Rushden & Diamonds F.C. facts for kids

Rushden & Diamonds

Full name	Rushden & Diamonds Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Diamonds
Founded	1992; 33 years ago (1992)
Dissolved	2011; 14 years ago (2011)
Ground	Nene Park Irthlingborough
Ground Capacity	6,441 (4,641 seated)
2010–11	Conference National, 13th
Home colours Away colours

Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was a football team from Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. People called them "The Diamonds." They played their home games at Nene Park. Their biggest rivals were a nearby team, Kettering Town.

The club started in 1992 when two teams, Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds, joined together. They quickly moved up through different leagues. They won the Southern League Midland Division in 1994 and the Premier Division in 1996.

After that, they spent five seasons in the Conference National. In 2001, they won the Conference title and earned a spot in the Football League. They almost got promoted again in 2002 but lost in the play-off final. However, they won the Third Division title in 2003.

The team was relegated (moved down a league) the next season. In 2006, they lost their place in the Football League. The club faced money problems and was removed from the Conference league on June 11, 2011. This led to the club closing down. A new club, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, was then started by fans.

Club History: How the Diamonds Began

Joining Forces and Early Success (1992–1996)

Rushden and Diamonds was created on April 21, 1992. This happened when Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds merged. Max Griggs had the idea for this merger.

On August 22, 1992, Ollie Kearns scored the club's first league goal. This was against Bilston Town. The team did very well in their first few years. They finished 3rd in their first season. The next year, they won their division and moved up. Two years later, they won another championship. This meant they reached the Football Conference after only four years.

Climbing to the Football League

After their fast rise, the club spent five seasons trying to reach the Football League. They finished 12th in 1997, then 4th, 4th, and 2nd in the Football Conference. Finally, in 2001, they won the Conference title and were promoted.

During this time, the club had its best success in the FA Cup. They reached the 3rd Round twice. In 1999, the Diamonds played Leeds United at Nene Park. The game was a 0–0 draw, and a record 6,431 fans watched. In the replay at Elland Road, Rushden & Diamonds scored first but lost 3–1.

The next year, they played Sheffield United in the 3rd Round. They drew 1–1 at Bramall Lane, forcing a replay. The replay also ended 1–1 after extra time. Sheffield United won the penalty shootout 6–5.

Life in the Football League

In their first season in the Third Division, the Diamonds reached the Play-Off Final. They beat Rochdale in the semi-final. However, they lost to Cheltenham Town 3–1 in the final at the Millennium Stadium.

In 2003, they won the Third Division title. They beat Hartlepool United on the very last day of the season. This was their third promotion or league title in eight years.

The 2003–04 season in Division Two was tough. After a good start, the team had many bad results. In March 2004, manager Brian Talbot left the club. Key players also left the team. Barry Hunter took over as caretaker manager. The club was relegated (moved down a league) after finishing 22nd.

For the 2004–05 season, Ernie Tippett became the manager. But after poor results, he was replaced by Barry Hunter again. The club avoided another relegation. The next season, Max Griggs handed the club over to the Supporters' Trust. The team continued to struggle. On April 29, they were relegated back to the Football Conference after losing to Boston United.

Back in the Conference League

Rushden & Diamonds playing against Kettering in 2008.

After returning to the Football Conference, the club had many changes. Several managers led the team, including Paul Hart, Tony Godden, Graham Westley, Garry Hill, and Justin Edinburgh.

For their first three seasons back, the Diamonds did not finish in the top ten. Fan attendance also dropped a lot. A highlight was reaching the Conference League Cup Final in 2007. They drew 3–3 with Aldershot Town but lost 4–3 on penalties.

Things improved when Justin Edinburgh became manager in 2009. In his first full season, he led the club to the play-offs. They finished 4th, their best finish since 2003. They lost to Oxford United in the semi-finals. The Diamonds also reached the second round of the FA Cup that season.

The next season was harder. Many important players left the club. The team struggled to reach the play-offs again. They also had disappointing results in other cup competitions.

Off the field, the season was very difficult. The team's goalkeeper, Dale Roberts, sadly passed away in December 2010. The club also faced money problems. They were under a transfer ban, meaning they couldn't sign new players. Players almost refused to play a game because they hadn't been paid.

The Club's End

The club was removed from the Conference National league on June 11, 2011. This was because their money problems meant they could not promise to finish all their games in the next season. The club had large debts. An attempt to join the Southern Football League failed. The club officially closed down on July 7, 2011.

Fans quickly decided to start a new club. This new club, called AFC Rushden & Diamonds, would be owned by the fans. It began playing in a lower league in 2012.

Club Badge: What it Means

The club's colors were red, white, and blue. These colors were also on the club's badge. The badge combined parts from the old Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds badges.

It looks like a shield with "R&DFC" written below it.

