The Southern League`s Outstanding Teams – Rushden & Diamonds 1995/96

A thrilling season for Diamonds` supporters.

The story of Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was a remarkable one.

It lasted only 19 seasons but few other supporters, if any, could have endured the ride Diamonds fans went on in that time.

And as someone who lives locally and saw the event unfold, I still find it hard to believe now when recalling the events.

But this series is on one particular season rather than about the history of a club, so I have picked the 1995/96 campaign – the Diamonds` last of four years in the Southern League.

Under former Kettering Town stalwart Roger Ashby, Diamonds had gone mighty close to winning promotion from the Midland Division in its first season as a combination of Irthlingborough Diamonds and Rushden Town.

They ended in third spot behind champions Nuneaton Borough and Gresley Rovers and possessed the best defensive record.

However, season 1993/94 saw Ashby`s side storm to the Midland Division title by a six-point margin from VS Rugby, scoring 109 goals and conceding just 37 in 42 matches.

The 93/94 season also saw Diamonds enjoy a record run in the FA Trophy – well, a record of two years, having gone out at home to Burton Albion in their only game the previous year.

The Trophy run, which included wins over Hendon, Wembley, Crawley Town, Sudbury Town, Farnborough Town and Halesowen Town, eventually ended with a 2-1 two-legged semi-final defeat at the hands of eventual Conference runners-up Woking.

Despite that outstanding title success and Trophy run, Ashby used a considerable amount of his `war chest` to add England semi-professional internationals goalkeeper Graham Benstead and his son Nick Ashby from neighbours Kettering Town for £14,000, pay £5,000 for Northern Ireland B international defender Al-James Hannigan from Enfield Town, £11,000 on midfielder Neil Smith from Lincoln City and briefly added vastly experienced defender Graham Reed, also from the side up the A6, Kettering.

The league season began with a Nene Park visit from Salisbury, who had won promotion from the Southern Division.

The Whites were swept aside 3-0 in front of a crowd of 1,532 with goals from Kevin Wilkin, Andy Kirkup and Darren Collins.

August Bank Holiday Monday saw Ashby`s men make the trip to Essex to play Chelmsford City at New Writtle Street.

Vastly experienced midfielder Steve Spooner and Dale Watkins edged Diamonds home by 2-1 after Rob Garvey had given them a scare.

The following Saturday saw Watkins bag a brace along with one from midfielder Gary Butterworth as 1,611 saw Crawley Town beaten 3-1 at home.

However, two days later braces from Martin Devaney and Jason Rhodes saw John Barton`s Burton Albion inflict a first defeat on Rushden, 4-2 at Eton Park, with Watkins and Collins replying.

A long trip to Hastings Town began September, and a Dale Watkins effort made it a happy journey back to Northamptonshire.

VS Rugby, who had come up with Diamonds in 1994, were not having such a happy time of it and, indeed, were to finish bottom of the table.

They were certainly no match for the powerful Diamonds attack the following Tuesday night as 1,624 at Nene Park saw the hosts hit Valley for six.

Dale Watkins netted a hat-trick and there were singles for Nick Ashby, Kevin Wilkin and Richard Bailey.

That warmed Roger Ashby`s side up well for the upcoming FA Cup First Qualifying Round tie at home to Southern Midland Division outfit Grantham Town.

And this time it was Darren Collins who helped himself to a hat-trick and Kevin Wilkin notched the other as progress was comfortably made 4-1.

George Rooney`s fancied Worcester City side were the next team to host Diamonds at St George`s Lane.

They had made a reasonable start to the new season and they managed to blunt the Diamonds attack in a 0-0 draw.

Three days later and Rushden achieved their first `double` of the season as, despite a Mark Bellingham goal for the visitors, Chelmsford were beaten 2-1, thanks to another Collins effort and an own goal in front of the biggest league crowd of the season to date – 1,747.

The FA Cup Second Qualifying Round draw was kind to Diamonds as it paired them at home to North West Counties League minnows Eastwood Hanley.

However, they gave the majority in the 1,652 crowd plenty of heart-stopping moments before they were grateful to another Collins goal for progress.

A trip to Whaddon Road the next Saturday to face top of the table Cheltenham Town came next.

It probably came just at the right time for Diamonds as, after winning seven of their opening eight games, the Robins had lost to Dorchester Town in the league and to neighbours Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup.

And Ashby`s men inflicted a third successive defeat on Cheltenham, courtesy of a goal from Andy Kirkup and Collins again – his 8th of the season to date already.

Midland Alliance side Sandwell Borough`s Oldbury Sports Centre was next on the map for visiting Diamonds` fans as the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup clicked around.

