Francis Benali, Matthew Le Tissier and Jason Dodd. All have been great servants to the club from the great youth side of 1990, through the dark Branfoot days and the rotating managers, to the stronger Saints team of today in their new stadium.
Le Tissier retires >sob< last season and Benali is now third choice left back behind Bridge and Hall. Yet Dodd is still our number one right back and captain.
Dodd was promising when he signed for a mere £50 000 from Bath way back in March 1989. He had arrived on a non-contract basis but did enough to be offered terms.
Although his career could hardly have started better, with 4-1 wins against QPR and Liverpool, Jason had to fight to get a regular place. Cherednik and especially Jeff Kenna were often preferred. Even when Kenna joined Blackburn, Jason was shifted into the centre of defence, while Alan Neilson filled the right back role, or into midfield.
Even with the arrival of Dave Jones, Jason had to fight off Scott Hiley for a place in the team.
Dodd has had his critics over the years, but nearly anyone in the full back position is on a hiding to nothing anyway. Most critics fail to see the good work done by Dodd. His experience and quiet influence have a great effect on the Saints side. Dodd is more of a traditional full back, so expecting him to be bombing up and down the flanks is unrealistic. Dodd knows his defensive duties so well, it's only if a defensive minded player such as Telfer plays in front of him, will he really begin to get forward. This works much the same way as Bridge and Marsden on the other flank.
Having seen off any other contender for the position over the last ten years, Dodd is still getting criticised despite some very consistent performances. You only have to see how poorly Saints perform with anyone else in the role (Telfer, Tessem, Delap, Oakley, Monk, Bleidelis) to appreciate how much the side need him.
Dodd won't go on forever though and a replacement has to be available before his contract expires in June 2004. By that stage we will know if Chris Baird will make the grade. If not, then we'll have to look to buy in a replacement.
Saints have always worked within a tight budget. So , who could we get in on a shoestring to replace a proven Premiership full back ? I can't think of any. Instead, I look forward to seeing Dodd in the team for the next couple of seasons.