis Perkins
2023–2026		Cinch

Current Kit Details

Macron supplies the current kit. On the front of the shirt, Cinch is in the middle. GRS appears on the left and right of the collar. The shoe company Church's logo is on the left sleeve. On the right sleeve, the tournament logo changes for different matches. Below it is the Rugby Against Racism logo. On the back of the shirt, Cinch is above the player's name and number. Cinch is also on the back of the match day shorts.

Special Kits

In 2001, a special home shirt was made. It had a "Champions of Europe" badge. This was after the Saints won against Munster in the final.

In 2021, Saints released a limited edition shirt. It marked 20 years of working with Travis Perkins.

Club Culture and Identity

Team Colours and Crest

Jersey Origins

The Saints first played in a red kit. Then they changed to a black and green kit. A simple cross was added before 1884. This cross is now part of the new 2024 crest. The cross was removed from the shirts between 1884 and 1904. The final gold stripe was added in 1904 after Saints played the Original All Blacks. These colours have been used for every home kit since then.

Crest History

In the 1950s, a new crest was designed for the club. It was a changed version of the coat of arms of Northampton. This new crest was used on important papers and on formal clothing. It was not on a match shirt until 1984.

There were two small changes to the crest in 1996 and 2016. In 1996, the text below the crest changed to "Northampton Rugby Football Club". In 2016, this text changed again to "Northampton Saints".

A new crest was shown on July 11, 2024. The original 1880 cross was put in the middle of a shield. Some Saints fans found this change controversial, but others supported it.

Away and Cup Jerseys

Saints' first away shirt came out in 1990. It was white, green, and gold. This is still the most common design for the club's away shirts. However, many other designs have been used. In 1996, a mainly black kit with small gold and green stripes was used as an away shirt. In the 1999–2000 season, an away kit was rarely used. It was either solid black or dark green.

After that, they returned to mainly black kits until 2005. Then a white shirt with small green and gold stripes was used again. This design was repeated until 2012, when a sky blue shirt was used. The next year, a neon green away shirt was used for two years. This kit was worn when the Saints won their first Premiership title. An all-grey kit was used for the first time in 2016 and again in 2019. In 2017, another neon green away kit was worn. In 2018, a claret shirt was worn to honour the county's colours. Finally, the classic white returned for 2020 and 2023. A grey kit was used in 2021 and a pink kit in 2022. For 2024, a light grey/white shirt with no gold was used as an away kit.

Special cup or third shirts have been used sometimes. The most famous was a quickly designed cup shirt in the 2002 Powergen Cup final. This was because the home or away jerseys would clash with the other team's kit. This "third" shirt was actually a training kit. Since then, third kits have been yellow, black, and red.

Team Rivalries

The Saints' main rivals are the Leicester Tigers. They play in the East Midlands Derby. In recent years, the Saints have also developed a rivalry with Saracens. This is because they have played each other many times. The most famous game was the 2013–14 Premiership Rugby Final, which the Saints won. The rivalry with Saracens became less intense after Saracens moved down a division. But it has started up again since Saracens returned to the Premiership. The Saints also had a small rivalry with Wasps. But this was usually seen as less important to fans.

Songs and Chants

There are several songs and chants linked to the club. Chants usually start in the standing area of the Carlsberg Stand.

Club Songs

The Saints' main club song is When the Saints Go Marching In. Fans sing it often. Unlike other sports teams, Saints fans usually sing it faster.

Another popular song recently is "The Fields Are Green". This song has been connected to Northampton town and its Football Club for decades. Coach Dowson introduced the song to the Saints players in 2022. Since then, fans have also started singing it in the stands. This was part of a plan to create a stronger, more local identity for the players.

Team Chants

Chants like "Come on you Saints" and "Jimmies" (from Saint James) have been used by supporters for a long time. However, "Jimmies" has been used less in the last ten years. More recently, fans can be heard chanting "Shoe Army". This is a nickname of the football club that the Saints have also adopted. It refers to Northampton's shoemaking history. Supporters have even been seen taking off their shoes during this chant.

