Eaton joined the Saints as a physiotherapist in 1996 via Leicestershire County Cricket Club. He worked with former club and England head physio, and now club director, Phil Pask and took over as medical manager when Pask left the club in 2003. He is the longest-serving member of the squad’s management team and says that he has enjoyed his 12 years at Franklin’s Gardens.

“I’ve worked with some outstanding players and coaches over the years,” said Eaton. “Northampton is an outstanding club and I’m proud to have been associated with them for so long. There have been plenty of highs such as the Heineken Cup in 2000 and last season’s win in Biarritz, as well as the recent promotion to the Premiership. It has been hard but rewarding work and I wish the club all the best for the future.”

“Cliff has been a good member of the management team,” said Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder. “The physical demands on rugby players are increasing all the time. This means that the demands on any club’s medical team have greater and greater and Cliff has dealt with them admirably. He has successfully rehabilitated numerous serious injuries in the past few seasons and often returned players to full fitness ahead of schedule. I wish him the best for the future.”

Over the past few weeks the Saints’ new head of performance Nick Johnston has undergone a comprehensive review of the club’s performance department and put in place a management structure which will take effect at the end of the current season.

“Cliff has been an outstanding servant to the club,” said Saints chief executive Allan Robson. “But we asked Nick Johnston to undertake an extensive review of our playing support areas and to make his recommendations, as part and parcel of a return to the Premiership. The club has got to be able to compete with the established Premiership sides as soon as we return and I believe that the structure being put in place will enable us to achieve this. We have an excellent coaching team and we need a top quality performance department to support them. I am optimistic about the future on both counts.”