ROYSTON TOWN vs AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS - MATCHDAY PROGRAMME - SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2022

Royston Town FC would like to welcome this afternoon's opponents AFC Rushden & Diamonds for their visit to Garden Walk for this Pitching In Southern Football League Premier Division Central fixture. We wish their Players, Officials and Supporters an enjoyable afternoon and hope that the match will be a keenly contested and entertaining game. We also welcome today’s Match Officials and hope they too have an enjoyable game.

President Alan Barlow

Chairman Steve Jackson

Secretary Terry McKinnell

9 Valley Rise, Royston, Herts SG8 9EY 07772 086709 email: secretary@roystontownfc.co.uk

Treasurer Jeff Gill Welfare Officer Angela Baulk Fixture Secretary Steve Endacott (07971 512402) Executive Board Trevor Burrows, Andy Toovey, Eric Joyce, David Baulk, Angela Baulk, Chris Coote, Duncan Easley, Giles Parnwell, Neil MacLeod, Matt Clowery

Webmaster Steve Endacott Programme Editors Angela Baulk, Neil MacLeod

Official Photographer Kevin Richards

Football Management Team

First Team Manager Steve Castle

First Team Asst Manager Chris Watters

U23 Manager Dan Evans

U18 Team Managers Dan Evans/Matt Campany

Women's Team Manager Lewis Endacott Vets Team Manager Lee Wilkinson

Ground Garden Walk, Royston, Herts SG8 7HP Telephone (01763) 241204

Members of:

The Hertfordshire Football Association

Southern League Premier Division

The Herts Senior County League

Thurlow Nunn Youth League

Eastern Region Women’s Football League

The Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Ladies League

Royston Town Football Club is Limited by Guarantee under the trading name of Royston Town FC Limited (Company Reg No 14261163)

CLUB HONOURS

WINNERS

Herts County League (Div I) 1969 70, 1972 73

Herts County League (Premier Div) 1976 1977

South Midlands League (Div I) 1977 1978

South Midlands Reserve League (Div II) 1978 1979

South Midlands Reserve League (Div I) 1979 1980

North Herts (Div IV) League Cup, 1978 79, 1979 1980

Herts Charity Shield, 1981 82, 1989 90, 1996 1997

Herts Intermediate Cup, 1988 1989

Chiltern Youth League (Div I) 1989 1990

South Combinations Reserve Floodlight Cup, 1992 1993 Chiltern Youth League Cup, 1992 1993

South Midlands Challenge Trophy, 1995 1996

Eastern Region Women’s League (Div II) 1998 1999

Eastern Counties Youth League Cup, 2001 2002

South Midlands Reserve Challenge Cup 2004 2005

KB Tyres Division III Champions 2006 2007

South Midlands League (Div I) 2008 2009

South Midlands League Cup (Div I) 2008 2009

South Midlands Floodlit Cup 1994 1995 2008 2009, 2009 2010, 2010 2011, 2011 2012

South Midlands Reserve League (Div II East) 2008 2009 South Midlands Reserve Challenge Cup 2008 2009

KB Tyres Division I League Cup 2009 2010

South Midlands Reserve Floodlit Cup 2009 2010

BIS Cambs League Division 2A 2010/2011

BIS Cambs League Divisional Champions 2010/2011 Veterans Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup 2010/2011

South Midlands Premier League 2011/2012

South Midlands Premier League Cup 2011/2012

Suburban League North Division 2012/2013, 2013/2014 Joint Winners of the Hinchingbrooke Cup 2013

Eastern Region Women’s League Plate 2013/2014, 2014/15

Suburban Premier League 2015 16

Eastern Region Women’s League Division 1 West 2015/16 Southern League Div 1 Central 2016/17 Southern League Challenge Cup 2021/22

