Live post versus Barnstable

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Following a period of heavy rain the SWCC has been ravenged by match cancellations.  Fortunately the game between Rushden and Barnstable is to go ahead as planned.

SWCC round-up

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Rushden produced a shock win over Blackpool last night to put the qualification-to-the-next-round-ball firmly in their court.

Change is needed

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Time, surely, for some sort of change in the way the Conference is formatted?

Jacko – thriller!

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21 goals after moving to Priestfield Stadium, it is fair to say that Simeon Jackson has had little difficulty in adapting to life in the Football League. His three goals in the play-offs were the only three goals that Gillingham scored in the games, and earned the Gills promotion to League 1 – more than making up for his £150,000 move from Nene Park.

(Below, Simeon Jackson scores the last-minute winner at Wembley, sending his team up)

However it is on the international stage that Simeon has really begun to make his presence felt. In November of last year he made his first international appearance, playing for the full Canadian team, and six months later he scored his first goal. At the moment he is in the USA, playing out the CONCACAF Gold Cup – North and Central America’s equivalent of the European Championship.

(Click for closer look)

The Canadians’s success at the tournament has surprised pundits and fans. Tipped not to make it past the group stage, after beating Jamaica (Simeon’s place of birth) and El Salvador, and drawing with Costa Rica (with Simeon playing in each game, playing 120 minutes of competitive international football so far), Canada find themselves up against Hondoras in the quarter-finals – a team some 46 places above them in the FIFA World Rankings, but surely nothing to fear after going unbeaten thus far.

As much as it is nice to see ex-Diamonds do well for themselves, there is an obvious benefit to us if Simeon continues to impress. With a percentage of his next transfer fee coming to us (be it 15%-25%, I’m not too sure) financially his moving upwards is vital to us. With Simeon half-way through his contract at Gillingham it is likely that he will be sold in the near future – especially if he impresses during next season’s League 1 campaign. With Man City and Man United offering him trials in the past, and Martin O’Neil rumoured to be after him in the past, clubs are well aware of his potential and a big fee is likely. If a club offers Gillingham £1m, Rushden will pocked £150,000-£250,000 depending on the next-fee clause. Not bad, for a player whose initial transfer gave us £150,000 up front.

Fergie, you’re looking for a striker, right?!

MK Dons radio phone-in

Just got this email from an MK Dons fan, ahead of our game with them on the 25th - I said I’d pass it on to you lot

Hi ****,
 
I run a MK Dons fanzine The Bucks Fizz and on Friday the 17th I start hosting a football phone-in for Dons fans on RadioMK, an internet radio station. Its independent of the club and it would be good to have a few of you on telling us about what we can expect at the ground, info on your team, about your successful court battle with the tax man and about life after Max.
 
Hopefully you’ll be up for it and i’ll send you the link and contact number to ring.
 
Cheers,
 
Franco
www.thebucksfizz.com 

Would anyone be up for ringing in to the show for a chat? If anyone is, drop the blog an email at rushdenanddiamondsblog@hotmail.com and I’ll pass on the number to call and a link when he sends it to me.

St. Johnstone photos

Below are a selection of photos from Rushden’s recent behind-closed-doors friendly with SPL side St. Johnstone – Diamonds lost to a single goal, no embaressment against a team that will be coming up against Celtic and Rangers next term. Click the photos for a closer look.

Party in the park photos

The annual Rushden Party in the Park is underway, with three Diamonds-based stalls. If you are in the area, get on down to the park!

The kids are alright

Rushden have, perhaps, the youngest team in next season’s Blue Square Premier. With just five players in the current squad over 25 years of age, the average age of the current squad is a staggering 22 years old. Our longest-serving player is Lee Tomlin (20).