The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

I was looking at the new profiles on the OWS, and spotted the team picture taken at the start of the season - http://www.thediamondsfc.com/page/TeamH ... 84,00.html

It's amazing how many of those players are still with the club, if we compare it with the turnaround we've seen in recent seasons (and there is one addition as Simon Downer was ill when the picture was taken).

The big surprise was that James Reid didn't make the grade, as he looked a quality player when given time and space in the Pre-Season games, but JE / MS / PD have got the best out of the rest of them.

I don't have ready access to the three previous Conference season's pictures, but they would have featured the likes of Scott Mitchell, Dean McDonald, Martin Foster, Leo Fortune-West etc.

All of our best teams have been stable ones in that we played a settled side. I still think Reid would have made the grade, but needed more time to adjust to the man's game of the Conference. He wasn't "bad" but Tommo stood up and took his place.