Player Identity

Different coaches throughout Saints' history have tried to build a strong identity among the players. One famous example was Wayne Smith. He bought a "punishment car" for the 2003 season. It was a Reliant Rialto painted in the club's colours. He also started the idea of a "player of the week" shirt. This was an away shirt with a large Superman logo on the chest. It was a reward for players who were named man of the match.

More recently, coach Phil Dowson has worked to create a new identity for the players. He highlights the club's connection to Northampton and its history. Players are encouraged to sing songs about the town's shoemaking history. Many of these changes come from Dowson's respect for the playing culture of the football club.

Other Club Symbols

The Stickman

The Saints Stickman is a club symbol used since at least the 1980s. The stickman has a halo and often carries a rugby ball. The character comes from a series of books by Leslie Charteris. The club sells many items with the stickman's image. The most popular is a car sticker. Many cars in town have this symbol to show support for the team.

Bernie the Mascot

Bernie, the club's mascot, is a friendly Saint Bernard dog. You can often see him at home games. He has been a club symbol since at least 1999. His design has stayed the same, only his shirt changes each season.

Freight Locomotive

In 2015, it was announced that a GB Railfreight train, number 66754, would be named "Northampton Saints". This was to honour the previous year's Premiership title win. The Saints became the first rugby team to have a train named after them.

Community Involvement

Youth Events

The Saints have been active in the local community for many years. A lot of this work is with young players. Club players often help with training sessions at about twenty local clubs. The annual Saints training camp takes place at Stowe School every year. Recently, smaller training camps have also been held at Franklin's Gardens.

Supporters Club

The Northampton Saints Supporters Club officially started in 1922. Its main goal is to represent Saints fans and make their voices heard. It also aims to support local clubs and increase attendance at home and away games. They often meet for social events and arrange bus travel to away games.

Northampton Saints Foundation

The Northampton Saints Foundation was formally created in 2018. It grew from the club's educational work in the county. The idea of helping young people was a key reason the club started in 1880. The foundation has given many opportunities to young people. It focuses on teaching about jobs, life skills, and how to get along with others.

The foundation also works to preserve history. They often hold educational talks about the club. The organization also researches the club's history.

The Parish Initiative

The Parish is a community program started by the club. It supports the local area by offering benefits and special deals to people who live near the stadium.

Local Business Connections

Many businesses in the town centre display Saints flags. Many bars and pubs have Saints items. In 2024, the Northampton Saints Business Club was created. It aims to build good relationships with local businesses to help the local economy grow.

Club Partnerships

Bedford Blues

In 2020, the Saints announced a partnership with Bedford Blues. For the Championship and Premiership seasons, Saints would let some of their players play for Bedford Blues. Both clubs already had a close relationship. This was because they are close to each other, share history, and often played friendly games.

The agreement also set up an annual pre-season game between the two clubs. Coaching staff would also be exchanged between the teams.

Loughborough Lightning

In 2021, Saints announced a partnership with the Loughborough University Women's Rugby Team. This team plays in Premiership Women's Rugby, England's top women's rugby league. The agreement means some Lightning games will be played in Northampton. The Northampton Saints badge will also appear on their shirt. The team will also get a special kit in Saints colours for these games in Northampton.