RUNNERS UP

South Midlands Challenge Cup, 1978 1979

Herts Charity Shield, 1978 79, 1998 99, 2004 05, 2008 2009

South Midlands League (Premier Div) 1979 1980

North Herts (Div IV) 1979 1980

North Herts (Div III) 1981 1982

North Herts (Div II) 1982 1983

South Midlands Res Section Trophy, 1982 1983

Chiltern Youth League Cup, 1986 87, 1988 1989

Herts Intermediate Cup, 1989 1990 Herts County Youth Cup, 1992 1993

North Herts (Div I), 1993 1994

South Midlands Floodlit Cup, 1995 1996

Herts F A Women’s Cup, 1998 99, 2001 2002 2013/14

Eastern Region Women’s League (Div I) 1999 2000, 2013/2014 2014/15

Eastern Junior Plate, 2001 2002

KB Tyres Division I 2008 2009, 2009 2010

South Midlands Reserve Challenge Trophy 2009 2010

South Midlands Reserves Floodlit Cup 2010/2011

Hertfordshire Women’s County Cup 2013/2014

Eastern Region Women’s League, League Cup 2014/15 Southern League Division 1 Central 2014/15 2015/16

SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2022

Barwell v Bromsgrove Sporting Basford v Needham Market

Bedford Town v St Ives Town

Coalville Town v Stratford Town

Hitchin Town v Alvechurch

Kings Langley v Hednesford Towbn

Leiston v Tamworth

Nuneaton Borough v Ilkeston Town

Redditch United v Mickleover

Rushall Olympic v Stourbridge

SO WHEN DID IT ALL BEGIN?

The history of Royston Town FC

After some intensive research, the evidence is that the club came into existence in 1875 making Royston the third oldest Club in Hertfordshire after Hitchin and Bishop Stortford

The Club’s very first honour came in 1911/12 when they won the Creake Charity Shield beating Wisbech 1 0 in extra time.

The Club’s first major honour in more recent times came in the guise of promotion to the Herts County Premier League in 1969/70 and they went on to be champions in 1972/73 and 1976/77 In 1978 we rejoined the South Midlands League and won the Division One title at the first time of asking. Success continued with a final appearance in the Herts Charity Shield for the first time in 1979 and runners up spot in the South Midlands League Premier Division in 1980. The Herts Charity Shield was won in 1981/82 and two years later the Club joined the Isthmian League Division Two North where we remained for 10 seasons before returning to the South Midlands League in 1994

After a period in the doldrums that culminated in relegation from the South Midlands League Premier Division at the end of 2006/07, Paul Attfield was appointed manager with ex Spurs favourite Tony Galvin returning to Garden Walk 1st Team Coach in November 2007

Paul immediately set about building a new 1st Team squad and a run of 17 games undefeated saw the Club move from the bottom of the table to finish in 5th place in the League.

The foundations had been laid for the 2008/09 season and the first team took the South Midlands Division One League title with one of the best sets of stats for any Step 6 Club in the country W33, D4, L3, GF138, GA30, GD+108, PTS 103.

The 2011/2012 season will be seen as a watershed in our history with winning the South Midlands Premier Division title and promotion to Step 4 in the shape of the Evo Stik Southern League Division One Central.

In our first season back at Step 4 after an absence of 19 years, it was hard to know what to expect and how we would perform Most of our supporters felt a mid table position would be an acceptable target for the season, but we quickly found ourselves exceeding all expectations as our performances propelled us towards the top of the table. Four straight wins in the first four games set the tone and a run of nine wins with just one defeat between October and December saw us maintain a play off position. In the very last game of the season a playoff was still a possibility and having gone 2 1 up away at AFC Hayes with just a few minutes of the game left it looked a near certainty But it was not to be as Hayes scored an 87 minute equaliser and our play off place was lost

In our second season at this level, our steady progress to claim a place in the playoff zone was given a severe jolt when Paul Attfield announced his resignation as first team manager due to ill health at the beginning of November. The search for his replacement began almost immediately and we were inundated with applications from some very well know and successful managers After an exhaustive selection process, the Board appointed Steve Castle at the end of November and on Boxing Day Steve officially took over securing a 0 0 draw against the League’s form team and eventual champions Dunstable Town.

Our 2014/15 season opener was at home against one of the promotion favourites Rugby Town but an impressive team display ensured their threat was stifled and we ran out winners 2 1 That victory really did set things buzzing but we were quickly brought back down to earth when on the following Tuesday night Bedworth United were the visitors winning the game 3 1.

