Alan Dickens (born 2 April 1976 in Knowsley) is a retired rugby union footballer who last played 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. Dickens is currently the attacking coach at Northampton, and more recently has filled in as the head coach at the Saints following Jim Mallinder’s departure Early life Dickens was born4 Feb 1976 in Knowsley, Merseyside. He trained to be a teacher, teaching at Chellaston Foundation School and Technology College and West Park Community School, Spondon 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 whom 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. Playing career Sale Sharks 2001–02 Dickens played for a single season at 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. Leeds Tykes 2002–05 Dickens joined the then Leeds Carnegie 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. Saracens 2005–2008