Club Achievements

Northampton Saints Honours

• European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Champions: (1) 1999–00
  • Runners-up: (2) 2010–11, 2024-25
• European Challenge Cup
  • Champions: (2) 2008–09, 2013–14
• Premiership Rugby
  • Champions: (2) 2013–14, 2023–24
  • Runners-up: (2) 1998–99, 2012–13
• RFU Championship
  • Champions: (3) 1989–90, 1995–96, 2007–08
• Anglo-Welsh Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2009–10
  • Runners-up: (2) 2011–12, 2013–14
• Premiership Rugby Cup
  • Champions: (1) 2018–19
• RFU Knockout Cup
  • Runners-up (4):1990–91, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03
• EDF Energy Trophy
  • Champions: (1) 2007–08
• Selkirk Sevens
  • Champions: (2) 1991, 1993
• Middlesex Sevens
  • Champions: (1) 2003

Northampton Wanderers (Reserves) Honours

• Premiership Rugby Shield
  • Champions: (3) 2008–09, 2016–17, 2017–18
  • Runners-up: (4) 2003–04, 2007–08, 2013–14, 2015–16

Current Team Squad

The Northampton Saints squad for the 2024–25 season is:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Curtis Langdon Hooker England Nathan Langdon Hooker England Robbie Smith Hooker Scotland Henry Walker Hooker England Trevor Davison Prop England Luke Green Prop England Tarek Haffar Prop England Emmanuel Iyogun Prop England Elliot Millar-Mills Prop Scotland Beltus Nonleh Prop Cameroon Tom West Prop England Alex Coles Lock England Callum Hunter-Hill Lock Scotland Tom Lockett Lock England Temo Mayanavanua Lock Fiji Chunya Munga Lock England Juarno Augustus Back row South Africa Archie Benson Back row England Fyn Brown Back row England Sam Graham Back row England Josh Kemeny Back row Australia Iakopo Mapu Back row Samoa Tom Pearson Back row England Henry Pollock Back row England Angus Scott-Young Back row Australia

Player Position Union Tom James Scrum-half England Archie McParland Scrum-half England Alex Mitchell Scrum-half England George Makepeace-Cubitt Fly-half England Charlie Savala Fly-half Australia Fin Smith Fly-half England Fraser Dingwall Centre England Rory Hutchinson Centre Scotland Tom Litchfield Centre England Burger Odendaal Centre South Africa Tommy Freeman Wing England James Ramm Wing Australia Tom Seabrook Wing England Ollie Sleightholme Wing England George Furbank Fullback England George Hendy Fullback England

Academy Squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Craig Wright Hooker England Tom Dye Prop England Ollie Scola Prop England Sonny Tonga'uiha Prop England Aiden Ainsworth-Cave Lock England Emeka Atuanya Lock England Ed Prowse Lock England Reuben Logan Back row Scotland Henry Nanka-Bruce Back row England Kieran Perkins Back row England Charlie Ulcoq Back row Australia

Player Position Union Jake Garside Scrum-half England Jonny Weimann Scrum-half England Louis Haley Fly-half England Billy Pasco Centre England Toby Thame Centre England Toby Cousins Wing England Will Glister Wing England Rafe Witheat Wing England Ewan Baker Fullback England

Club Staff

First Team Coaches

• Phil Dowson – Director of Rugby
• Lee Radford – Defence Coach
• Sam Vesty – Head/Attack Coach
• Matt Ferguson – Scrum Coach
• James Craig – Line Out Coach

Academy Staff

• Mark Hopley – Academy Manager
• Alex O'Dowd – Player and Coach Development Manager
• Jake Sharp – Academy Coach
• Will Parkin – Academy Coach
• Jim Henry – Academy Coach
• Tim Grimsey – Academy Coach

Famous Former Players

Rugby World Cup Players

The players below have played for their countries at the Rugby World Cup while playing for Northampton:

