Goodbye all, i can't believe what i just witnessed

[sussexdiamond]

My first match was on a Sunday in April 94 v Hastings, my home town team.
Followed Diamonds ever since, even over the past 6 years I have been living in Sussex.

It was bad enough not having games at Crawley or Eastbourne this coming season, but what has happened now is so upsetting. I wont even be able to follow Ceefax on a Saturday afternoon.

I guess it will be more games watching Eastbourne, although I am not really a fan of BS South footie.
(maybe I will go to Brightons new ground which is only 30 mins away.


What a mess this has all become. Reading the news this morning came as real shock as I even thought the new investors were going to save us and put pressure on Conference to take us back. Obviously I was sadly deluded.

It is fact of life that if the "new " team playing at Nene park are succesful the fans will come back, whether they be disaffected K*ttering or Diamonds fans.

Thanks to everyone I have met over the years. And good luck with phoenix club.
We will meet again. Dont know where, dont know when but I know well meet again. some sunny day.

[olio]

My first game was at home to Woking on Saturday 3rd March 2001 (2-0 win). I was only 6 at the time, but ever since then, I fell in love with the club. I'll never forget seeing the Rochdale away play off game result flash up on Ceefax, the promotion to League One, going to places like Sheffield Weednesday, Billy Sharp's time at the club, the relegation season where everyone pulled together to nearly save the club from the drop,watching the SS final on a dodgy stream and running around the room ceebrating Rank's noser. And then Edinburgh's time at the club was a breath of fresh air compared to Hill. I'll remember the games at home to Stevenage, and away to Wimbledon and the away play off game at Oxford. I've been proud to be a Diamonds fan for all these years, and despite my move away from the area in 2001, my love for the club never waned. I'd like to thank the rest of the fans for sticking with the club thorugh thick and thin, and also the club, who gave me many games that I will remember for the rest of my life. The club may be gone, but the memories will never, ever leave my heart. Thank You Rushden and Diamonds.

[therushden]

hastings at home 95/96 season. drew 1-1. never been to a proper game before, and i was hooked.
i was talking to my mate at work and said i just don't think i can go watch a match without it meaning something to me. he said i should go watch cobblers with him.

[TheIncognitoKid]

hastings at home 95/96 season. drew 1-1. never been to a proper game before, and i was hooked.
i was talking to my mate at work and said i just don't think i can go watch a match without it meaning something to me. he said i should go watch cobblers with him.

Remember that game, we should have scored double figures and only equalised about 10 mins from the end. Similar to the 0-0 with FGR in the conf winning season. 22 shots on target!

[wewantourdarbyback]

I knew that would happen - and that's why I stayed away tonight. I warned of this on another thread, as in a couple of earlier meetings people have made it clear they are prouder of Nene Park than they are of the club.

Cannot get my head around that. Not at all.

What a ****ing miserable situation.

[Bob's Bitch]

hastings at home 95/96 season. drew 1-1. never been to a proper game before, and i was hooked.
i was talking to my mate at work and said i just don't think i can go watch a match without it meaning something to me. he said i should go watch cobblers with him.

Remember that game, we should have scored double figures and only equalised about 10 mins from the end. Similar to the 0-0 with FGR in the conf winning season. 22 shots on target!

Re: games like that. Anyone remember Brentford at home in 2003/04 when we had about a million chances and still lost. Oxford in December some season as well.

[Three of Diamonds]

My first game was in 1970, I was seven years old and went down with a mate who's dad was heavily involved. We played footy on the small training pitch in their small practice goals which is now in the club shop car park, I can still see it now, clear as day. I had no idea who was playing on the main pitch against The Diamonds. The trees along the side of the ground, the old clubhouse, Flo's cheese & onion crusty rolls, wishy washy tea. I saw the first ever turnstyles and floodlights go in.I saw the most unbelievable comeback win against Basildon, I saw 4 league titles in the UCL. I saw my old clubhouse knocked down and replaced with one which has a chandelier in reception. I saw Prince Charles open it. I saw another 4 league titles, Football League games against heavyweights in the world of footy such as Sheffield Wednesday & Queens Park Rangers. I watched all this at Nene Park. Of course I have an emotional attachment to the place, who wouldn't? So I held up my hand when I was asked if I wanted to watch football at Nene Park. All that obviously makes me a ****? Grow the fcuk up.
Shall I go watch K*ttering Town at NP? Very Highly unlikely. This whole affair has left a nasty taste and feeling like I've been raped. I shall admit, if I get the live football bug again, I might go in the away end but not in the terrace - I'll break down if I tried, but I'll only go out of curiosity never out of support.
Should a new pheonix club arise, I shall be there. I can even mark a football pitch out, put posts up and hang nets.

[davealbon]

ill never forget my first game in 1999,my grandad took me to a home game v northwich victoria, sat in the airwair, and we ended up winning 8.0 , think we was 5.0 up at half time tho, from then on, ive seen the highs and lows of this football club, i remember i was buzzing my tits off for the first game in league 1, and then it all fucked up, and its been downhill from then :( ,league 1,league 2, conference.and now were fucked, and it makes me feel sick that ketty are going to put there scummy name all over are ground.,but its been a blast, got sum crackin memories, and il will be there to support the new club,

siy.