As we all know consistency in performances provides the key to long term success and although the early stages of the season produced good results against the likes of Daventry Town and Beaconsfield these were punctuated by dismal performances against the likes of Aylesbury and Egham Town. From mid November to mid December We really lost our way with six defeats in seven games but our rollercoaster ride saw an incredible run of form over the Christmas period and into the New Year with five straight wins which helped us maintain a position in the playoff places

On a miserable Tuesday evening in February, we travelled to lowly AFC Hayes and after an abject performance, we lost the game 2 0. This prompted our Chairman to tell Steve Castle that he had given up on this team making the play offs and said that we should start preparing instead for next season That message was conveyed to players and we witnessed a most remarkable transformation in our results with a 14 game unbeaten run during which we scored 29 goals and conceded just seven resulting in us achieving the runners up spot to league champions Kettering Town and securing our place in the playoff semi final where we met local rivals Barton Rovers. After an incident packed 90 minutes and extra time the game ended in a goalless draw but it was not to be our night and we lost the shoot out 4 5 and had to suffer the agony of all the emotions which go with being defeated in this way

We started the 2015/16 season strongly and between the end of December and the end of March we produced a rich vein of form with only one defeat in 14 games and this ensured we were sitting on top of the league with just 7 games to go and with the expectation that we could win promotion outright ran high throughout the whole club However, three games in succession proved our downfall when we could only draw 0 0 with Bedford and lost to Egham away 3 1 and Godalming at home 1 0 and once again we ended up in the play offs against AFC Rushden but we failed to turn up and went out tamely to our opponents 2 1.

Having finished runners up for two years in succession Steve Castle was determined to make it third time lucky and began to recruit some experienced new blood in the shape of John Frendo and Adam Murray whilst at the same time giving youngsters Gus Scott Morris and Josh Castiglione extended runs in the first team

However, the season didn’t start well and after four games we’d only mustered five points whilst promotion rivals Farnborough just couldn’t stop winning. Although results did improve, defeat in the FA Cup to Heybridge Swifts 4 1 and a thrashing by Barton Rovers at home 6 3 at the end of September didn’t do a great of good for our confidence.

Things took a dramatic turn thereafter with 12 successive league wins which ended with defeat 2 1 at Kidlington in early January 2017, interspersed by a magnificent run in the FA Trophy including a victory against Step 2 outfit Hampton and Richmond Borough before in the replay against Dulwich Hamlet we eventually went down 1 0.

With cup football out of the way, the team put together an incredible run of 16 league games undefeated including a 5 0 thrashing of closest rivals Farnborough which saw us maintain the top spot until the end of the season by a margin of 12 points and the highest number of goals scored, 120, across all three Evostik Leagues

Promotion to the Southern Premier League means that the Club was playing at the highest level in its 142 year history!

Season 2017/18 saw The Crows exceed all expectations in our first season at Step 3. Throughout the season we managed to maintain our hopes of a play off place until they were finally put to bed with two successive defeats against the eventual play off winners Slough Town and we had to be satisfied with a seventh place finish The signing of Adam Marriott, a proven goal scorer who had played for Lincoln City, Stevenage and Cambridge United was without a doubt a real coup and he was to play a key role in the progress made by the Club by becoming our leading marksman with 31 goals. A good run in the FA Trophy with wins against Enfield Town and Leatherhead came to an end against Eastbourne Borough when having managed to draw at their place we lost the replay on penalties We managed to get to the final of the Herts Senior Cup where we played Borehamwood from Step 2 and in spite of a brave performance we never really had the power to compete and lost 2 1.

Given where we had started from we definitely exceeded our own and many other peoples’ expectations and this has provided us with the building blocks to face this season in the newly constituted Southern Premier Central League.

Season 2018/19 saw us finishing in a respectable 9th position in what proved to be a very strong Premier Division Central During February/March we recorded six wins out of seven league games to give us a faint hope of a playoff spot, but three straight defeats in April put paid to our chances We suffered another early at AFC Sudbury in the FA Cup and in the FA Trophy we progressed through two rounds before being beaten in a replay at Needham Market.

Season 2019/20 will go down in the Club’s history as one of the most successful and exciting but ultimately one which ended in bitter disappointment.