• In the top left is a Rampant Lion. This represents the Sartoris family, who gave land for the club in 1922.
• In the top right are the Crosskeys of St. Peter's Church in Irthlingborough. These keys came from the old Irthlingborough Diamonds badge.
• In the bottom left are the "Blue Diamonds," also from the old Irthlingborough Diamonds logo.
• To the right of the diamonds are three "Red and White Hoops." These came from Rushden Town's badge.
• A picture of the local River Nene runs through the middle of the badge.
• A football is placed between the Diamonds and Hoops.

Stadium: Nene Park

Nene Park

Rushden & Diamonds played their home games at Nene Park. The stadium was near Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire. It could hold 6,441 people, with 4,641 seats.

Nene Park was first the home of Irthlingborough Diamonds. After the merger, it became the home of Rushden and Diamonds. The stadium was greatly improved in the 1990s and early 2000s as the club moved up the leagues.

The stadium also hosted games for England's Under 21 team and England C international games. It was even used as a training camp for athletes before the 2012 London Olympics.

Club Rivalries

Kettering Town: The Local Derby

Rushden's main rivals were Kettering Town. They played 17 official games against each other. The first game was on March 8, 1997, with Rushden winning 5–1. In the early years, these derby games often had over 4,500 fans.

The clubs were in the same league for five seasons. Then, in 2001, Rushden moved up to the Football League, and Kettering moved down. After seven years, they were in the same league again in 2008–09.

In 16 league games, Kettering won only twice, while Rushden won nine times. Rushden scored 25 goals, and Kettering scored eight. On January 3, 2011, Kettering finally beat Rushden 2–1 at Nene Park. Rushden & Diamonds never lost an away game against Kettering Town.

Some games between the clubs had heated moments. In a game in 2009, a flare was thrown onto the field. This led to an investigation and several arrests.

Northampton Town: A Short Rivalry

The rivalry between the Diamonds and Northampton Town happened between 2004 and 2006. They played in League Two together for two seasons. They played eight games in total.

The Diamonds won one league game against Northampton, a 3–2 win at Nene Park in 2004–2005. This win came from a last-minute goal by Billy Sharp. They also won two friendly cup games. After the Diamonds were relegated from the Football League, this rivalry became less important.

Other Local Rivals

Rushden also had rivalries with other clubs. Peterborough United and Luton Town were minor rivals when Rushden was in the Football League. This was because the clubs were geographically close. These rivalries became less important after Rushden was relegated.

In their earlier years, Rushden also had rivalries with Kidderminster Harriers, Cheltenham Town, and Yeovil Town. These teams often competed against each other for championships and play-off spots.

Club Managers

Club Players

Retired Jersey Numbers

1 – Dale Roberts, Goalkeeper (2008–10) – This number was retired to honor him after his death.

Most Games Played

Eight players played over 200 games for the club:

#	Player	Years Played	Games
1	Garry Butterworth	1994–2002	371
2	Andy Burgess	1999–2006 & 2007–09	333
3	Paul Underwood	1997–2004	301
4	Darren Collins	1994–2000	286
5	Billy Turley	1999–2004	253
6	Tim Wooding	1997–2000	247
7	Jim Rodwell	1996–2002	207
8	Andy Peaks	1992–1997	205

Top Goal Scorers

Here are the top ten players who scored the most goals for the club:

#	Player	Years Played	Games	Goals	Goals per Game
1	Darren Collins	1994–2000	286	152	0.6
2	Dale Watkins	1993–96	162	98	0.6
3	Mickey Nuttel	1993–96	115	63	0.6
4	Onandi Lowe	2001–04	97	52	0.5
5	Duane Darby	2000–03	130	51	0.4
6	Andy Kirkup	1992–96	166	48	0.3
7	Adie Mann	1992–95	130	44	0.3
8	Simeon Jackson	2004–08	104	43	0.4
8	Kevin Wilkin	1995–97	95	43	0.5
10	Michael Rankine	2006–09	144	40	0.3

Other Club Records

• Biggest home win: Rushden & Diamonds 8–0 Gateshead, March 13, 2010.
• Biggest away win: Weymouth 0–9 Rushden & Diamonds, February 21, 2009.
• Heaviest loss: Coventry City 8–0 Rushden & Diamonds, EFL Cup, October 2, 2002.
• Record attendance: 6,431 fans, vs Leeds United, FA Cup Third Round, January 2, 1999.
• Most goals in a league season by one player: Darren Collins, 30 goals, 1995–96.

Club Honours: Trophies and Titles

League Titles

• Football Conference Play-Off Semi Finalists: 2009–10
• Football League Division Three Champions: 2002–03
• Football League Division Three Play-Off Finalists: 2001–02
• Football Conference Champions: 2000–01
• Southern League Premier Division Champions: 1995–96
• Southern League Division One Midlands Champions: 1993–94

Cup Wins

• Conference League Cup Runners-Up: 2008
• NFA Hillier Cup Winners: 1994, 1999, 2007, 2008
• NFA Maunsell Cup Winners: 1995, 2000, 2006, 2008
• Conference Shield Winners: 2001
• Southern League Championship Cup Winners: 1997

See also

In Spanish: Rushden & Diamonds Football Club para niños