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Weekly Update #12
Boardroom News Community News Latest News 1 day ago
Apologies that this week’s update is a little later than usual; it’s been another busy week behind the scenes.

Dave Bland has been working with the Job Centre in Rushden seeking to recruit and train a new stewarding team for the Club. The selected candidates were at the game on Saturday and we’re looking forward to working with them all. This arrangement will result in a significant financial saving for the Club but, more importantly, will also help to improve our standing in the local area as we help people who want to get back into work.

It was great to finally get to see the first team in action on Saturday at Hayden Road. Our highest home attendance of the season so far, 452, were there to watch the first game since 7th January and we thank each and every one of you for your support on a cold and grey January afternoon. We were delighted to welcome the Community U12s to the game; they had a tour of the ground, a chat with first team manager, Chris Nunn and the chance to play a small-sided game on the pitch at half time. We were also delighted to welcome match sponsors, seventy9 Creative and Digital Marketing Agency, to the game. We hope that everyone enjoyed themselves, despite the result, and that we will see you all again soon.

We’re sure you will have all heard by now that Matt Fossen has left the Club following the mutually agreed cancellation of his contract. Matt leaves with our best wishes and good luck for the future.

Our fixtures v Bromsgrove Sporting (A) and Basford United (H) have been re-arranged for Tuesday, 21st March and Tuesday, 28th March respectively so please make a note of them in your diary. A full, up to date, list of fixtures can be found here: https://www.afcdiamonds.com/calendar/fi ... s-results/

Elsewhere around the Club, there was a full fixture list for all our teams through the week except for the Academy U21s who were without a game. Well done to all our players who took part in the fixtures, but special mention must go to the U19 scholars who are based at Moulton College. They are currently unbeaten so far this season at the top of the National U19 Youth Alliance League Division F having scored 58 goals and conceded only 9 in 10 games.

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication to our Club. Don’t forget that your Supporter Liaison Officer, Tim Sams, is available at all home games to take your feedback and suggestions but if you would like to get in touch sooner, please email any of the Board members direct or send your thoughts to support@afcdiamonds.com

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This week, the Board have held review meetings with the Academy and Moulton College, The aim of these meetings was to gain a better understanding of the pathway and financial implications, in order to inform any decisions over the coming weeks on plans for the new 2023/24 season. The meetings were insightful and informative, and we are very grateful to everyone involved for their participation, especially to Tim Dudding for taking Board members on a tour of Moulton.

The first meeting of the volunteer working group was held during the week. The volunteers discussed opportunities for next season and have an action plan in place. Please speak to, or email, Dave Bland, if you would like to be involved.

On the playing front, Courtney Lashley has gone on loan to Wellingborough Town FC for the remainder of the season and we wish him all the best for his time there. John Dean has signed for Burton Park Wanderers on a dual registration basis to get some game time.

There was a full programme of matches across the Club yesterday and during the week. The U23 and U21 Academy sides both recorded wins yesterday and the U18 Northants Senior Youth League side, based at Moulton College, deserve a special mention for their 10-1 demolition of St Ives U18s last Monday.

Today saw the Women & Girls C.I.C team play in the Northants FA Women’s Cup – sponsored by Grass Gains – Quarter-Final at the Dog & Duck in Wellingborough. We hope many of you were there supporting them in the 2:00 pm kick off; the tie ended 9-1 in favour of Peterborough United FC Women.

Next Saturday, the first team are at home to Barwell FC and as always, we hope to see you there supporting the boys. Your support is invaluable and much appreciated by the players and management. The Community U10s will be at the match, leading out the players and spending some time with Chris Nunn. This follows the very successful visit of the U12s at the last home match.

At the following home game v Hednesford on 18th February, we will be welcoming Encompass to the ground as match sponsors. We will also be arranging another food bank collection for them. If you’re able to, please give generously, they are particularly short of toilet roll, UHT milk and sugar but are very grateful for anything you can give. During the run-up to the game, we will publish a full list of items that they can take.

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication to our Club. Don’t forget that your Supporter Liaison Officer, Tim Sams, is available at all home games to take your feedback and suggestions but if you would like to get in touch sooner, please email any of the Board members direct or send your thoughts to support@afcdiamonds.com
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Since the last update, Chris Nunn has continued to work hard to bring in new players and we were pleased to welcome goalkeeper, Loris Marcimain from St Albans City FC in time for last Saturday’s match. This followed an injury sustained by Dean Snedker in training. We were also pleased to confirm that the Work Experience loans of Joel Anker and Charlie Waller from MK Dons have been extended to the end of the season and we also welcome Bogdan Marian on a Work Experience loan from Watford FC to the end of the season. It’s been a busy time for Chris and Stacey and they are both very grateful for the co-operation received from MK Dons, St Albans City and Watford.

Supporters will have noticed several names missing from the teamsheet on Tuesday evening. As part-time footballers with a day job, travelling a long distance during the week always presents some issues and so we have to accept that some players, and supporters too, will be unavailable to travel.

Congratulations to our most recent Lottery winner, Laura Seekings, who won £535! The next draw will take place on 5th March 2023. If you’d like to get involved and be in with a chance of winning, as well as supporting the budget, all the information you need is here: https://www.afcdiamonds.com/diamonds-te ... ng-lottery.

This week, we said farewell to Tim Dudding. Tim was the Head of Football at Moulton College and has been instrumental in setting up the link between the College and Club. He led the U23s to the National Football Youth League Cup Final last season and the team is currently 2nd in the league having lost only 1 game so far this season. Tim has taken up a position at Plymouth Argyle FC and he leaves with our very best wishes for the future.

You may already be aware that Matt Taylor and David Taylor have recently been co-opted onto the Board. Matt joins the board to head up commercial activities and David will continue the work he started some time ago on the New Home project.

The February Board meeting was held last week, and members of the commercial working group attended a North Northants networking event at Chester House where they met with local businesses and owners to spread the word of the work we are doing and available sponsorship opportunities. Events such as this will prove to be invaluable as we begin financial planning for next season.

On Saturday, we welcome Hednesford Town FC to Hayden Road in what promises to be a real old-fashioned ‘6 pointer’. We will be welcoming representatives from local charity, Encompass, to the match. Encompass help support local homeless people through their food banks in Rushden and Higham Ferrers. There will be a food bank collection point just inside the turnstiles so, if you’re able to, please give generously. Below is a list of all the items Encompass can accept:

tinned meat, fish and vegetables
custard
jam/spreads
rice pudding
sugar
coffee
UHT milk
soup
washing tablets
toothbrushes and toothpaste
toilet roll
shampoo
conditioner
body wash
bleach
deodorant

The end of the season is fast approaching with just 13 games left and, as Captain, Luke Massingham, said on Tuesday evening these are now all cup finals. Luke, Chris and the lads are incredibly grateful for all our support and won’t ever take it for granted. They’re hoping that as many of us as possible can be at Hayden Road to support the team. However, if you’re not able to make the match, you can listen to the Radio Diamonds commentary or follow the game on Twitter. There is a full programme of fixtures across the Club as usual and we wish everyone the very best of luck.

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication to our Club. Don’t forget that your Supporter Liaison Officer, Tim Sams, is available at all home games to take your feedback and suggestions but if you would like to get in touch sooner, please email any Board members direct or send your thoughts to support@afcdiamonds.com
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