On Rebuilding - a brief history

On our return to the top flight we did indeed tighten up but improved our standing even if we did go out of the second tier Euro comp at comparatively early stages (Warren Gatland's Connacht - I wonder what happened to him, he'd make someone a decent coach, I'd have thought).

The Steele Era.

Tinman’s first season topped off the progress made by Geech, adding a bit of pragmatism and winning a trophy. Then it all started to go a bit wobbly.

Six years into the professional era and our contracts policy was coming under strain. A combination of 3-year contracts, impending retirements and a batch of youngsters that twice won the age-group county championship but not making the grade meant that our resource pipeline didn't have equal flow at either end.

Rebuilding Phase 1 - part of the Steele era was not a great success. From near the bottom of the league he passed on the baton.

The Smith Era.

Smudger had an idea for a three-year plan that was renewed every year with the next-three year plan. He wanted to bring in more footballers - especially in the forwards - guys that were comfortable with the ball in their hands and capable of taking on a flexible game plan not a group of individuals who knew what was expected of a man with a particular number on his shirt.

Saints became more consistent they would win 2 out of 3 but couldn't quite crack it at the top level. We couldn't win 5 of 6 or even 4 of 5 - and a cup final was completely out of the question.

We were frustratingly close but someone else was smoking the cigars - and the next wave of retirements was on the horizon. While it had been overhauled, the academy wasn't producing sufficient quality in sufficient numbers.

Were we alone in recruiting a particular sort of player - you know - just short of international class with the benefit of not missing 8 to 15 games a season dependent on when he played his last tour match?

The Smith era - consistently building and consistently short of outright success - ended when Smudger received an offer he couldn't refuse.

The Solomons Era.

Some South African grit was introduced in order to buff up the tag of serial under-achievers until we polished away the "under" altogether. Nice thought but no. The discord started even before he had taken over. A raft of new players was announced - there was a whiff of biltong in the air - and more retirements than a Monaco Grand Prix. In one of the strangest bits of business anywhere, Matt Dawson was gone.

Could it get more bizarre? Yes. Nine tries, ten points and top of the league and the new man felt himself secure enough to wield his axe.

In terms of pure arithmetic it comes as no surprise that a third of the squad has its contracts up for renewal at the end of any season. That all the renewals, including icons and internationals, were to be deemed surplus to requirements reflected itself in performances on the pitch.

The Solomons era with its promise of building on Smudger's legacy crashed and burned within 3 months.

Where Next?

The trouble with this, however loyal you are, is that the club's general management doesn't come out of all this with much distinction. It's not difficult to imagine top-level coaches around the world scouring the chandlers for extra long, extra strong barge poles.

Enter The Rookies.

When you are at ground zero, the only option is to rebuild. Spirit was re-kindled and by some miraculous circumstance, not to mention some pretty ordinary goal-kicking, the rookies were still in charge of a top-level team.

The promise this year has been progress - incremental improvements. This will not happen in a straight line. There will be set-backs along the way. Rather like the stock market prices, performance does not progress in a straight line.

Young Brits have been brought in on the verge of international careers. The Academy is populated to a much higher level than of late with young men of substance.

It might be correct that building and rebuilding has been going on for the past 5 years but has there ever, in that time, been so much attention paid to the foundations?

While these rookies have been down at the builders’ merchants, what else has been going on?

The Growing Influence of Carlos Spencer

Somebody, inconsiderately, thought to start the new season before we were ready. Thirty-six points to (and lucky to get) nil away to Tigers.

Fortunately, there are three other matches that enable us to glimpse a brighter horizon. Saints are two for two in the new Powergen Cup and one for two in the European Challenge Cup.

Part of the recruitment has been to import the flashiest fly-half on the planet. Strangely enough, he is introducing a style of play that is gaudy in the extreme. He seems to want to probe for gaps, pull defences hither and thither, put people into those gaps and conjure a deft little kick that will turn a defence.

How dare he? Doesn’t he know that this is a serious business?

He is the artist with the vision that the architects and designers will turn into a rugby reality. It’s not his style just to show you a little bit that you may understand. He paints on a large canvas and creates a vision to which all may aspire. We have had months of building repair, months of re-doing the foundations and we have seen the artwork for the super-structure.

In the mean-time, we the supporters of Northampton Saints, have been living on the building site with all that entails (and, believe me, I know). The world hasn’t stopped turning while we ready ourselves. Time and space travel relentlessly onwards and we have to cope.

Now, who is up for starting again?