The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

......couldn't get onto the Board earlier, thought it'd gone into liquidation early ;) . I really shouldn't joke should I? I understand there is a staff meeting on Tuesday and a Creditors meeting on Wednesday - doesn't sound good does it?

I know we're all worried about our football club, but my thoughts go out to the people employed at the club who must be going through hell at the moment, and of course the people owed money by the club. Fingers crossed you hear some positive news this week, I have my doubts, but I wish you all well.

Absolutely agree with those sentiments Jim.
I'm hoping our "strong board replacements" include Keith Cousins, Max Griggs and even Colin Hill. ;)
Now THAT'S a formidable Board !

I really feel for the staff there too. They are a good group who have been amazingly loyal to the Club through some very difficult times.

I kind of feel a bit disconnected from all this (for lack of a better word).

Weirdly i don't even feel worried/frustrated/angry. It's been one thing after another for years now and i think part of me has resigned myself to the fact that we either won't be here next season, or if we are, i doubt it'l be in the BSP. This season has just been a fugging nightmare.

Perhaps it's due to the fact that there are only three of four players i'd be desperate for us to keep next season. We've been so rubbish on and off the pitch since November that i think i've just become disenchanted with the team and the club.

I sat at that awful stadium on Saturday (30k it may be, but its soulless and depressing), watching a bang average team put in a half-arsed performance, seeing P*** T**** run about and antagonise the away fans like nothing had ever happened, and just thought to myself - football shouldn't be like this.

Don't get me wrong, as long as there is a Rushden & Diamonds I will be there, but i'm bored of supporting a team where we're discussing anually the possibility of us going bust, when we get a player with an ounce of ability it's inevitable he's only going to be with us for a maximum of 2 years, and supporting a team that (with the exception of last season) seems to accept mid-table in the BSP as some sort of achievement.

:(

I feel that the creditors meeting is a last gasp attempt to buy some time. SB may be able to persuade some of them to hold off any action for a time but I doubt the big boys (HMRC) will be easily satisfied.
They would need to convince the creditors that they would be able to trade out of the current situation in a reasonable time period to such an extent that all, or most, of the debts would be paid.
A detailed financial plan would be required, and it would need to be backed up by some fairly substantive guarantees, and I think that is going to be very difficult to achieve unless a substantial backer comes on board very quickly.

BartonRaz wrote:I kind of feel a bit disconnected from all this (for lack of a better word).

Weirdly i don't even feel worried/frustrated/angry. It's been one thing after another for years now and i think part of me has resigned myself to the fact that we either won't be here next season, or if we are, i doubt it'l be in the BSP. This season has just been a fugging nightmare.

Perhaps it's due to the fact that there are only three of four players i'd be desperate for us to keep next season. We've been so rubbish on and off the pitch since November that i think i've just become disenchanted with the team and the club.

I sat at that awful stadium on Saturday (30k it may be, but its soulless and depressing), watching a bang average team put in a half-arsed performance, seeing P*** T**** run about and antagonise the away fans like nothing had ever happened, and just thought to myself - football shouldn't be like this.

Don't get me wrong, as long as there is a Rushden & Diamonds I will be there, but i'm bored of supporting a team where we're discussing anually the possibility of us going bust, when we get a player with an ounce of ability it's inevitable he's only going to be with us for a maximum of 2 years, and supporting a team that (with the exception of last season) seems to accept mid-table in the BSP as some sort of achievement.

:(

I agree with some of that too BR. We and other Conference clubs in the current state are just going to lose more and more money. The only way to survive is to have a rich backer. Football shouldn't be like that. Part of me thinks it wouldn't be a disaster to drop a few levels, become sustainable and just build on a model that ensures long-term survival without the constant worries and issues, and climb, because there's no doubt we would, and in a weird way it would be quite fun. I'd certainly stay around and support them to the same extent that I do at the current level.

I'm not sure about the logistics of the ground situation, but in a dream scenario I'd love to see us sell all the land apart from one training pitch and the stadium at NP, and if it's necessary for long-term survival go part-time,and just back to the stage where:

1) Supporting Rushden & Diamonds FC is an enjoyable experience.
2) As a fan of RDFC, you feel a real part of it. As BR said I just feel so alienated atm.

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote: I'm not sure about the logistics of the ground situation, but in a dream scenario I'd love to see us sell all the land apart from one training pitch and the stadium at NP, and if it's necessary for long-term survival go part-time

The only flaw to your excellent plan is that the Football Club do not now own the stadium and surrounding 22 acres.

Trek wrote:

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote: I'm not sure about the logistics of the ground situation, but in a dream scenario I'd love to see us sell all the land apart from one training pitch and the stadium at NP, and if it's necessary for long-term survival go part-time

The only flaw to your excellent plan is that the Football Club do not now own the stadium and surrounding 22 acres.

Fair enough, nothing's ever not complicated :(

Trek wrote:

Oundle Diamond #2 wrote: I'm not sure about the logistics of the ground situation, but in a dream scenario I'd love to see us sell all the land apart from one training pitch and the stadium at NP, and if it's necessary for long-term survival go part-time

The only flaw to your excellent plan is that the Football Club do not now own the stadium and surrounding 22 acres.

Just to add to that, I don't think the Football Club has EVER owned the land or the stadium, it was gifted to the Trust as part of the handover from Max - hence the 2013 land sale clause as a final barrier. The Trust then handed over the same when KC paid off the Football Club debts. I think even parts of the stadium are technically owned by different organisations (the Airwair roof?) . I know that the pitch USED to be owned by the Irthlingborough Diamonds Trust, but I think that was handed over as part of the transfer to KC.

Two of Diamonds wrote:Just to add to that, I don't think the Football Club has EVER owned the land or the stadium, it was gifted to the Trust as part of the handover from Max - hence the 2013 land sale clause as a final barrier. The Trust then handed over the same when KC paid off the Football Club debts. I think even parts of the stadium are technically owned by different organisations (the Airwair roof?) . I know that the pitch USED to be owned by the Irthlingborough Diamonds Trust, but I think that was handed over as part of the transfer to KC.

Sounds like a right mess to be honest realistically, the club isn't going to be able to get it off KC anytime soon...