The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

coltrane wrote: Do these people who "most likely look like men" also look like promotion material though?

Since senior trials have yet to take place we have no idea.

mike wrote:I dont understand why clubs wouldnt take promotion, surely that would just annoy the players that have battled all season to get promotion!

Sometimes it is not possible. My local side, Cottingham, won the UCL Division 1 title about 10 years ago, were unable to bring their ground up to Premier Division standard, as a consequence of complicated ground ownership issues, and after playing just a season as Corby Town's reserve side disbanded.

Trek wrote:

mike wrote:I dont understand why clubs wouldnt take promotion, surely that would just annoy the players that have battled all season to get promotion!

Sometimes it is not possible. My local side, Cottingham, won the UCL Division 1 title about 10 years ago, were unable to bring their ground up to Premier Division standard, as a consequence of complicated ground ownership issues, and after playing just a season as Corby Town's reserve side disbanded.

Bodmin Town have won the local Step 6 league 3 of the last five years, but are yet to take promotion. Often promotion means little in terms of fans or sponsorship - and may indeed make attendances worse if your local rivals are no longer around for a local boxing day derby.

Further, it may be that players are not up for the extra travelling to away games. If they are playing for fun, then they'd probably whinge at a 50 mile trip. If they are playing for expenses, the club may end up in a dire financial circumstance playing for such expenses.

Recently in the South West, Dawlish took the promotion plunge to Southern League and went bust before last season.

I think there are a few teams in the Northern League that deliberately don't take promotion for various reasons as well, think the FA Vase being one of them as teams in that league seems to do very well in that competition.

There's a bit about the Northern League in this article, basically saying that promotion just means higher costs and little in terms of extra fans, so not really worth it.

http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=18841

I genuinely think we are a different case to those quoted, as too will Darlington be.
There is already a substantial fan base in place, which should ensure that the finances are in place to compete at a higher level.
Where that takes us remains to be seen, but I am confident that we can attract fans as and when we progress. We are a fan owned club, so should not be at the mercy of an "owner" to do with us what he will. 8-)

Trek wrote:

coltrane wrote: Do these people who "most likely look like men" also look like promotion material though?

Since senior trials have yet to take place we have no idea.

Thanks.