Sad News

Sad news of Max Griggs` passing.

The Pitching In Southern Football League are saddened to learn of the death of Max Griggs on Thursday.

Griggs was the man behind one of non-League football's greatest fairy tales.

And he was also a fantastic supporter of the Southern League itself, his Dr Martens company being its main title sponsors for eight years from 1996 until 2004.

Griggs formed Rushden & Diamonds in 1992 after the merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds.

Under his guidance, the Diamonds rapidly rose through the leagues, winning the Southern Midland Division in 1993/94 and the Southern Premier Division in 1995/96, reaching what is now League One, winning both the Conference and the old Third Division on the way.

He later sold the club to the fans for £1 in 2005 before the club sadly went into administration six years later.

Max, who made his fortune through Dr Martens boots, was on the Board of Directors at Northampton Town before his passion for the game saw him form Rushden & Diamonds.

He set the club up at Nene Park in what would later become a state-of-the-art stadium and bankrolled big-name signings.

Within four years the club reached the Football Conference and in 1997 ex-Arsenal star Brian Talbot was named as manager.

After some lucrative FA Cup runs - including a memorable replay in which Diamonds gave Premier League Leeds United a huge scare - the club won promotion to the Football League in 2001.

Just a year later they reached the Third Division play-off final at Cardiff City's Millennium Stadium, going on to lose to Cheltenham Town.

And the following year they won the Third Division on the final day of the season, drawing 1-1 against title rivals Hartlepool United at Nene Park.

The Diamonds enjoyed one season in Division Two, playing the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers, but were relegated after well-documented financial problems.

Griggs later handed the club over to the Supporters' Trust for £1 before its sad demise in 2011.