AFC Rushden & Diamonds
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| Nickname(s) | The Diamonds | ||
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| Founded | 2011 | ||
| Ground | Kiln Park London Road, Raunds (Capacity: 3,000 (250 seats)) | ||
| Chairman | Ralph Burditt (Acting) | ||
| Manager | Mark Starmer | ||
| League | Northants Senior Youth League (Youth) | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
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AFC Rushden & Diamonds is an English football club based in Northamptonshire.
The club was formed in July 2011 by supporters after Rushden & Diamonds were expelled from the Football Conference and subsequently liquidated. At an open meeting chaired by a supporters group called SaveRDFC, a mandate was agreed upon to create a phoenix club, fully owned and controlled by its supporters. A team was created and accepted into the Northants Senior Youth League for the 2011–12 season with the intention of entering a senior team into the English football league system for the 2012–13 campaign.
History
Background
Rushden and Diamonds was formed on 21 April 1992 by a merger of Irthlingborough Diamonds and Rushden Town after Max Griggs, current owner of the Dr. Martens shoe company, purchased both clubs. Rushden climbed the English non-League tier system and reached the Football Conference after only four years as a club. It then took club another five years until finally being promoted to the Football League after winning the Conference National in 2001.
Rushden had a remarkable first season in the Football League, narrowly losing out on promotion for a second successive year conceding 3–1 to Cheltenham Town in the Division Three Play-Off Final, but achieved promotion the following year, beating Hartlepool United to the league title on the final day of the season. After a difficult season in 2003–04, the club were relegated twice in succession back to the Football Conference.
Back in the Football Conference, the club was plagued by problems off the pitch, with Keith Cousins taking over in 2006, and resigning in 2011, with eight managers passing through the club within the space of just five years.
The club's future started looking more positive with the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur defender Justin Edinburgh, Rushden just missing out on promotion in the 2009–10 season, after suffering a 3–1 defeat on aggregate at the hands of eventual Play-Off winners Oxford United. The 2010–11 season proved to be a disaster Rushden & Diamonds, after suffering a five-point deduction at the end of the season for providing inaccurate information in their quarterly financial reports. They eventually finished in 13th place, were then expelled from the league and finally placed into administration. However, the season was overshadowed by the tragic and untimely death of England C and first choice goalkeeper Dale Roberts in December 2010 at the age of just 24.
Establishment
AFC Rushden & Diamonds was created in 2011 by Rushden & Diamonds fans as a 'phoenix' club after the old club was kicked out of the Conference National, and subsequently went on to fail to secure a place in the Southern League Premier Division.
AFC R&D intend to form a youth team to compete in the Northants Senior Youth League for the 2011–12 with the expectation to field a senior side the following year, as they missed the deadline for senior league registrations for the 2011–12 season.
Following an open fans meeting, supporters voted to play their games for the 2011–12 season at Kiln Park, Raunds, the home of Raunds Town.
On 18 July 2011 the club announced the appointment of former Rushden & Diamonds head of youth development Mark Starmer as their first manager. On 22 July 2011, AFC Rushden & Diamonds U18's were accepted into the Northants Senior Youth League for the 2011–12 season.
AFC R&D played their first official match under the name in a 3–0 loss to Raunds Town in a friendly match played on 6 August 2011, attended by 350 supporters.
The first ever competitive goal scored at any level for the new club was a penalty from Lewi Williams in the inaugural match of the Dale Roberts Memorial Cup against Cleveland Juniors at Kiln Park on 14 August 2011.
Club badge
The club badge was voted on by the fans, from three possible designs. It was unveiled on 9 August 2011, at a fans forum at Kiln Park.
Squads
Senior team
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Youth team
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Retired numbers
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Managers
Club officials
Kit
References
External links
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_Rushden_%26_Diamonds