Steve Castle was quick to ensure we had players who were proven goal scorers and the arrival of Matt Bateman, Brandon Adams and Claudio Ofosu did not disappoint Perhaps the only sadness that our young and highly talented left wing back Joe Newton had created so much interest from EFL Clubs that in the end, it was inevitable he would have to leave us and Joe was signed by Coventry City.

No Crows fans will ever forget the team's brilliant performances in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy and although our FA Cup run ended with defeat to the very talented Maldon and Tiptree in front of what was then a record crowd for Garden Walk of 1152 The interest generated in the Crows both locally and beyond was immense and set the scene for what was to come in the FA Trophy It all started with very comfortable wins against Brightlingsea Regent and Haywards Heath and then were drawn away at Step 2 table topping Wealdstone which for many was one of the games of the season as Royston shot into a 2 0 lead before Wealdstone hit back to pull the tie level 2 2. In spite of being under constant pressure, the Crows mounted a great counterattack down the left and the cross was despatched by Brandon Adams to give the Crow’s victory 3 2. What followed was truly historic with home wins against Step 2 teams Boreham Wood 2 0, Chester 3 0 and away at National League Ebbsfleet 2 0, to set up a quarter final tie away at Concord Rangers. In the run up to the game, the rain had been falling heavily but our opponents declared the pitch playable and the invasion of six coach loads of Royston supporters and a convoy of cars and mini buses descended on Canvey Island As we started arriving for the kick off the match referee declared the pitch unplayable and with a sense of extreme disappointment and also a lot of anger we all returned home The following Tuesday the game went ahead but it was not to be and we were defeated 2 1 There is no doubt the Clubs achievements in the FA Trophy marked a watershed in our history which will be remembered for a very long time.

Running alongside the cup success it was easy to forget that we had got ourselves in contention to win the League with a run of only two defeats in 20 league fixtures With 3 games in hand and only 2 points behind Peterborough Sports and Tamworth and playing some of our best football, we looked nailed on to win the League Then out of the blue, the Covid crisis hit all levels of football and with what many felt was indecent haste the League decided to null and void the whole season All our achievements were suddenly for nothing and the taste of bitter disappointment amongst all supporters of the Crows was very hard to swallow

Season 2020/21: As the pandemic took hold it seemed like the chances of seeing a new season start were remote but by summer 2020 there had been a massive improvement and by July the lockdown ended albeit with a host of restrictions in place

By the time we had assembled a squad, we were without key players such as Matt Bateman who moved to Hemel Hempstead and Claudio Ofosu who joined Hartlepool and with a lot of the momentum and energy generated by the now defunct season now dissipated we were finding it hard to get going again. In the League, we seemed to slip into the habit of conceding goals when in a winning position and a string of draws meant we languished in the lower half of the division. The FA cup again promised to provide excitement with wins against Newmarket, Wroxham and AFC Stamford before losing to our old rivals Bishops Stortford. We won our first two ties in the FA Trophy against Hythe Town and Tamworth before going out 3 2 away at Brackley by which time the League season was yet again declared null and void as the second wave of Covid took its stranglehold

A comprehensive history of the Club can be found in The History of Royston Town FC 18752012 first published in 2013. The book was written by the Club’s President, Alan Barlow following more than five years of painstaking research and can be purchased via the Club.

SCORES ON THE DOORS! LEAGUE TABLE

PITCHING IN SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER CENTRAL DIVISION

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/southern football league premier central division

ROYSTON TOWN FC v HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS FC

Saturday 30th October 2022

Royston bowed out of the FA Trophy as step 4 Heybridge Swifts deservedly moved into the next round Heybridge grabbed the initiative straight from the start and took the lead with their first meaningful attack The ball was played into the box and Ross Wall’s neat lay off was slotted home by Rhys Henry who beat Dimi Kyriatzis at his near post.

The lead should have been doubled 3 minutes later as the Crows got caught short at the back. Rob Harvey raced down the left hand side before squaring to an unmarked Lee Noble who saw his shot well saved by a quickly advancing Kyriatzis.

Heybridge should really have wrapped the game up in the first half as goal scorer Henry missed 2 good opportunities, first shooting wide in the 22nd minute and then wastefully chipping over from another good position 5 minutes before the break.

