The A-Z of Rushden and Diamonds
By Nathan Jackson
August 29 2005
In this week's A-Z, we review Rushden and Diamonds and we included a geography lesson, who says we don't educate? Also included is a talk of a urinating goalkeeper, the rise through the leagues, the subsquent downfall after Talbot departed and even a tale of 200 postcards.
A Adrian Littlejohn, Tony Battersby, Richard Butcher, Ritchie Hanlon and Marvin Robinson, these are the only players to have played for both clubs.
B Brian Talbot, Brian was in charge of Rushden and Diamonds and oversaw their promotions from the Conference to Division 3 and from Division 3 to Division 2. However, he left to take over Oldham in the 2003/4 and Rushden's downfall was immediate, they were relegated with 4 months and almost got relegated back to the conference last season but finished 22nd, one place above the relegation places.
C
D Diamonds. The part of the name of the club, came from when Rushden Town merged with nearby, Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992 to form Rushden and Diamonds Football Club. It's fairly safe to say that neither would be where they are today if they hadn't merged.
E Ernie Tippett. The man who became manager after the departure of Brian Talbot. It's fairly safe to say that he didn't have a great time as Rushden manager and was sacked midway through the 2004-5 season after the club were lingering around the relegation zone..
F First ever league game. Their first ever home game in the football league came against Lincoln. The game was shown live on TV but neither team could fashion an opening as they fought out a tense 0-0 draw.
G Gulliver, Phillip. A young central defender who signed for the Diamonds after several trips on loan to various football league clubs and he also played in the 2003 Playoff Final for Bournemouth against the Imps.
H Hartlepool. In the 2002/3 season, Rushden's second season the division, Hartlepool had been dominating the league and went into March with a 14 point cushion over second placed Rushden. However, Hartlepool suffered a 3-0 loss at Lincoln at the beginning of March and week by week, that gap got increasingly smaller. It came down the last day and you couldn't have written it better, Rushden and Diamonds vs Hartlepool. Hartlepool HAD to win to take the title but anything else would send the title to Rushden. A 1-1 draw later saw the Diamonds win the league just 2 years after winning the conference.
I Irthlingborough. In a similar way to Grimsby, Rushden don't play their football in the place they're named after. Nene Park is located in Irthlingborough, 6 miles from Rushden.
J Jamie Young, Rushden's current goalkeeper is on loan from Championship side, Reading. He has made just 5 appearances in this career, 4 have come within the last 3 weeks and although doing well so far, has kept just 1 clean sheet.
K Knocked Out. Rushden and Diamonds were knocked out of the Carling Cup on Wednesday night thanks to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Coventry City.
L Lincoln. Rushden do actually have a good record against the Imps, winning 4 of the 6 meetings and draw the other. In 2001/2, the two teams played out a 0-0 draw at Nene Park and the Diamonds won 4-2 at Sincil Bank. In 2002/3 they won 2-1 at Sincil Bank before completing the double with a 1-0 win in April. Last season they won 3-1 at Sincil Bank before City finally recorded a win with a 4-1 thumping at Nene Park.
M mmmm, pass. The answer a lot of people in the football community give when asked if they actually know where Rushden/Irthlingborough is.
N Nene Park. Rushden's ground is one of the smamlest in the football league and although it is a nice ground. It feels like you're in an indoor sports centre.
P Barry Hunter, see Crybaby
Q Queen (drama), see Crybaby
R Rise. Few teams will rise quicker than Rushden and Diamonds did. They founded in 1992/3 but were only put into the Beazer League for the 1994/5 season, where they finished a respectable 5th. The next season they were promoted as Champions. Finishing 12th in the conference in 1996/7 wasn't really a taste of what was to come as the team spent the next 3 seasons finishing 4th, 4th and 2nd respectively. However, they finally won promotion in the 2000/1 season. In their first league season, they made the playoffs but lost 3-1 in the final to Cheltenham Town. They were promoted in 2002/3 as champions but suffered their first relegation in 2003/4. Last season they finished a disappointing 22nd.
T Thomas Matthews. Their is a story going around that I was told by several Diamonds' fans. They had been going to Rushden and Diamonds games from the very beginning and apparantly, in the 1992/3 season, the inaugral season of the club, a player called Thomas Matthews, who was in goal for the Diamonds, was so bored that he started urinating against the post and not only did the other team score whilst he was doing it, but he was sent off for unprofessional behaviour and arrested for indecent exposure.
U Undefeated. Rushden are currently undefeated in the league. They currently have 5 points after two 1-1 draws (against Darlington and Chester) and a 1-0 win at Mansfield Town.
V Vulger, see Crybaby
W Wish you were here. Fanatical Diamonds fan, James Cherry celebrated promotion to the football league a little differently than most. James, a good friend of mine, took a picture of the teams emerging for their first game in the football and immediatly went on his PC when he got home. James then proceeded to make over 200 post cards with the words "Football League.....Wish You Were Here" on them. He sent one to every single non-league side that he could find the address for, he susquently got nearly 50 letters back from some clubs and most of them took it as the joke it was intended as.
X X-Men, oh come on, you can't expect me to seriously find something appropriate beginning with X or Z.
Y "You'll never beat the Rushden", something the Rushden fans were singing at us in the game at Nene Park last season, by the end of the match, City had won 4-1.
Z Zwitter, a song by German group Rammstein, who I went to see in concert just 4 days before our away game at Rushden last season.