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I know an AFC Kempston official posts on here, i'm intrigued as to what the story is behind the badge.

Perhaps the clue is in their nickname ' The Walnut Boys'. ;)

The Walnut Boys is to some a strange nickname and there probably right! It's a very simple story but it stuck and has lasted the test of time.

I'm not sure the year, but Rovers had a ground in the village of Kempston and next to the pitch was a walnut orchard. On the morning of a Saturday match there had been a tremendous gale over night and the wind had blown the walnuts off the orchard trees on to the Rovers pitch. When the opposition turned up to play it was commented by there players that they must be playing the 'Walnut Boys' today.
The name stuck and became the clubs nickname ever since.

Thanks for your interest! The club has recently had published a 100 year history of Kempston Rovers written by club stalwarts Roger Wood and Pete Burnage, copies are available if anyone is interested please PM me.

bedforddiamond wrote:
I'm not sure the year, but Rovers had a ground in the village of Kempston and next to the pitch was a walnut orchard. On the morning of a Saturday match there had been a tremendous gale over night and the wind had blown the walnuts off the orchard trees on to the Rovers pitch. When the opposition turned up to play it was commented by there players that they must be playing the 'Walnut Boys' today.
The name stuck and became the clubs nickname ever since.

That's a great story, BD, and there was me thinking that they acquired the nickname because they're regarded as a tough nut to crack.

We played and beat Kempston last Thursday night and won 3-2. It was a close game. They appeared to be a fairly young, 'forming' side, like yourselves and will probably come good next season.