The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Any chance we can have one of these? either via phone? at the club? or via the forum?

Couple of points I would raise are:

1) If board members of the football club are forum moderators - does that mean the 'unofficial' forum is a now an 'official forum' ?

2) This season many, many players have departed and it would seem that when a player leaves, one or two board members take to Twitter to wax lyrical about that departing player, "pleasure to work with" / "top player" / "top guy" etc,


The praise aimed at them really is over the top and seems to have been drawing vulgar jokes like "he's not going to sh*g you" or others claiming the board members are trying to get a few extra followers from the footballers.

I'm all for giving praise when it is due but we have one win in nearly 20 games, every single player is responsible for that, if we are full of praise for such an appalling return - are the board members interested in being pally rather than leading the club?

Players are supposed to be employees not best buddies with the board, even the manager says the lads were fantastic after every defeat, I worry that this is not going to motivate the players if they think the so called bosses are soft, it creates a Sunday Morning pub league environment.

If one of our players got sent off for a blatant, cheating dive I don't think the board or manager would have the bottle to tell the player that he should cut that crap out of his game.

Tim, Nice but Dim from Harry Enfield springs to mind, someone would insult him and Tim would say... "bloody nice chap" we could lose 10-0 next time out and all 11 players could leave for Cogenhoe yet the same board members would take to Twitter to say "pleasure to know them all, top top players"

The players who leave are 'jumping ship' rather than trying to right the wrongs, if the manager thought they were not good enough they should be 'released' instead a player can use the club by staying here earning money until someone else comes in - often lower league and he can sleep easy because he knows that 2 board members will give them a glowing reference on Twitter saying he was a fantastic servant to the club.

We are bottom of the league, we have been for a long time, it's a very serious situation - if every player that has left us this season has been described as a 'fantastic player' by board members - what type of bar does that set for potential new signings?

The reason the players may be 'fantastic guys' is because some of them are switching off and losing concentration during games - but they know they will still get paid and praised!

I would be nice to my own manager if I knew I could make mistakes and get paid and praised for it so any new signing will surely be thinking to myself, this gig is easy money so I will sign for this club and not care about my performances.

More professionalism please, you are supposed to be leaders of a club that takes hard earned money from fans, not a voluntary pub team where results don't matter as long as there is a pint of Kronenberg and a selfie opportunity to be had like wannabe influencers.

You appear to be on a massive mission lately and have forgotten that Board members are also volunteers. They do not earn anything from the extortionate amount of time they give to the club and they frequently put the club before their paid work and family.

I’m fairly certain that if you email/catch one of them at a game they will give you their time willingly and answer your questions. It’s really not rocket science.

I’d like to see a bit more consideration and gratitude for them - I don’t agree with everything they do but without them there would be no club.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing your name on the ballot sheet, Adrian, when the next vote to appoint members to the board comes around.

Well said Stace. I cannot believe what I have just read. I urge the current Board members not to respond.

I agree with Stacey and Dave. We seem to have had a problem thoroughout the life of both clubs when a keyboard warrior finds the forum and decides to try to make a name for themselves. Sometimes they are quite literate trolls from other clubs, other times its someone with an axe to grind for other reasons. The club has a decent, reasonable fanbase on the whole, who can see how much the Board has to do for the club. They might not agree with everything that goes on, but know that if they do feel there is a real need for change they can stand for the Club Board and change things via an appropriate route.

Must be a wind up.

Not sure about "many, many players departed this season". By my quick reckoning its 10 but I feel I've missed someone. Glennon and Massingham went to Step 3, good luck to them. Dean has returned, the only one of the remainder who could have made a difference was Edge. Unless things have changed players don't get paid if they don't play. Hence the likes of White and Ag Davis dual regging with Welly. Last season we used over 50 players, it's probably mid 20's at present. Adrian, Am I correct in believing you are connected to a business at Rushden Lakes. If so why not attempt to galvanise the management or some of the other business's at Rushden Lakes to sponsor the club. The support they have given us in the past is appreciated but full sponsorship would help massively and may help ease some of the burden on Rebel Energy and others. Some individuals over the past 15 months have contributed generous amounts of cash and/or their time to the club, if it were not for them we may not have a club today. Now just addressing your comments previously regarding older, some deceased members I find that somewhat patronising. Whatever our age, I'm 76, we love our club with varying degrees, sometimes dependent on our physical circumstances and or finances. We do not give just to receive. Just to have a club is my desire that I can support through thick and thin, and over 30 years we've certainly had plenty of both. You can dismiss these thoughts as the ramblings of an old codger with one foot in the grave but believe me we are as passionate as any who have ever set foot in Hayden Road or Nene Park.

Hi Adrian

I'd like to think that in my time on the board over that past year, while we may not have got every decision right, one thing we have always been is approachable. You can drop me an email anytime, or come and grab a coffee with me at any game. I get to Hayden Road ridiculously early most hone games and spend as much time as I can doing a couple of laps of the ground and taking to people.

That said, if there is an appetite for a Q&A I'm more than happy to get one set up. I'll let responses to this post dictate how much hunger there is for such a forum right now.

I've chosen not to comment on some of the opinions you've put up on here in the past days, everyone is entitled to their opinion, just as everyone is able to stand forward for the board and influence our future direction, that's the beauty of our club.

I will pass opinion on your comment around "moderators of the forum" though. We're all fans first and foremost, and have been on this forum far longer than we've been directors of the club. I think it's fair to say there's few on this particular forum who've been more prominent than BartonRaz over the years. Are you suggesting that as Board members we should no longer be able to participate in discussion? As directors are we not allowed to be fans anymore?

It's one of the first rules of management in any walk of life that you praise in public and chastise in private.

For any current board member to come out and say "well, we are glad to see him go he was a total waste of space" would not only be insulting but would also potentially put new players off joining.

Any club at Step Three and below is, in essence, a fan run club and all fans have their opinion but the coaching staff and only the coaching staff are responsible for picking the team.

You saw what happened when a board member took charge of the first team.

As for not saying positive things like "pleasure to work with/really nice guy" why not? Most people I've met in football are good people and I enjoy their company. Unfortunately, sometimes they just aren't good enough for the level they are playing at.

Good words Dave that i hope people take on board

StaceyH wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2023 5:31 am You appear to be on a massive mission lately and have forgotten that Board members are also volunteers. They do not earn anything from the extortionate amount of time they give to the club and they frequently put the club before their paid work and family.

I’m fairly certain that if you email/catch one of them at a game they will give you their time willingly and answer your questions. It’s really not rocket science.

I’d like to see a bit more consideration and gratitude for them - I don’t agree with everything they do but without them there would be no club.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing your name on the ballot sheet, Adrian, when the next vote to appoint members to the board comes around.

You’ve nailed it Stacey - can’t believe what I’m reading there! I tend to ignore posts from Adrian, they’re attention seeking bitterness most of the time!

No need for a q&a - any of the board will answer questions at a match and do - Rob walks around pre-game and can be spoken to! Just give them time to enjoy the game in peace, it’s what they give up their time for.

No need for them to waste their valuable time organising a q&a just for the ego of one person in my opinion!