Come join me on the roller coaster ride that has been being a Rushden & Diamonds supporter.
I’ve been following them since the late 90’s. A few friends and myself saw a feature on Football Focus where they interviewed their owner Max Griggs (the president of Dr Martens footwear as is happens). He had taken two regional Sunday league teams and combined them into one team; Rushden and Diamonds FC.
Griggs had a dream of being able to take the club all the way to the Premier League. Ridiculous as it sounded at the time, R&D managed to navigate the lower tiers of English football and eventually make it to the Football Conference.
A new stadium was built, they consistently challenged, and then in 2001 they were promoted to the 4th division (or whatever it was called at that time).
I went to a home game vs York City during their first year in the football league. Battered them we did. Eventually the team fell at the final hurdle in their quest for promotion by losing the playoff final to Cheltenham Town (hate them ).
Next season….bang….won the league! Promoted to the 3rd division. And then it started to go wrong. Bigger clubs came in and bought the stars. They crashed out of the football league as quickly as they arrived, and in 2011 the club was liquidated
Since then they have reformed as a fan owned phoenix club called AFC Rushden & Diamonds. The dream is alive again! Two promotions in 3 years has got them into the Evostik Southern league Division One Central. The 8th tier in the pyramid. No longer are they playing at the beautiful 6500 capacity Nene Park. Nope, now it’s the Dog and Duck Stadium
As of now, in their first season at this level , they are undefeated and joint top, but with three games in hand due to their impressive run in the FA Cup.
So come on and join me.
http://www.afcdiamonds.com/
their website is great. Highlights of every game they play, a streaming radio broadcast of games, player sponsorship and a nice club shop.
Despite the highs and lows, the biggest accomplishment so far seems to be having a team page on JA606. Good job Admins.
Get on the bandwagon before its too late
Anyone need a second team to support?
posted on 6/11/15
If you like white boy canadian hip hop there is actually a duo named Rushden and Diamonds. Maybe thats your link tot he team?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTn3g2P4Lqk
posted on 6/11/15
comment by nadz AKA nadeem2099 ☠恐Cero Miedo恐☠ (U20251)
posted 12 minutes ago
Tommy Berwick looks a decent player.
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Tommy Berwick is a 28-year-old striker who joined the club in January 2015, having been most recently with Daventry Town, where he has had three spells, including scoring 52 goals for them in the season they won the UCL Premier title. He then impressed at Step 4 level for Daventry in his second spell there, with 30 league / cup goals in the 2010/11 season at Step 4 level, despite starting the season elsewhere. He then had spells at Leamington, playing at Step 3 level, as well as at Redditch and Stratford Town before joining Corby Town for the start of the 2013-14 season. During that season he also had spells with Hemel Hempstead Town and Stourbridge Town before returning to Daventry for the third time in March 2014. He had played 11 games for Daventry in the 2014-15 season, scoring four times. He quickly became an “ever-present” in the Diamonds side, appearing in 18 games towards the end of the 2014/15 season.
4 goals in his 11 league games this year
posted on 6/11/15
comment by KnottyAshSteuerschwindler (U8934)
posted 26 minutes ago
Which is your favourite? Rushden or Anne Diamonds?
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I'll put that in the bank for the next friday thread featuring day time tv
posted on 6/11/15
Wanna help raise 2000 quid for an ACL surgery for defender Jack Ashton?
356 down 1644 to go.
http://www.afcdiamonds.com/jack-ashton-injury-update
posted on 6/11/15
Know all about rushden i used to live in kettering and work in rushden; the diamonds ain't got nothing on the poppies.......you want some
posted on 6/11/15
comment by Got_Better (U6241)
posted 32 minutes ago
Know all about rushden i used to live in kettering and work in rushden; the diamonds ain't got nothing on the poppies.......you want some
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Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Can't believe you muppets went and got promoted last year. The Diamonds will be having you in the Southern premier next season when we get promoted.
posted on 7/11/15
Manfrom, hypothetical situation...R&D continue their FA Cup run and are drawn to play Liverpool.
Who do you root for?
posted on 7/11/15
comment by itsonlyagame (U6426)
posted 44 minutes ago
Manfrom, hypothetical situation...R&D continue their FA Cup run and are drawn to play Liverpool.
Who do you root for?
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The Diamonds lost a replay to Barwell in the last qualifying round
posted on 7/11/15
However, it would have to be LFC. But the Diamonds at Anfield would be spectacular
posted on 25/11/15
http://www.afcdiamonds.com/afc-rushden-diamonds-7-leighton-town-1
7-1 Win. A point off the top. 2 games in hand. The Diamonds are coming for you Kettering