Dickens revels in ‘healthy’ atmosphere among Saints coaching staff

And he says the fact Jim Mallinder has agreed to stay at the club for a further five years is a huge positive for everyone at Franklin’s Gardens.

Mallinder has assembled a team of coaches who appear to provide the perfect balance.

Dorian West is a hugely respected forwards coach, while the same can be said of Alex King and his work with the backs.

Dickens provides a conduit between the first team and Academy as well as being utilised as a defensive mentor, while Mallinder knits each department together.

And Dickens said: “It’s a good environment to work in. We do work together.

“It’s not a situation where Kingy is just the attack or Dorian is just the forwards, we all have to work together and know all the areas and facets of the game together.

“We have conversations about the best way to go forward. It’s very healthy.”

And on the subject of Mallinder’s new deal, which will keep him at the club until 2019, Dickens added: “It’s very positive and it’s just reward for where Jim’s taken the club to.

“People always talk about us being in the Championship before Jim arrived (in 2007) and he’s taken us into the Premiership and we’ve done well over the few years we’ve been back there.

“His new contract is just reward for last season and the work before it.”