Do we pick a game based on the ground or the match? It’s definitely one of those difficult hopping dilemmas, isn’t it? For the first day of the New Year my choice of match day action is the eagerly-awaited United Counties League fixture at the Dog & Duck ground where phoenix club AFC Rushden & Diamonds are entertaining established side Northampton Spencer in an important all-Northants Division One encounter.

Despite the bad press a team often receives when it experiences financial ruin (as was the case with Rushden & Diamonds FC when they vacated Nene Park in 2010), I’m always pleased to see a club get back on its feet again particularly so for all those devoted and loyal fans who support their side in the lean times. Since re-formation their rise has been most encouraging to say the least and a credit to all concerned both on and off the field.

It was following a meeting of approximately 170 supporters at the Pemberton Centre in Rushden that those in attendance voted overwhelmingly in favour of creating a new club, and decided upon the name AFC Rushden & Diamonds. The ethos right from the outset was to create a community club controlled by the fans, for the fans, with no one person having a definitive say in how it is run. Hence the slogan: “One fan, one vote, one community, one club.” An acting committee was quickly assembled, consisting of a number of willing volunteers, in order to manage the day to day running of the new club.

The creation of AFC R&D came too late to feasibly put together a senior side so it was decided that the club would run only an under 18s side for the first year of its existence and successfully applied to enter the Northants Senior Youth League Western Division for 2011/12 playing midweek games at Kiln Park, the home of Raunds Town FC. With the appointment of Mark Starmer as manager for the club’s inaugural season the U18s side won the league and cup double. Interestingly the NSYL game against Daventry Town was attended by 470 supporters, a record attendance for the league.

It was a great desire of everyone involved in the formation of AFC R&D that something be done to honour the memory of Dale Roberts, the popular Rushden & Diamonds goalkeeper who tragically passed away in December 2010. A memorial cup was arranged in his name and will be played every year between AFC R&D U18s and Cleveland Juniors, Dale’s first club. Cleveland Juniors won the first ever game 3-2, but the result was immaterial as around £3000 was raised for the Dale Roberts Memorial Fund.

After a year playing in the Northamptonshire Senior Youth League the club has made a successful return to senior football this season taking their place in the UCL. With the change in status the nomadic club has also moved a few miles down the A45 to start life in a new home with a ground share agreement involving Premier Division side Wellingborough Town Football Club. As you will see from the attached match day images it’s a lovely well appointed venue with plenty of cover, hard standing and a delightful cantilevered main stand.

According to one of the committee members I chatted to during the game a lot of hard work has been carried out behind the scenes over the last few months to make it a most amicable arrangement with both sides sharing the benefits 50/50. As you look around the ground there is certainly clear evidence to support this: club banners supporting both teams are proudly displayed side by side near to the main entrance, close to the turnstiles and adjacent to the board members’ suite.

AFC has also reciprocated by helping its landlord to develop the ground. A new modern-looking low-roofed stand (The Peter de Banke Terrace) with several steps of terracing has been erected behind the goal at the main car park end and a matchday bar, known as Dale’s Bar in memory of Dale Roberts added. More importantly a large number of adverts affixed to the surrounding perimeter fences suggests the club is taking a pro-active stance in helping to promote itself within the community and give it a solid financial footing with the support from many local businesses.    

It was back on 23 March 1991 that I first travelled to the Dog & Duck when Town played Wootton Blue Cross in a Nene Group UCLPD encounter. On that day both sides shared a 1-1 draw in front of almost one hundred spectators. Even though my trip today would be a re-visit I was really intrigued to find out the latest news about the new fans club and check out the ground improvements made since my last trip over twenty years ago now.

It was great credit to both clubs for getting the game played after it was hastily rearranged following a late postponement due to water-logging only three days earlier. Despite the poor weather grounds’ staff had worked tirelessly to make the pitch playable adding plenty of sand to a sodden surface particularly along the side nearest to the dug outs.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds have made a great start to life in the league. Before play they lie in fifth place and if current form is anything to go by are looking to be one of the promotion contenders. They currently remain seven points behind league leaders Sileby Rangers but have two games in hand (due in part to a good FA Vase run which saw them defeated by Northern League side Ashington (2-1) in Round 3. By contrast opponents Spencer have struggled all season and now find themselves in the lower half of the division.

Today’s game, the only scheduled fixture in the entire UCL, was a tense and nervy affair.  AFC (dressed in their white, blue and red colours similar to that of their predecessors) opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when Sean Mcbride set up the prolific Jake Newman (45) to slot the ball under Spencer 'keeper Stuart Lutter from ten yards out. It was Newman (56) who extended his side’s lead after rising to head home at the far post following Ben Morgan’s perfectly directed cross into the six yard box. Spencer pulled one back four minutes from time through Paul Pickering (86) who, with his back to goal, controlled the ball, turned and drilled it past James Broadbent. Despite some desperate defending the hosts managed to hang on to win 2-1, taking all three points and elevating themselves up to third place in the table.  

The game played in cold, dull and overcast conditions on a heavy pitch attracted a whopping 584 fans to the Dog & Duck. It was great to see such a large number of supporters straddling the perimeter fence. Indeed this has been the recent trend with many crowds exceeding 400. Incredibly for the local derby match played against Rushden & Higham United back in October a massive 1100 spectators turned up to Hayden Road creating a new UCL Div 1 attendance record. Interestingly AFC travel travel to Greene King Park this coming wekend where they will take on second placed Oadby Town in what will surely be a real test for both sides.

A smart, newsy 28-page full colour programme was issued for the game. A varied menu of hot and cold food was cheerfully dispensed from a well-stocked and busy tea bar throughout the game. Our tasty blood coagulating bacon burger washed down with a lovely cuppa was more than enough to warm the cockles on such a cold afternoon. Hoppers may be interested to know that the club also publishes an excellent website covering the latest news, match stats and reports as well as contact information and a map with directions (see link below).

This has been another superb hop. It was really interesting not only to check out the very latest ground developments since my last visit but also to find out a little bit more about one of non league’s newest clubs plying their trade in senior football once again. The joys of hopping at phoenix clubs comes highly recommended  ...have fun wherever you go!