Northampton Saints are one of the oldest rugby teams in the country having been started in 1880 by the Reverand Samuel Wathan Wigg.  He initially set the club up to help calm young lads down and to control their temper this however was replaced with a more professional slant with the introduction of local players such as Harry Weston.  It wasn't long before Saints players started playing for England with Edgar Mobbs being the first saint to captain his country.   Successful years followed with either the front or back rows dominating before or after World War II.  However with the introduction of the league system the saints did not look like the once powerful force they were in fact many lean years followed before coup of 1988 and the introduction of players like Wayne Shelford and Martin Bayfield to the side this coupled with the appearance at Twikenham meant the saints soon arrived back at the top playing level.  However when the coach left and the saints recruited the internationally outstanding Ian McGeechan to the job the saints were relegated to the second division.  However a 100% winning record meant that they were promoted immediately and have approached the new professional era with a strong side a positive approach and a good coach.  Then however a bombshell was landed McGeechan left the saints after they finished second in the 1998/1999 season to take on the top job at Scotland and what he described as the only job he would leave the Saints for.  This lead to team owner Keith Barwell having to sift through enormous post bags of job appilcations arriving for the new job.  In the end though he settled for ex-saint John Steele after he had impressed at London Scottish on a limited budget.  This then is a new era with the saints the only team in the Premiership left to be able to complete a unique triple (Premiership, Tetley Bitter Cup and European Cup). And a squad which has almost 13 full internationals.