And those visiting fans saw a comprehensive and powerful display from Ashby`s side in a 6-1 thrashing of the Step 5 side in which Kevin Wilkin helped himself to four of the goals and Collins the other two.

With new winger Brendan Hackett from Hednesford Town now in harness, Gresley Rovers were beaten 3-0 at their own Moat Ground the following Saturday with Collins once more on target along with a first of the season for defender Al-James Hannigan and a second of the campaign for Butterworth.

It was FA Cup time once more, and this time a tricky trip to Isthmian League Premier Division Purfleet was on the agenda.

Player boss David Crown, the former Portsmouth, Reading and Southend United forward, earned his side a replay after Al-James Hannigan had given Diamonds the lead.

Monday`s draw gave the two sides a big incentive with a First Round Proper home tie with struggling Third Division side Cardiff City.

A day later, the biggest crowd of the season to date, 2,850, saw Diamonds ease through 3-1 with the strike trio of Watkins, Collins and Wilkin all on the mark.

In terms of league games, November was a terrific month for Rushden.

The Saturday after the Purfleet cup win, Diamonds recorded a good 3-0 win at Penydarren Park against Merthyr Tydfil, with Collins, Watkins and Kirkup the scorers.

A first league crowd of over 2,000 saw struggling Stafford Rangers hammered 5-1 at Nene Park with two for Wilkin, a first of the campaign for right-back Tim Wooding, a first for the club for recent signing Brendan Hackett and another for Watkins.

Saturday, November 11th brought Cardiff to East Northamptonshire and a new record crowd of 4,214 saw Hannigan net a consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat.

There was no cup hangover for Ashby`s men though as a Wilkin hat-trick saw VS Rugby beaten 3-1 at Butlin Road, Wilkin, Collins and Neil Smith`s first of the season had Gravesend & Northfleet beaten by the same scoreline at Stonebridge Road and then November saw seen out by a 7-3 hammering of Atherstone United at home, with Collins netting four, Hackett, Hannigan and Nick Ashby bagging the others, and a 3-0 win, also at home, three days later against Baldock Town in which Collins, Wilkin and Kirkup were the marksmen.

December opened up with a 2-2 draw at Town Mead against former Chelsea defender Colin Pates` Crawley Town side in which Billy Hudson and ex-Scottish international David Speedie goals for the Reds were cancelled out by Wooding and Collins for Diamonds.

A strong Gloucester City side who had won five games on the spin were beaten by the odd goal in five at Nene Park three days later with another brace for Collins and one for Kirkup, who has become a useful additional scorer for Ashby when many thought his days with Rushden were numbered with the arrival of so many new, big money buys.

And there was another ahead of the second successive home game against Hastings Town as Roger Ashby returned to his former club, Kettering Town, once again to sign another England semi-professional international in midfielder Steve Stott for a fee of £30,000.

He debuted against the Sussex side who frustrated Diamonds in a 1-1 draw in which Stuart Playford`s goal for the visitors was levelled by sub Dale Watkins.

Two days before Christmas, a surprisingly large crowd of 2,312 saw Ilkeston Town beaten 3-0 at home with Wilkin, Watkins and Hackett the scorers.

The weather ruined the potentially lucrative Christmas and New Year games and it was January 13th when Rushden played again with a trip to Sheepy Road to play Atherstone United, with a Collins double and one for Wilkin earning a 3-1 success.

Due to the success in the FA Trophy in 94/95, they were exempt to the First Round and they were drawn at home against familiar opponents in Isthmian Leaguers Purfleet, who they had beaten after a replay in the FA Cup back in October.

But Diamonds were left to concentrate on the league as a Nigel Jeyes effort earned the Essex side – later to become Thurrock – a shock 1-0 win.

February brought yet another of troubled Kettering`s players down the A6 to Nene Park with the list of England semi-pro internationals extended again with the arrival of skilful defender Steve Holden.

He made his debut in the 1-0 home win over Worcester, thanks to a Collins goal and the following Saturday saw a first home defeat of the season to date as Gravesend won 3-2.

Normal service was resumed with a 3-0 success at Baldock Town, with another two for Collins and a first for the club for Steve Stott.

An important win at home to Cheltenham Town followed the next weekend, with 2,472 seeing a Kirkup brace and singles from Watkins and Wilkin seal a 4-1 win for Ashby`s side.

Ahead of the trip to Wales to take on another `new` club in Newport AFC, Ashby went into the transfer market once more to sign yet another England semi-pro star in midfielder Steve Taylor, who had moved to Crystal Palace for £90,000 last year but was struggling to get a game.

He joined on a month`s loan and started in the 1-1 draw at Spytty Park, with Nick Ashby saving his dad`s side after prolific Welsh marksman Dave Webley had scored for Newport.

