Tony Hewitt: Ex-Northampton Saints chair to step down from board

Tony Hewitt succeeded Leon Barwell as chairman in 2013

Former Northampton Saints chairman Tony Hewitt is to leave the Premiership club's board at the end of the season.

Hewitt was chairman when Saints won the Premiership in 2015 and European Challenge Cup the year before.

He eventually stepped down from the role in 2017 and became a non-executive director.

Northampton chairman John White praised Hewitt for his "significant contribution" to the club over the last 27 years.

"Tony's influence at Saints is clear for all to see - whether it's development of Franklin's Gardens or the cups which reside in the club's trophy cabinet," White said.

Hewitt first joined the board in 1996 and was responsible for land purchase negotiations which enabled them to have both playing and training facilities on a single site.

He was also involved in the club becoming a plc in 2000 and the development of the four stands which transformed Franklin's Gardens.

"I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the last three decades," he said.

"From a playing perspective, it was tremendous to be a part of the club when we won the Heineken Cup in 2000, and then to have the unprecedented run of cup finals and trophies between 2008 and 2014, having also experienced the lows of relegation in 2007 in-between."