Lee Dickson and the Saints continue marching on
Soane Tonga'uiha. Dylan Hartley. Brian Mujati. Courtney Lawes. Tom Wood. Chris Ashton. Ben Foden. When you think of Northampton Saints, these seven internationals stand out above all others at the forefront of their rampaging performances. A mixture of young international pretenders and carefully selected foreign imports, all have had stellar seasons having helped guide the club to strongly overachieve by reaching both the Aviva Premiership semi-final and Heineken Cup Final.
Yes, their defeats in successive weeks to Leicester Tigers and Leinster were the equivalent of sporting heartache but no one can deny what the Saints have achieved this season. On the pitch, they have entertained and dazzled with their attacking style of play and off the pitch, all the foundations are in place to build on their continued platform and sound footing.
But, for all their flash and flamboyance with the above named personnel, there are those around them who aren't in the limelight, the less recognisable names, the ones who don't hit the headlines. It is the same at every club where the 'club players' are shunned to one side so to speak.
After the year he has had, Lee Dickson certainly falls into this category. Throughout the season, along with fly-half Stephen Myler, the much-maligned half-backs were often criticised for not being strong enough. The duo were considered the weak link in this Northampton side, the ones who could be targeted and scrutinised under pressure when the going got tough.
Unfair? Unjust? Unnecessary? There are those who feel Dickson has had an outstanding season. The linchpin, the heartbeat of this Saints side, the one who keeps things ticking over. The 26 year old former Newcastle Falcon enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career from the pivotal position of scrum half. He directed traffic as the link between the forwards and backs, bossed his pack and generally orchestrated play to a successful degree throughout the year. When he was on-song, the Saints ticked over at a rapid rate.
Despite some negative press, other rave reviews have led to some suggesting that Dickson could make a late surge into Martin Johnson's England World Cup squad. Yes, it would be unlikely given an England Saxon cap is the highest international recognition he has to date. He has plenty of competition for that Number 9 jersey so a seat on the plane to New Zealand is probably beyond him but no one can deny that he has been a revelation this season.
He said "It's a great club to be at. The squad and players are brilliant and its been the best move I've ever made in my career. I'm luck to be part of a club that's going places and its been really enjoyable to be a part of something that is getting better every season. I haven't been surprised by how far we've come in the past three years.
"A special group of guys have been brought together at Franklin's Gardens, and we're growing together all the time. Jim (Mallinder), Dorian (West) and Paul (Grayson) are also really ambitious coaches and want to win ever game. That's what I'm about and what's the club's about, too".
Dickson's words suggest that it is a great club to be at, that there are no ego's, that not one player is bigger than the time, that everyone strives towards the same common goal. There is no doubting Dickson's ability but he is an unsung hero. Not the flashiest of players, he does the basics very well and that is his real strength. He has a big influence on the rest of the squad and he is knocking on the door internationally. Physically very small, he has god pace from the fringes, a live-wire of a scrum half. Yes, he played in front of a dominant pack for most of the season but his use of the ball was very effective.
During his time with the Saints, he has won the European Challenge Cup and LV=Cup and has recently been awarded for his good form with a new long term contract keeping him at the club until the end of the 2013/14 season. As his fine form continues, lets hope that Lee Dickson and the Saints continue marching on.
