The road to the football league

By rob
February 16 2003

The first southern league, midland division game was to be at home, with Bilston town as the visitors. 315 spectators turned up to watch the game. It was on the minds of the Tony and the committee whether Irthlingborough and Rushden football fans would accept this new club.

. A disappointing 2-2 draw was the result in that game.
Over the 42 games Rushden and diamonds found themselves in a respectable 3rd place. Home gates averaged 318, which was disappointing to say the least. A new 1000 seater stand had just been completed in the summer of 1993. Max was quite sure in himself though that once the local people saw how the club was taking shape, then they'll come- and they did.
In the 1993/94 season Gates increased rapidly to over 1000 as the team were heading for the championship. They won it in style getting 98 points from their 42 games, 6 points clear of 2nd placed Vs Rugby. It was then onto the southern league premier division.
Whilst the ground was growing, more fans came, and better players were being attracted to the club. The Diamond centre was completed, with conferencing facilities the club was getting big rapidly. It became the envy of many non-league clubs. The 'money bags' club label was attached which led to the fact that other clubs would raise a price on a player when they knew R&D were interested. The 1994/95 season saw them finish 5th. Attendances were as high as 4,375, for an F.A. Trophy semi final against Woking, but averaged at 1,521 in the league.
The 1995/96 season was to be R&D's year again. They ended their 4th season as champions of the southern league, pipping Halesowen town to the top spot on the last day of the season by beating Merthyr Tydfil in front of 4,664 spectators, with 100's locked out. Max's dream of conference football had came- a year early. They won it with 94 points, 2 more than Halesowen town and 20 more than 3rd placed Cheltenham town (Who were to become the bane of R&D in years to come!). In that winning season a new non-league record was broken when R&D paid a staggering £85,000 for the services of player, Carl Alford from neighbours Kettering town.
The conference league held many ups and down for R&D, notably in the first season. 1996/97 they struggled at the bottom for many months. It wasn't until it was decided that a new manager was need to take us forward did things change. Brian Talbot was appointed in March, and in his first game in charge saw a rampant victory over local rivals, Kettering town, at Rockingham road. A 5-1 scoreline set them up for a good run in the league to finish the season a respectable 12th. Macclesfield would be the team to taste the glory of winning the league and gain promotion to the football league.
For the 1997/98 season Brian had to be ruthless and release many players he'd inherited. New faces arrived, notably Paul Underwood, who was purchased from Enfield, who's still with the club today, captain to boot. R&D finished this season 4th with 74 points, behind champions Halifax town, 2nd place Cheltenham, and 3rd placed Woking.
1998/99 4th place was achieved again with 72 points. Many fans thought that they should be winning this league by now, but nothing is a certainty in this game. Much money had been spent on players and improvements to the club. You can't just buy your way into the football league, ok you need good money sources, at any level success comes with financial backing, but it's never a formality. R&D were in the running, until Cheltenham came to Nene Park. 1-0 up until 2 very late goals saw Cheltenham town victors, and eventual league winners, as R&D slipped away at the final hurdles. Kettering town took 2nd place after a 'last game of the season' win at Nene Park. Hayes finished 3rd. A tasty 3rd round F.A. cup encounter in the January with Leeds united went to a replay after a 1-1 draw at Nene park, A 3-1 defeat at Elland road after going 1-0 up got the club much recognition.
The 1999/2000 season it was much of the same. R&D had led the table at the early stages, but hadn't the staying power to win the league. That went to Kidderminster Harriers. Earlier in the season they were lower-mid table, until the arrival of Jan Molby. R&D had let it slip. Many fans were unhappy. Impatience of the fans didn't get in the way of Max's loyalty to Brian. They eventually finished the season 2nd with 76 points. Close but not enough. To only have 1 promotion place to the football league meant finishing 2nd you had to go out and try again next season.
2000/01 was to be R&D's championship winning season a big spending spree on players helped. The purchase of Duane Darby from Notts county for £100,000, Justin Jackson cost £180,000 from Morecambe . Yeovil town had led the league for long periods, and the R&D fans showed impatience again, calling for Brian Talbot to be sacked this time. That was never going to happen. An excellent run in the last few months saw R&D catch up with Yeovil, and eventually topple them from the top. They had a game in hand over R&D which they had to win to draw level on points, but with R&D having a far superior goal difference. In the week running up to the last day of the season, Yeovil were beaten by Hereford, to give the championship to R&D. Chester city's deva stadium was the setting for collecting the ultimate prize for a non-league club- a trophy and a place in the football league.