Grayson, Thompson and Day inducted into the Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame

Former Saints Paul Grayson, Steve Thompson and Christian Day were inducted into the Premiership Rugby Hall of Fame on Friday, with trio of Northampton legends joined by Andy Goode to make up the class of 2020/21.

The trio of Saints – who played a part in the collection of almost every trophy in the cabinet at Franklin's Gardens – had their names written permanently into the Premiership Rugby history books at a ceremony within Twickenham Stadium on the eve of the 2021 Premiership Rugby Final yesterday.

The four inductees have won seven Premiership Rugby titles, made over 700 appearances and lifted four European Cups, between them. And the newest members are in elite company joining some of the league’s finest players in history, including Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Martin Johnson and Lions coach Warren Gatland.

Grayson – already a member of the Hall of Fame at Franklin's Gardens – is Saints' all-time points scorer, having racked up a huge 2,786 points in an 11-year career in Black, Green and Gold that spanned domestic finals, the Club's first-ever Heineken Cup win and culminated in lifting the Rugby World Cup trophy with England in 2003.

And after hanging up his boots in 2005, the British & Irish Lion turned his attentions to coaching and remained a part of the set-up in Northampton until 2012 – guiding the side through promotion, Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup titles and to a Heineken Cup final in 2011. 

Meanwhile hooker Thompson donned Northampton colours some 192 times after graduating from Saints' Academy to make his Club debut in 1997. The former Club captain featured alongside Grayson in the momentous Heineken Cup win and would also lift the Webb Ellis Cup alongside the fly-half in 2003, before embarking on a British and Irish Lions tour in 2005 ahead of his retirement from the game in 2011.

And the pair are joined in this year’s class of inductees by fellow Saints legend Day, who's ten-year career in Northampton coincided with one of the most successful periods for the Club; the lock made some 226 appearances in Black, Green and Gold and helped Saints to their first-ever Premiership title, as well as two Challenge Cup trophies and a Premiership Cup victory.

While Goode, who remains second on the all-time list of Premiership Rugby points scorers, completed the inductee line-up for this year. 

Other legendary figures from the game to be honoured with induction include Austin Healey, Chris Robshaw, all-time record points-scorer Charlie Hodgson and the late Tom Walkinshaw.