The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Most of our Community Teams have started their seasons now so there's plenty of opportunity for you to watch AFC R&D players over the weekend.

On Saturday or Sunday mornings drop the other half at ASDA* and wander down to Irchester Rec, where the U7 & U8's will be playing on Saturday mornings; Lancaster Park, Higham the U9 and U10's on Sunday mornings and South End School for the U11's also on Sunday mornings.

On Sunday afternoons walk off that Roast Beef** with a visit to Raunds Manor or Kennedy's where at least one of our 11-a-side teams will be playing or Bozeat for the Ladies.

You'll see some great football, lots of effort and plenty of AFC R&D positivity.

* Other Supermarkets are available
** Other meats are available.

Went to see the Under 14's today win 4-2 at Wollaston, fantastic to see the game played in the correct way, with respectful fans and coaches, it was a pleasure to see them in the kit.

crowd of 47 might have even beaten Wellingborough's for saturday!!!

Oh bitchy?

It;s really plesaing to see some many teams carrying the AFC R&D badge with pride

This club is going to be such a breath of fresh air in our community 8-)

Look out world AFCR&D is coming to get you 8-)

I think it would be good if there was one thread on here - possibly this one given the title - where people could discuss all of the community sides (U17's and below) so that interesting info doesn't get lost elsewhere. A place for fans to catch up on all our youth results and tell us all what game they've been to and what they've seen etc...

BartonRaz wrote:I think it would be good if there was one thread on here - possibly this one given the title - where people could discuss all of the community sides (U17's and below) so that interesting info doesn't get lost elsewhere. A place for fans to catch up on all our youth results and tell us all what game they've been to and what they've seen etc...

Agreed, I think it should be pinned, as it could get lost amongst the other topics.

I would have popped down to Hayden Road this morning, but wasn't aware that a game was on.

I'm not sure if I've got a failure of understanding here regarding 'community' and 'academy' teams, is there a difference?

In any case, from the website, it appears that our U15's (who won 1-0 at Oxford City last week) travel to West Brom Colts on Saturday morning?

Our U14's appear to be playing their first game of the new season at home (somewhere near Sywell) at 10:30am against, again, West Brom Colts.

Best of luck to them both!

Community teams are the South Rushden teams, they play in the Weetabix League against other teams from Wellingborough and Rushden area for mini soccer and widening out to K*ttering and Corby for 9 and 11-a-side. We have built the club on an 'every child matters' policy and have mixed ability teams from Under 7 to Under 11. At Under 13 and above ability comes into a bit more but no child is refused a place due to not being good enough. This policy is in start contrast to the way some of the other local clubs operate.

The Ladies team and the multi-disability team also come under the Community teams banner and we are looking at expanding both of these, as well as providing other form of football.

The Academy teams are for those players who are at a certain standard with regards to ability and are able to make the commitment to train more often and travel further to play against teams of a similar standard.

A couple of the reasons I first started to talk to Ralph is that once our kids get to sixteen they have nowhere to go and that we were losing playing to 'bigger' clubs (often associated with UCL men's teams) as the perception was that they would receive better coaching at the bigger club. They don't.

As the relationship grows we see a fluid system where more talented and committed players are given the chance at U13 to move up to the Academy should they wish to. In the same way should an Academy playing hit a wall in their development at U15, or find other interests and not want to make such a commitment then they will be able to continue playing in the AFC family rather than as happens now stop playing football altogether.

I hope that makes it clearer.

Are the players involved in the Academy also involved with the Community teams for the same age group as some of the Academy games do not seem to be every week.

icm wrote:Are the players involved in the Academy also involved with the Community teams for the same age group as some of the Academy games do not seem to be every week.

There are a few that play for both, but not many. It is a lot to ask of the parents to cart them around for matches on a Saturday and Sunday, plus training during the week!

If anyone fancies watching a game with a pint this afternoon then the U13 Cosmos and U14 Rebels will both be at Kennedy's this afternoon, kicking-off at 14.00.

The bar is open all afternoon and we'll even let you take the nets down at the end!