Tournament	Players selected	England players	Other national team players
1987	1	Gary Pearce
1991	2	Gary Pearce, John Olver
1995	4	Martin Bayfield, Ian Hunter, Tim Rodber	Peter Walton
1999	7	Nick Beal, Matt Dawson, Paul Grayson, Tim Rodber	Budge Pountney , Allan Bateman , Pat Lam
2003	5	Ben Cohen, Matt Dawson, Paul Grayson, Steve Thompson	Tom Smith
2007	3		Soane Tongaʻuiha , Euan Murray, Sean Lamont
2011	8	Chris Ashton, Ben Foden, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood	Soane Tongaʻuiha , Vasily Artemiev , George Pisi
2015	8	Kieran Brookes, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood	George North , Kahn Fotuali'i, George Pisi, Ken Pisi , Victor Matfield
2019	7	Piers Francis, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam	Ahsee Tuala , Cobus Reinach , Api Ratuniyarawa , Dan Biggar
2023	5	Alex Mitchell, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam	Sam Matavesi, Temo Mayanavanua

British and Irish Lions Players

The following players have toured with the British & Irish Lions while playing for the club:

• Blair Swannell (1899 & 1904)
• Robin Harrison (1910)
• Bill Weston (1936)
• Jeff Butterfield (1955 & 1959)
• Dickie Jeeps (1955, 1959 & 1962)
• Frank Sykes (1955)
• Keith Savage (1966 & 1968)
• David Powell (1966)
• Bob Taylor (1968)
• Peter Larter (1968)
• Bryan West (1968)
• Ian Hunter (1993)
• Martin Bayfield (1993)
• Matt Dawson (1997 & 2001)
• Tim Rodber (1997)
• Nick Beal (1997)
• Gregor Townsend (1997)
• Paul Grayson (1997)
• Ben Cohen (2001)
• Steve Thompson (2005)
• Euan Murray (2009)
• Courtney Lawes (2017 & 2021)
• George North (2017)
• Dan Biggar (2021)

Hall of Fame Members

The Northampton Saints Hall of Fame started in 2004. It honours the club's best players. So far, 21 players have been added:

Team Captains (1880-Present)

Team Statistics

Overall Game Stats

• Most Points in a match: 111 (v Timișoara Saracens 2019)
• Most Tries in a match: 17 (v Timișoara Saracens 2019)
• Most Conversions in a match: 13 (v Sedgley Park 2008) and (v Timișoara Saracens 2019)
• Most Penalty Goals in a match: 7 (v Richmond 1997)
• Most Drop Goals in a match: 2 (v Newcastle Falcons 1996)