March began with a 3-1 midweek win at home to Sudbury Town, courtesy of Collins, Hackett and Kirkup and then a 2-0 success at Cambridge City followed with Collins and Hannigan the scorers.

Halesowen Town frustrated Diamonds at The Grove with a 0-0 draw and that led to the Diamonds` first really bad run.

Another away draw followed – 1-1 at struggling Ilkeston – and then Ashby and chairman Max Griggs sent shockwaves through football by smashing the non-League record by buying Kettering`s prize asset, striker Carl Alford, for a massive £85,000 fee.

Alford made his debut in the quickfire return game against Halesowen at Nene Park.

Most pundits had expected the likes of Cheltenham or Gloucester would be challenging Diamonds for the title, but in the end it was the Yeltz who pushed them hardest and Andy Bradley and Kevin Harrison goals in front of 3,481 saw them make it four points from six against their main rivals, and not even a debut goal for Alford gave much solace.

And when mid-table Dorchester came to Nene Park the following Thursday and stole a 1-0 win, thanks to current Poole Town manager Tommy Killick, alarm bells began to ring.

Two days later a hard-earned 2-1 home win over Cambridge City with another for Alford and one for Collins settled the ship.

However, two days after that, a trip to the Priory Stadium to play Sudbury Town saw Diamonds suffer their worst league defeat of the campaign.

Striker Ian Brown, who had played 23 games for Diamonds county neighbours Northampton Town the previous season, bagged all four goals in their 4-1 win, with Alford making it three goals in four games with the consolation.

That gave the following Saturday`s home game against Newport even more significance and a crowd of 2,914 saw a comfortable 3-0 win to ease the nerves somewhat, with an early 4th minute Darren Collins goal helping to settle things down.

Carl Alford scored his fourth goal for the club and his former Poppies team-mate, Nick Ashby, netted the third.

Three days later, it was yet another home game with Gresley Rovers heading to Irthlingborough.

Collins gave Diamonds a 31st-minute lead but Graeme Fowkes equalised just after half-time and it looked as though it was going to be another two dropped points, until Alford popped up with the winner 4 minutes from time.

On April 20th, Halesowen won 1-0 at Gravesend to put pressure on Diamonds, who had lost at Gloucester, 2-1, on the same day.

The exciting race for the championship was going to go right down to the wire but Diamonds had a crucial game before the Yeltz played again but it was a tricky trip to Salisbury on Wednesday, April 24th.

Two goals in 4 minutes midway through the first half from Collins and Kirkup saw Ashby`s men secure a vital 2-0 win.

Both teams were in action on Saturday, April 27th, with Halesowen edging a 1-0 win at home to Baldock but got back in the dressing room hoping that Stafford Rangers had done them a favour – but instead had relegation confirmed after a 4-0 win for Rushden with a Kirkup brace and singles for Alford and Hackett.

Derek Beasley`s side now had a crucial game in hand – away at Crawley Town, but Mark Crisp, Gary Hackett and Evran Wright gave the Midlanders a 3-1 win to leave them two points behind Diamonds heading into the final game of the season.

Ironically, the league`s two Welsh teams held the key to the destination of the title.

A decent Merthyr Tydfil side were at Nene Park to take on Diamonds, while Halesowen had to travel to Spytty Park to take on Newport.

Diamonds only needed to avoid defeat as they were two points better off and had a much better goal difference.

A new ground record crowd of 4,664 saw Carl Alford give Rushden a 9th-minute lead.

Gary Butterworth made it 2-0 on 39 minutes and Darren Collins surely made the points and the title safe when he made it 3-0 right on the half-time whistle.

But wow, did Rushden give their fans a really nervy second 45 minutes!

Paul Evans reduced the deficit 11 minutes into the second half and when Ross Knight scored a second for the Martyrs with 8 minutes remaining, it was all hands on deck to see the game out, with goalkeeper Graham Benstead being called upon on more than one occasion.

But they hung on to celebrate a second promotion in two years.

Halesowen did their bit too, winning 2-1 with Evran Wright and Phil Wood the scorers and rightly earned plenty of plaudits for their excellent season.

However, the climb for Rushden & Diamonds continued and five seasons in which they fell below fourth only in their first season, saw them top the table in 2000/01 to become a Football League club just ten years after forming!

The crash when it came was sudden and as dramatic as their rise, and it was such a shame to drive part the superb Nene Park stadium and see it in ruin and now flattened completely.

But the climb has started again with the `new` AFC Rushden & Diamonds, formed in 2011 as an under-18 side and made it back to the Southern League Premier Division once again, just seven seasons later.