The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Fantastic news for a change, congratulations to the youth team and everyone involved

It was a good display with some cracking quality goals. Apparently we don't know if there's a trophy that goes with the title, but a title it is.

Well done you youngsters 8-) 8-)

Champions ;)
Well done lads!

Congratulations to Starms and the lads. Whatever happens in the coming months, at least we can look back at this season with great pride at what our youth team has achieved.

Great stuff well done to Mark Starmer and the lads, is this the best youth team season ever ?

All four goals were worthy of a much higher level. Jake Woolley's first touch for both of his goals was different class, then Charlie Desmond's third was an excellent strike from outside the area, before Zack Reynolds took on the entire WS-M midfield, defence and keeper for the best goal of the game.

I just hope we can hang on to all of those players, all of whom are first year scholars I believe, and keep the youth team running next season.

STAGMAN wrote:Great stuff well done to Mark Starmer and the lads, is this the best youth team season ever ?

Trophy wise, probably yes.

League wise:

I'm sure Paul Driver would tell you what he achieved two years ago with the youth team was easily on a par with this seasons success...The statto's will be able to provide pinpoint facts, but I'm sure they came 2nd of the South East Football League Alliance - competing against Championship youth teams with a lot more funding etc- which is a truly astonishing achievement.

It has to be remembered that this is only the second season (or the first) they have been competing in this league, which quite simply I would expect us to win with the other teams in it.

Cup Wise;

Didn't get to play Man Utd in the FA Youth Cup but what a fantastic achievement to win the Midland Cup!

It's certainly nice to have some achievement in the club - much credit must go to Paul and Mark Starmer.

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote:The statto's will be able to provide pinpoint facts, but I'm sure they came 2nd of the South East Football League Alliance - competing against Championship youth teams with a lot more funding etc- which is a truly astonishing achievement.

I think we actually finished 4th or 5th in the end. We had been top of the league going into the last couple of months of the season, but we were challenging for the Midland Youth Cup again that year (we ended up runners up to Port Vale, although should have won it comfortably) and our form dropped as we got closer to the final. QPR were one of the sides who overtook us, and I think Colchester (who were then in the Championship) did as well. Portsmouth may have been in the league then, but I'm sure we finished above them the last time we were in the same division.

From what I've seen of the youth team this season, I think this is the most promising side yet. When you consider that 3 of the best players in the team, Jerry Nash, Jake Woolley and Zack Reynolds, are all first years, the future (should there be one!) looks very bright indeed.

davealbon wrote:

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote: From what I've seen of the youth team this season, I think this is the most promising side yet. When you consider that 3 of the best players in the team, Jerry Nash, Jake Woolley and Zack Reynolds, are all first years, the future (should there be one!) looks very bright indeed.

From those of you that watch the youth team regularly, would you agree that them three are the most promising? I've never seen Woolley play, and haven't seen the Youth Team play all season so couldn't comment.

In all fairness what's encouraging me more with the current promising players is that these players are the fruit that came from the previous regimes in our league days. Nabil, Aaron King & James Broadbent are all Rushden & Diamonds nurtured from an early age, whereas Tomlin/Jackson/Day were all rejects from all other clubs. Jerry Nash and Zack Reynolds to an extent have also come from an early age, so people must remember all the work Gregg Broughton & Geoff Harrop have done in previous years to put the foundations in place for it to all continue. It is truely one of the success stories of the club, the Youth System, and it has been and may prove to be an essential way of us surviving.

Absolutely fantastic news and well done to the players and coaches and indeed all involved in the Youth set up, great credit to them on their success this year.

Brilliant to hear some good news in the face of adversity.