You've obviously forgotten a lot of it! ;) It was early 2000, we won 6-0 and were 2-0 up at half time. I can't be bothered to look it up but I'm fairly certain that the scorers were Macca 2, og, Collins, (David) Lowe and Burgess - his first for the club. It was following that game that loanee Martin Aldridge was involved in car accident and tragically died the following morning.

My first, as a 12 year old, was Halesowen at home in March 1996, our BHL championship season. It was Carl Alford's debut and he scored from one yard although we lost 2-1. I remember Halesowen fans standing alongside us on the PDB and some greater banter going on between the two sets of supporters. It took a couple more years for me to become well and truly hooked (mainly because I needed to be driven to the ground and my parents have no interest in football), but I loved my first visit and still have a few photos of the game.

EDIT: I just remembered something else from that Northwich game. At every home game, UttoDiamond used to phone Radio Diamonds and have a go at the score prediction competition. Every week he would go for a 6-0 home win, but for that game he decided on 8-0 because Northwich were so crap! :lol:

[Balloon Man]

My first game was Scarborough at the end of the 1999/2000 season. 0-0 and the last game was also 0-0 if I remember that season. In those days it was a family day out and I think we had a family season for 2000/2001 the era of Jacko and Darbs. The irresistable force that took us into the league.
I remember our first away match was not until Halifax in our first league season - saddened then to see Burge sent off and miss the playoff final at Cardiff.
Then came Cardiff and myself and my 2 young sons marching through crowds of Cheltenham fans with our Diamonds shirts on and waving huge flags in their faces - we were all just so proud of our little club by the Nene. I still remember Paul Halls goal - stunning.
I remember being at Carlisle when we won promotion to League 1 (as it is now) with our friends from oooop North who used it live in Hinwick. Then the tense Hartlepool game and the draw that gave Diamonds the title. The sun streaming down on us in the Airwair when it felt nothing could go wrong and we were here to stay. The amazing 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday seen from the North Stand. That Millwall Milk cup game when Turley score the penalty that just about sealed the win in front of the Millwall fans who were remarkably well behaved on that night. I remember Billy Sharp's goal that sank the Wobbs at almost the final whistle and thinking "he's going to miss, he's going to miss". I remember following Diamonds on tour in Northern Ireland with friends - wet week but so much fun ! And my wife screaming at the Larne player who had just scythed through one of our's "It's only a f***ing friendly you know !!!".
And then the sadness of dropping down to League 2 inevitably because we'd lost our best players and the money had run out. The short years in the bottom league when we held on but couldn't stay up. Barry Hunter and the song "I will walk 10,0000 miles"... Then the conference years again when it seemed we were sometimes close but never close enough. Great wins over K*ttering. Beating Yeovil in the Cup - killing the Giant Killers. Taking on a role in Radio Diamonds and desperately stumbling over the players names - especially the away teams. Seeing that cracking Onandi Lowe free kick beat the then England keeper David James away at West Ham in the Legue Cup - so proud then and actually the first time I'd been to see the team I'd "supported" since a kid at school - the Hammers.
The Open top bus parades, buying the next seasons shirt and the friendlies building up to the season.
The come-backs, the reverses and lost points. The trips to Cambridge, Oxford, Brisbane road when Orient stuffed us and Dempster got sent off. That amazing goal at Bury in the rain when we were certain the rain would stop the game. Fish and Chips at Grimsby (or Cleethorpes) and freezing at Scunthorpe. The coach trips and the car trips. Other fans and friends and banter and songs and geting drunk in Strkers. So many memories all jumbled up in their order and so many friends - I felt part of a family at Nene Park and a real family club. I've sat in every stand at Nene Park, the comentary box and the deBanke and I can honestly say it's been a real privelidge and a real pleasure to meet you all and enjoy 11 years of a rollercoaster ride that if we're all honest we knew would end at some point. The bar staff who always seemed to spot me and almost have my pint of Guiness ready before I reached the bar. I will still wear my Diamonds Shirts with Pride and keep them hanging up in the wardrobe but no longer ready for the next game at Nene Park. I honestly wish the Poppies good luck and hope they enjoy their time at Nene Park - I'd like to think that they at least will benefit from the loss of the Diamonds and maybe survive the problems that all lower league and non-league Football teams face in the 21st Century. Thanks to Max for building the club, thanks to the Trust for keeping it alive, thanks to KC for keeping us going, thanks to all those rubbish refs and lino's that I layed into verbally for doing their their job the best they could, thanks to so many players I loved watching, But most of all I'd like to Thank all of you - Fans of Rushden and Diamonds for just so much enjoyment and fun and tears and anger that I've enjoyed over 11 years. RDFC, always in my heart. Good luck everyone and I'm sure we'll meet again some sunny day.......

[Trek]

First game was the Cardiff City cup tie in November 1995 as a casual on looker. Saw both derby games against the Ploppies shortly after OBN took over and a couple games against the Ploppies and Hednesford Town until I started watching on a regular basis with the home game against Chester City in August 2000. Missed about 3 home games that season and then never missed a home game until that snowy night against Cheltenham after Christmas in 2005 when I had the flu. Missed only a further 4 home games since then.

I've witnessed the good, bad and now the ugly and I had a feeling that when we played Kiddy in April that this would probably be the last RDFC match that I would see. :evil:

Thanks for the memories and the crac that I will miss with my fellow de Bankers. ;)