The second half saw little improvement from the Crows, although Swifts keeper Callum Chafer had to be alert to save from firstly Connor Furlong and then Adam Murray, who had been played through, but his slight hesitation enabled Chafer to close him down

The game clinching goal arrived in the 79th minute as Ross Wall was played in by substitute Jack Adlington Pile. His crisply struck shot arrowed past Kyriatzis and sealed the Swifts passage through to Monday’s draw

Royston: Kyriatzis, Da Silva, Nakatani Brown, Murray ©, Henry, Mentis (Williams 80), Bell Toxtle, Tshikuna, Bustamante Macaire (Harness 53), Furlong, Bateman (Newton 53) Unused Crowther, Osei Bonsu MOM Ronnie Henry

Hi guys!

I appreciate that I didn’t post a blog on Saturday after the defeat to Heybridge Swifts in the FA Trophy I wasn’t ducking out of anything but I just had a few things to sort out this weekend

We are in a rut of both performances and results at the moment. There’s no hiding from it, we just simply haven’t been good enough.

What do we do about it I hear you ask? Well, we have to pull together and keep marching on! There’s got to be no feeling sorry for ourselves but rather the opposite we have to keep believing in one another and I’m sure that the results will come

In my tenure at the club, we have not experienced such a situation as this. We have had plenty of highs but right now it is not the case. However, rest assured, we will work our socks off to rectify it!

At times like this strong characters are needed. I believe that we have them within the club. I would like to include myself and Chris in that and we as a pair will ensure that we turn this around!

Talk is cheap and I’m sure that there are a few sceptics amongst the readers of this blog but please believe us when we say that we will do our utmost to get us back ‘ on track’ Cheers,

Steve C

There are goals and there are Goals. Those shots, screamers, headers, volleys, even tap ins and the somehow bundled over the lines that will be forever remembered. Sometimes it’s by an individual fanbase, where a goal and its scorer are immortalised in club history and legend.

Just think back to the weekend just gone in the FA Cup Alvechurch’s Danny Waldron scoring twice as they beat Cheltenham Town in the first round, or Gold Omatayo’s towering header as King’s Lynn Town dumped out Doncaster Rovers.

Or how about Joe Hanks’ audacious backheel that saw Chippenham Town past League One Lincoln City

On the other end of a result were South Shields, their fine efforts against Forest Green Rovers finally ended in the last seconds by Connor Whickham’s incredible lob from the halfway line

In their own way, those goals will also be immortalised in FA Cup history just like Sean Raggett’s header for Lincoln City when the Imps knocked out Burnley on their way to the quarter finals, Scott Rendell scoring for Luton against Norwich City, Matt Hanlon's Sutton strike or Tim Buzaglo’s Woking hat trick heroics over West Brom

It’s what makes the competition at these early stages special. Players catapulted into the spotlight for producing something on the big stage, often in the biggest game of their lives.

Of course, different goals will have more meaning to some than others That’s the nature of football But the majority of us will also have those favourite goals scored for clubs we have no such attachment too or moments that are instantly recognisable

Even those of us who were still to land on this planet, Ronnie Radford’s goal for Hereford United against Newcastle United is surely one of, if not the, most iconic goal in the FA Cup.

It transcends Hereford’s history It was poignant his sad death came in the week that the Bulls played Portsmouth on live TV to get the first round proper underway.

The fans unveiled a banner featuring the commentary words that accompanied the goal, former team mates spoke of their memories and manager Josh Gowling was one of many others to pay tributes to not only a club great, but a player who made his mark on the beautiful game

Newcastle United, forever associated with the Hereford humbling, tweeted out their own message of condolence After all, it wasn’t just a goal

WHO'S WHO OF THE CROWS

mi Kyriatzis (Goalkeeper)

ecent addition to the Crows squad having joined us from Bedfont Sports Dimi's clubs include Brentford and Inter Leipzig

u Adjaye (Defender)

defender who re joined the Crows in 2019 after spending a season at Hayes ng Started his playing career at Luton Town and broke into the 1st team he 2008/9 season. In total he made 64 appearances for The Hatters before o Forest Green Rovers and then to Hemel Hempstead Town.

Murray (Defender)

ined us at the beginning of 2017/18, having spent the previous two seasons bridge City where he made 60 appearances He quickly settled into the squad proved to be a formidable addition for the Crows.