Season Summaries

	Domestic League				Domestic Cup		European Cup
Season	Competition	Final Position	Points	Play-Offs	Competition	Performance	Competition	Performance
1987–88	Courage League Division 2	12th	13	N/A	John Player Cup	3rd round	No competition	N/A
1988–89	Courage League Division 2	3rd	13		Pilkington Cup	3rd round
1989–90	Courage League Division 2	1st (P)	19		Pilkington Cup	Semi-final
1990–91	Courage League Division 1	9th	11		Pilkington Cup	Runners-up
1991–92	Courage League Division 1	3rd	19		Pilkington Cup	4th round
1992–93	Courage League Division 1	4th	16		Pilkington Cup	Semi-final
1993–94	Courage League Division 1	5th	18		Pilkington Cup	5th round
1994–95	Courage League Division 1	10th (R)	12		Pilkington Cup	Quarter-final
1995–96	Courage League Division 2	1st (P)	36		Pilkington Cup	4th round	No English teams
1996–97	Courage League Division 1	8th	20		Pilkington Cup	Quarter-final	Challenge Cup	Quarter-final
1997–98	Premiership	8th	19		Tetley's Bitter Cup	Semi-final	Challenge Cup	2nd in pool
					C&G Cup	Quarter-final
1998–99	Premiership	2nd	38		Tetley's Bitter Cup	5th round	No English teams	N/A
					C&G Cup	Quarter-final
1999–00	Premiership	5th	35		Tetley's Bitter Cup	Runners-up	Heineken Cup	Champions
2000–01	Premiership	4th	59		Tetley's Bitter Cup	Quarter-final	Heineken Cup	4th in pool
2001–02	Premiership	5th	56		Powergen Cup	Runners-up	Heineken Cup	4th in pool
2002–03	Premiership	3rd	62	Semi-final	Powergen Cup	Runners-up	Heineken Cup	Quarter-final
2003–04	Premiership	3rd	70	Semi-final	Powergen Cup	6th round	Heineken Cup	2nd in pool
2004–05	Premiership	11th	40	DNQ	Powergen Cup	Quarter-final	Heineken Cup	Quarter-final
2005–06	Premiership	6th	53	DNQ	Powergen Cup	2nd in pool	Challenge Cup	Quarter-final
2006–07	Premiership	12th (R)	33	DNQ	EDF Energy Cup	4th in pool	Heineken Cup	Semi-final
2007–08	National Division One	1st (P)	143	N/A	EDF Energy Trophy	Champions	Not qualified	N/A
2008–09	Premiership	8th	49	DNQ	EDF Energy Cup	Semi-final	Challenge Cup	Champions
2009–10	Premiership	2nd	71	Semi-final	LV= Cup	Champions	Heineken Cup	Quarter-final
2010–11	Premiership	4th	65	Semi-final	LV= Cup	2nd in pool	Heineken Cup	Runners-up
2011–12	Premiership	4th	65	Semi-final	LV= Cup	Runners-up	Heineken Cup	3rd in pool
2012–13	Premiership	4th	65	Runners-up	LV= Cup	2nd in pool	Heineken Cup	2nd in pool
2013–14	Premiership	2nd	78	Champions	LV= Cup	Runners-up	Challenge Cup*	Champions*
2014–15	Premiership	1st	76	Semi-final	LV= Cup	Semi-final	Champions Cup	Quarter-final
2015–16	Premiership	5th	60	DNQ	No competition	N/A	Champions Cup	Quarter-final
2016–17	Premiership	7th	52	DNQ	Anglo-Welsh Cup	2nd in pool	Champions Cup	4th in pool
2017–18	Premiership	9th	43	DNQ	Anglo-Welsh Cup	Semi-final	Champions Cup	4th in pool
2018–19	Premiership	4th	56	Semi-final	Premiership Cup	Champions	Challenge Cup	Quarter-final
2019–20	Premiership	8th	42	DNQ	Premiership Cup	4th in pool	Champions Cup	Quarter-final
2020–21	Premiership	5th	57	DNQ	No competition	N/A	Challenge Cup*	Quarter-final
2021–22	Premiership	4th	75	Semi-final	Premiership Cup	Group Stage	Challenge Cup*	Round of 16
2022–23	Premiership	4th	58	Semi-final	Premiership Cup	Semi-final	Champions Cup	Group Stage
2023–24	Premiership	1st	60	Champions	Premiership Cup	Group Stage	Champions Cup	Semi-final
2024–25	Premiership	7th		DNQ	Premiership Cup	Quarter-final	Champions Cup	Runners-up

Gold background means champions
Silver background means runners-up
Pink background means moved down a division

* After dropping into the competition from the Champions Cup/Heineken Cup

Player Stats

Most Appearances

• 470 – Ron Jacobs (1949–66)
• 448 – Don White (1943–61)
• 438 – Vince Cannon (1973–89)
• 436 – Alf Chalmers (1897–1912)
• 426 – Tom Harris (1923–37)

Most Tries

• 219 – Teddy Cook (1908–23)
• 207 – Billy Kingston (1895–1905)
• 185 – Barry Oldham (1964–78)
• 179 – Edgar Mobbs (1905–13)
• 178 – Frank Packman (1983–96)

Most Points

• 2,786 – Paul Grayson (1996–2005)
• 2,655 – Stephen Myler (2006–2018)
• 1,463 – Roger Hosen (1955–67)
• 1,385 – John Steele (1988–94)
• 1,113 – Ian Moffat (1967–74)

See also

In Spanish: Northampton Saints para niños

• Premiership Rugby
• Heineken Cup
• Premiership Rugby Cup
• European Challenge Cup
• Franklin's Gardens