Rushden & Diamonds

July 25, 2011

The merger and the early years (1992–1996)

Rushden and Diamonds was formed on 21 April 1992 by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds, the brainchild of Max Griggs. The club's first few seasons were remarkable for the success the team enjoyed, finishing 3rd in the Southern League Midland Division in their inaugural season. The following year they won the division, winning promotion to the Southern League Premier Division, and two years later the Diamonds were again promoted as champions. The team had gained promotion to the Football Conference after just four years as a club.

Football Conference

After their rapid rise to the top tier of non-league football, the club then spent five seasons attempting to reach the Football League, finishing 12th in the 1996–97 season, and then 4th, 4th and 2nd in the Football Conference before they finally won promotion to the Football League as champions in 2001. It was within this period that the club had achieved their best success in the FA Cup, getting to the 3rd Round twice. In 1998/1999, the Diamonds held Leeds United to a famous 0-0 draw at Nene Park, ahead of a record attendance of 6,431. After taking a shock early lead at Elland Road in the replay, they went on to lose 3-1. In the following campaign, the club were rewarded with a 3rd Round draw away to Sheffield United. The Diamonds secured a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane, to force a replay. In the return fixture, the match went to penalties following a 1-1 deadlock after extra-time. In the shootout however, it was the Blades who finally edged the Diamonds out 6-5 to go through.

The Football League

In their first season in new surroundings, the Diamonds reached the Division Three Play-Off Final. After overcoming Rochdale 4-3 on aggregate over the two-legged Semi-Final, the club lost to Cheltenham Town in the final, 3-1 at the Millennium Stadium. In 2003, they won the division, pipping Hartlepool United to the Division Three championship on the last day of the season – their third promotion/league title in eight seasons.

The 2003–04 season in Division Two proved to be one of difficulty for Rushden & Diamonds. Despite a promising early start, a run of bad results over the winter period saw the club slip down the table, and in March 2004 Brian Talbot left the club after seven years as manager. The transfer window saw star players Paul Underwood, Onandi Lowe, Paul Hall and Marcus Bignot all depart as off the pitch problems mounted, and the club severely struggled for the remainder of the season. Barry Hunter took over as caretaker player-manager but due to his managerial inexperience, they were relegated in 22nd place after losing their last three games of the season.

Ernie Tippett was confirmed as permanent manager for the start of the 2004–05 season. However, after a dismal run of results which saw the team the media predicted as promotion contenders fall to 22nd place in the League Two, he was sacked, and replaced by Barry Hunter, who was later appointed full-time manager. The club staved off relegation. The following season, after a summer in which Max Griggs handed the club over to the Supporters' Trust, the club continued to struggle and on 29 April, Rushden were relegated back to the Football Conference after a 2-0 away defeat to Boston United. Hunter's contract was not renewed over the summer.

Back in the Conference

The seasons following the Diamonds' return to the Football Conference were marred by instability on and off the pitch. Keith Cousins took over the club in November 2006 and resigned in 2011. He was replaced by Liam Beasant and Gary Calder, the latter of whom himself quit the club just weeks after taking over. Meanwhile five managers (Paul Hart, Tony Godden, Graham Westley, Garry Hill and Justin Edinburgh) took control of the team at different times.

During their first three seasons back in England's fifth division the Diamonds failed to break the top-10. By the end of the 2008–2009 season the average attendance was less than 50% of what it had been during their last season in the Football League. The sole highlight of these three years was reaching the Conference League Cup Final against Aldershot Town in 2007. With the scores level at 3-3 after extra-time, the Diamonds unfortunately lost 4-3 on penalties.

However, the Diamonds' fortunes changed after the resignation of Garry Hill in February 2009, and the subsequent appointment of Justin Edinburgh as manager – initially as caretaker, but then full-time. During his first full season in charge he led the club to the Football Conference Play-Offs finishing in 4th place– their first top-ten finish since 2003. The team eventually succumbed to a 3–1 aggregate defeat at the hands of eventual Play-Off winners Oxford United. The Diamonds also progressed to the second round of the FA Cup, having beaten Workington and Hinckley United before being knocked out by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Withdean Stadium.

The Diamonds struggled to replicate their successes the following season. During the summer and throughout the season some of the most influential players of the previous campaign left Nene Park, including Lee Tomlin, Mark Byrne, Jamie Stuart and Paul Terry. Because of these losses the Diamonds struggled to make a serious play-off push, and by mid-April were 10th in the table, some thirteen points off a promotion spot. Disappointing runs in the FA Cup, FA Trophy and Hillier Cup did little to consolidate the campaign.

Off-pitch events, however, defined the season. Any footballing disappointments were overshadowed by the tragic death of first-team (and England C national football team 2010 Player of the Year) goalkeeper Dale Roberts on 14 December 2010.

Meanwhile, chairman Keith Cousins resigned and was replaced by Gary Calder and Liam Beasant. Little over a month later vice-chairman Helen Thompson resigned from her position also, while by March - just three months after taking charge - Calder himself quit the club. As the season drew to an end it was also revealed that the club was under a transfer embargo, and that only the intervention of the PFA prevented the Diamonds players refusing to play a game against Mansfield Town in March due to unpaid wages. Early in the season the club had also become involved in a very public row with ex-player Leon Knight, who took to Twitter to air his grievances against the club.

Expulsion from the Conference

The club were expelled from the Conference National on 11 June 2011. This decision was made due to their unstable financial position, meaning they could not guarantee being able to complete all their fixtures in the 2011–12 season. The club faced a winding up petition on behalf of HMRC in the week commencing 13 June 2011, with reported debts of £750,000. A subsequent move to enter the Southern Football League was unsuccessful. The club entered administration on 7 July 2011.

Formation of new fan-owned club

Fans announced their desire to create a new fan-owned club called AFC Rushden & Diamonds that will field a senior side in 2012.