Henry (Defender)

or the Crows at the beginning of this season after spending a season at y Town Ronnie was a product of the Spurs youth system, before going on to 2 games for Stevenage (the club’s all time record appearances) in two spells wn.

020/21, Centre Back Dan's previous clubs were is a calm and confident defender and cousin of nder who has impressed during pre season and uthern League Premier Central campaign. Joel’s omania,CockfostersandWalthamstow

om Kettering Town, where viously played for Hemel ns. Joined the Crows this Cockfosters, Colney Heath

efender, Spyros re joined ding, he previously played at Garden Walk.

FernandoBellToxtle(Midfield)

FernandostartedhiscareeratCambridgeUnitedandspenttimeonloanatStNeots Town.FollowinghisreleasefromCambridgeUnited,hejoinedAFCRushden&Diamonds inthesummerof2017.InNovember2017hemovedtoBasfordUnitedinorderto pursuehisuniversitystudiesinNottinghamHethenrejoinedAFCRushden&Diamonds andwasakeymemberoftheirsquadlastseason

IsaRotimi(Midfield)

YoungmidfielderwhosignedfortheCrowsatthebeginningofseason2019/20,Isa previouslyspenttwoseasonsatColneyHeath

NathanTshikuna(Midfield)

FeaturedanumberoftimesfortheCrowsinpreseasonandhasimpressedenoughto joinSteveCastle’ssquadforthecomingseasonNathan’spreviousclubsincludeBedford Town,KempstonRovers,BartonRoversandAFCRushden&Diamonds.Nathanscoredan impressive11goalsin44appearancesforRushden&Diamondslastseason.

MattBateman(Forward)

RejoineduslastseasonfromHemelHempstead,wherehespentaseasonaftermoving fromtheCrowsMattsignedfortheCrowsatthestartofseason2019/20andscoredan impressive24goalsin41gamesduringthatseasontoearnhismovetoHemel.Previous tothatMattplayedabigpartinBerkhamsted’spushforpromotionin2018/19wherehe netted43timesin54appearancesforTheComrades

MaxBustamanteMacaire(Forward)

The18yearoldstrikerimpressedinpreseasonandhassignedfortheCrows.Maxisa formerChileanyouthplayerandhasrepresentedhisnationalsideatUnder15,Under17 andUnder18levels.HispreviousclubsincludeBarnetFCandStevenageFC.Whilstat Stevenage,MaxhadloanspellsatKingsLangley,BiggleswadeTownandBedfordTown ColeDaSilva(Defender)

Recentacquisition,signedfromHemelHempsteadTown23yearolddefenderjoinedthe TudorsfromOxfordCity.CappedbyWalesatunder15level,forEnglandatunder16s andthenWalesagainatunder17,19,20,andunder21level.BegaatLutonTown’s academybeforemovingtoChelsea,making2appearancesintheEFLTrophyin2017 HejoinedBrentford’sBteamin2018andin2020spenttimewithLeicesterCityunder 23sSignedforCroatianFirstLeagueclubHNKSibenikin2021,beforejoiningtheOxford yattheendofthe2021/22season.

nnorFurlong(Midfield)

nedearlierthisyearfromAFCRushden&Diamonds.Previousclubsinclude gleswadeTown,BedfordTown,StIvesTown,OxfordCity,AylesburyUnitedandMK ns

drewOseiBonsu(Midfield)

yearoldjoinedMKDonsacademyattheageof8andprogressedthroughtheirage upsmakinghisfirstteamdebutintheEFLCupatNewportCountyinAugust2016 shadspellswithWealdstone,DunstableTown,Larne(NorthernIreland),StIvesTown (ce),BillericayTownandEastFife

TODAY'S OPPONENTS

AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS Club History

AFC Rushden & Diamonds was formed in 2011 following the demise of Rushden & Diamonds FC as a supporter owned, supporter run football club.

After a season in youth football in 2011 12 they were allocated a place in the United Counties League Division One for 2012 13 (Step 6 of Non League Football). They gained promotion in second spot in that league at the end of their first season, and followed that with third place in the UCL Premier Division before winning the title in the 2014-15 season, backed up with the League Cup. This meant they won promotion to the Southern Football League Division One Central

In 2015 16 they finished fifth in the SL1C, reaching the playoff final and winning their County Cup. They were transferred to the Northern Premier League First Division South for the 2016 17 season where they again reached the end of season playoffs.

