The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

I'll be keeping half an eye on the scores tonight, with 8 (24 points) games left to play, and looking at the fixtures they have, I reckon there are 4 games (12 points) that they could win if they get their act together, they'll be tough and its doubtful they can do it, but to stay any chance of staying up they must win them, these are : Telford, Ebbsfleet, Stockport and Darlington. That'd put them on 38 points - enough to stay up? Doubtful.

Lose tonight's game against AFC Telford, and I reckon they're gone and it's then just about guessing which game over the next 7 confirms it !! I can't see them getting anything against Mansfield, Barrow, Kiddy and Cambridge to be honest. If they win 50% of their remaining games I'll give them great credit, given their recent form that will be a mammoth effort - but I just can't see it being enough, I think those just above them in the table will muster up enough points to send them down.

The ramifications of them going down will be massive, even moreso now they're at Nene Park. Even if by some divine intervention they manage to pull together enough points to stay up, they still have the hurdle of the AGM Cup to overcome. George will really have to produce something spectacular there to save them.

I actually do feel really sorry for their genuine fans for the way they have been treated, are being treated and will be treated in the future. The crowd numbers have shown how frustrated they are, thats another thing to look out for tonight, I guess the crowd will be slightly over 1,000 unless people really do "buy-in" to George's words of wisdom, my prediction is 1023 with 115 or so away fans.

My prediction for tonight, a 1-1 draw. Only 11 points of Telford's total of 36 have been earned away from home, with 1 win and 8 draws. But draws against opposition who are as bad as Telford away from home just won't cut it, especially when you've got a -46 goal difference to overcome !!

Right, dinners ready then I have some AFC stuff to do - happy days

I think the scene is set for a last day survival with victory over Darlington, followed by various stalling tactics to delay the CVA until after the AGM. However, I think the Conference Board are wise to that tactic, and will insist on a large bond, as they did with Wrexham, and poor season ticket sales for next season will scupper their chances of finding that money.

I think they'll be relegated before then Tony, I reckon, unless something miraculous happens on the field, that Kiddy will send them down with 2 games to go - they'll probably beat Darlo on the last day to take them down with them though !

They'll be lucky if they're not relegated by the second week of April.

PigmanRDFC wrote:I think they'll be relegated before then Tony, I reckon, unless something miraculous happens on the field, that Kiddy will send them down with 2 games to go - they'll probably beat Darlo on the last day to take them down with them though !

I agree they'll be relegated, but the Conference may still ask for a guarantee to satisfy their participation in Conference North. If not, they'll have to try and get in the Southern League (who, if they follow what they did last year with us may ask for the same thing).

PigmanRDFC wrote:I'll be keeping half an eye on the scores tonight, with 8 (24 points) games left to play, and looking at the fixtures they have, I reckon there are 4 games (12 points) that they could win if they get their act together, they'll be tough and its doubtful they can do it, but to stay any chance of staying up they must win them, these are : Telford, Ebbsfleet, Stockport and Darlington.

I can't see them getting anything against the Fleet & Stockport will have a huge incentive to win the points (the points to survive). 3 points tonight is an absolute MUST, anything less will be another nail in their coffin. I can't see where there going to get 3 wins from.

Re: Tuesday Night: Guess the attendence.
by marbles on Tue Mar 20, 2012 7:33 pm

About 300 here at the moment 15 before kick off.

No, is it really going to be an utter farce? :lol:

Jon Dunham ‏ @JonDunhamET
And by the way, the crowd is looking appalling. There is barely 400 in the ground at the moment

Doctored attendance coming up then.

Commentator guesses around 800, paid what they wanted though (well £10 or more)

Makes me smile that some Ploppies thought they would get a 1000 plus crowd with the reduced price. The fact of the matter is that Tuesday night crowds at every Conference club are always well down on a Saturday crowd. Both Cambridge United and Darlo has crowds last Tuesday approaching 1000 less than their Saturday attendances.