Alan Dickens (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Alan Dickens is a rugby union
footballer who plays at scrum half for Northampton Saints
, having previously represented Saracens
, Sale Sharks
and Leeds Carnegie after experience in the national leagues with Manchester Rugby Club
and Stourbridge R.F.C.
. He also spent a period during his Saracens career, coaching boys from Merchant Taylors School bringing them great inspiration and triumph!!
, Merseyside the bedrock of English International scrum halfs, including the legendary Pat Nagle . He trained to be a teacher, teaching at Chellaston Foundation School and Technology College after graduating from University College Worcester. He first experienced rugby in England's national leagues playing for Stourbridge R.F.C.
and then Manchester Rugby Club
in National Division Two, for who he appeared in all but one game in his final season with the club. In 2001 he faced the choice between pursuing a teaching career and one in professional rugby, opting for the latter and joining Guinness Premiership
side Sale Sharks
.
in the 2001–02 season. He largely filled the role of understudy to Scottish international Bryan Redpath
but still accumulated 18 first team appearances, including 10 starting berths. Many of these were in cup fixtures, but did include 3 Zurich Premiership
starts, and a further 8 from the replacements bench.
at in August 2002, initially as short term cover for an injury crisis that was afflicting the club at the time, making his début against Leicester Tigers
on 31 August 2002. His progress was so rapid though that he was soon making regular first team appearances and in his second and third seasons with the club became the first choice for the number 9 shirt.
He made 72 first team appearances for the Tykes in his three years with the club and culminated with a Powergen Cup
winners medal having played in the Tykes victory over Bath
at Twickenham
in the 2005 final.
The cup win was to be a rare high point for Leeds though as at the end of that season they were relegated from the Premiership and Dickens left the club to seek further top flight competition at Saracens.
in the season opening London Double Header game against London Wasps
on 3 September 2005.
In his time at Saracens he saw strong competition for first team spots from the likes of Fijian International Mosese Rauluni and first England's Kyran Bracken
and then former Springbok Neil de Kock
on the former's retirement, but he maintained his form to bring a large number of appearances both from the bench and in starting line ups in his first two full seasons with the club.
Dickens retired from playing in 2010 to take up a new role as the Saints' Academy manager.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays at scrum half for Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
, having previously represented Saracens
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
, Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
and Leeds Carnegie after experience in the national leagues with Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
and Stourbridge R.F.C.
Stourbridge R.F.C.
Stourbridge RFC are a Rugby Union side based in Stourbridge, West Midlands.They play their home games at Stourton Park, which was redeveloped in 2003 to provide a larger clubhouse and social area which can also be used for weddings and other functions...
. He also spent a period during his Saracens career, coaching boys from Merchant Taylors School bringing them great inspiration and triumph!!
Early life
Dickens was born 2 April 1978 in KnowsleyKnowsley
-Places:in England*Knowsley, Merseyside, a village.**Knowsley Safari Park*Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, a local government district of Merseyside.*Knowsley Safari Park, a zoological tourist attraction....
, Merseyside the bedrock of English International scrum halfs, including the legendary Pat Nagle . He trained to be a teacher, teaching at Chellaston Foundation School and Technology College after graduating from University College Worcester. He first experienced rugby in England's national leagues playing for Stourbridge R.F.C.
Stourbridge R.F.C.
Stourbridge RFC are a Rugby Union side based in Stourbridge, West Midlands.They play their home games at Stourton Park, which was redeveloped in 2003 to provide a larger clubhouse and social area which can also be used for weddings and other functions...
and then Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club
Manchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
in National Division Two, for who he appeared in all but one game in his final season with the club. In 2001 he faced the choice between pursuing a teaching career and one in professional rugby, opting for the latter and joining Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
side Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
.
Sale Sharks 2001–02
Dickens played for a single season at Sale SharksSale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
in the 2001–02 season. He largely filled the role of understudy to Scottish international Bryan Redpath
Bryan Redpath
Bryan William Redpath is a former rugby union player, and a member of the Scottish line of scrum-halves that include Gary Armstrong, Roy Laidlaw, Alan Lawson, Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair. Bryan attended Kelso High School in Kelso, Scottish Borders.Redpath won 60 caps playing for Scotland,...
but still accumulated 18 first team appearances, including 10 starting berths. Many of these were in cup fixtures, but did include 3 Zurich Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
starts, and a further 8 from the replacements bench.
Leeds Tykes 2002–05
Dickens joined the then Leeds CarnegieLeeds Tykes
Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated...
at in August 2002, initially as short term cover for an injury crisis that was afflicting the club at the time, making his début against Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
on 31 August 2002. His progress was so rapid though that he was soon making regular first team appearances and in his second and third seasons with the club became the first choice for the number 9 shirt.
He made 72 first team appearances for the Tykes in his three years with the club and culminated with a Powergen Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
winners medal having played in the Tykes victory over Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
in the 2005 final.
The cup win was to be a rare high point for Leeds though as at the end of that season they were relegated from the Premiership and Dickens left the club to seek further top flight competition at Saracens.
Saracens 2005–2008
Dickens made a rapid return to Twickenham for his début appearance for SaracensSaracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
in the season opening London Double Header game against London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
on 3 September 2005.
In his time at Saracens he saw strong competition for first team spots from the likes of Fijian International Mosese Rauluni and first England's Kyran Bracken
Kyran Bracken
Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played at scrum-half for Saracens, Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C....
and then former Springbok Neil de Kock
Neil de Kock
Neil de Kock is a rugby union footballer who plays at scrum half for Saracens. He has claimed ten caps for South Africa...
on the former's retirement, but he maintained his form to bring a large number of appearances both from the bench and in starting line ups in his first two full seasons with the club.
Northampton 2008–present
Dickens signed for Northampton in April 2008 even though Saints had just recruited two new scrum halves in Lee Dickson and Ben Foden. Dickens is working alongside the two younger players and acting as a back-up but now with limited first team playing opportunities.Dickens retired from playing in 2010 to take up a new role as the Saints' Academy manager.