For 2017 18 they returned to the Southern League to play in Division One East, known as EVO-Stik League South, East, winning promotion at the end of that season to Step 3 of Non League Football.

They now play in the Southern League Premier Division Central and finished the 2021/22 season in 6th place, missing out on the final play off spot on the last day of the season.

WHO ARE YA?

AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS Player Pen Pics

Eniola Agemoh-Davies

Northampton born defender, Eniola joined the Club in pre season having previously played for Northampton Town, Pro Direct Academy Northampton, Stratford Town, St Ives Town, and more recently Cambridge City.

Charles Black

A recent signing, Charles is a Luton Town graduate who has played at Steps 3, 4 and 5 Charles is a versatile player who can play as full bac, central and wide midfield as well as a striker.

Nigel Chikamba

Young centre forward, Nigel, has recently signed Southern League forms having impressed at U21 and U23 level.

Jack

Connor

Young striker currently on loan from Northampton Town FC where he signed a professional contract.

Jenson Cooper

18 year old striker, Jenson, is a product of Shrewsbury Town’s academy Jenson impressed in pre season, scoring 3 goals

Fraser Corden

Cordon, an attacking midfielder, made his first team debut as a second half substitute away at ON Chenecks in the HIllier Senior Cup during the 21/22 season and made his full first team debut in the Hillier Senior Cup win away at Cogenhoe United in August.

Evangelos-Nikalaos Empochontsif (Evan)

Evan is a 21 year old, left sided centre back who signed from Canvey Island His previous clubs include Woodford Town, Walthamstow, Newbury Forest and Hullbridge Sports and in 2019 he went on trial at Middlesbrough.

Matthew Lars Fossen

Matty is a 26 year old defender who is returning to the UK after playing in professional environments in Norway, Spain, and Sweden. He came through Leeds United’s academy, having also been at Bradford City and Halifax Town A central defender by trade, he can also operate as a right back/right wing back or a holding midfielder

Nathan Hicks

30 year old midfielder, Nathan, has returned to the Club having played at St Ives Town last season In his first spell with the Club, Hicks made 83 appearances across two seasons, scoring 6 goals

Ryan

Hughes

21 year old defender, Ryan joined the Diamonds following a successful loan spell from Northampton Town FC

Andy Kanga (Manjoba)

A recent signing, midfielder Andy, has also played for Blackpool FC Youth, Liverpool FC Youth, Loughborough Students and Shepshed Dynamo

Chris Manangu

30 year old forward, Chris, is a recent signing who has previously played for Haringey Borough and had been without a club this season Chris scored on his home debut v King’s Langley FC

Ben Morley

Morley is a skilful, quick and tenacious winger and a returning graduate from the AFC Rushden & Diamonds U21s youth system, having played with the Academy Under 21s for three years prior to playing last year for Wellingborough Town at Step 5

Young

Ngwa

midfielder currently on loan from Northampton Town FC

Luis Pinto Leite

An attacking midfielder who has signed SL forms after an impressive 2021/22 campaign for the Scholar Under 23s where he contributed 16 goals and 6 assists in 21/22 season. He was the National Youth Football League South Premier Golden Boot winner for the 2021/22 season

Dean Snedker

27 year old keeper who joined the Club from National League side, Hemel Hempstead FC. Dean is a graduate of the Northampton Town FC scholarship and is a former England U19 keeper Dean was voted the Supporters’ Player of the Season and the Manager’s Player of the Season at the end of the 21/22 season.

Conor Tee

A summer signing, Conor is a product of Leicester City’s youth programme where he was named U18 Player of the Year in 2018 He has also played for the Republic of Ireland U18s More recently, he has played for Brackley Town FC and South Shields FC in the Northern Premier League.

Zander Watson

Another product of our U21 system, Zander is a 17 year old keeper.

Morgan Worsfold-Gregg

Midfielder, currently on loan from Lincoln City FC, who began his career at Arsenal as a schoolboy before Joining Lincoln City as a scholar in 202

Miguel

Dimi