The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

A few pics from the WBA game....


Tommo comes off the pitch at Half Time having suffered a bit of cramp before the Ref decided to call time anyway. Not so sure about the purple boots...still seems to have done some good ;-)


Celebrating the 1st cracking goal...


Celebrating the 2nd goal - a great run and finish, and final goal at Nene Park.

Whilst I'm still gutted he's gone, I think we must also give MASSIVE thanks to our youth system. We have been blessed with quality players through the year who have brought hundreds of thousands of pounds into this club and it still keeps going. Quite incredible really. Not many clubs at this level can boast 6 figure sums for several youth players over the years.

DiamondsFan wrote:Whilst I'm still gutted he's gone, I think we must also give MASSIVE thanks to our youth system. We have been blessed with quality players through the year who have brought hundreds of thousands of pounds into this club and it still keeps going. Quite incredible really. Not many clubs at this level can boast 6 figure sums for several youth players over the years.

Agreed! a big thank you to the youth system, we really have got one or maybe the best youth sytem in the league!

Does anyone know what has happened to Sean Shields? I remember being told that he was the next Tomlin but he doesn't seem to have featured in pre-season for the youth team.

BartonRaz wrote:Does anyone know what has happened to Sean Shields? I remember being told that he was the next Tomlin but he doesn't seem to have featured in pre-season for the youth team.

Potters Bar Town perhaps... (Alex Bolt there as well)
http://www.pottersbartown.co.uk/54893/p ... er=1299482

I thought he was there before he joined us?

Someone on K*ttering forum seems to think its 75k + add ons

BartonRaz wrote:I thought he was there before he joined us?

Maybe, but I read a report of him scoring in pre-season this year.

Without Tomlin now, aswell as Byrne and Terry, i would be surprised if we match last season's success. If one of three had stayed at the club it would not be as bad, but the fact that argubly the three most influnetial players form last season have all gone only suggests that it is going to be more of a struggle this year to make the play-offs. One thing is for sure though, some big boots need filling.

Right, perspective is needed I think. A year ago we expected nothing with the players people have mentioned above (Byrne etc). People weren't sure if Byrne could do it and thought Reid was going to be the best thing since sliced bread.

So I'm gonna trust JE can get the best out of the players we have, we've kept Az and Faz who scored almost 30 between them in their first seasons at the club and have brought in potential. We could easily uncover another unexpected gem like Byrne. The money from this might even allow us to bring in someone like Howe, or it might keep the club afloat (I know which I'd prefer out of Tommo or the Club being alive).

So perhaps the best thing to do is wait and see how the new season goes, we all trust JE I think, we've seen what he can do with seeming nobodies. A year ago no league club really wanted to touch Tommo with a bargepole.

I'll be very interested to see what he can to at that level, it's a reasonable step up to a league where you don't get much time on the ball. It'll be interesting to see if Gary Johnson can control his sometimes questionable temperament.