Darlington

[Maguire]

More tragically, I used "at the moment" twice in my post like a total spaz.

Still, example stands.

[Stuka]

Yeah sad to see a club on the verge of disintegration. Looking through their website is a bit ominous.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

According to the 2001 census, Irthlingborough has a population of 6,179. Whoever thought - apart from Max Griggs - that such a small place could support (in every sense of the word) a big spending football club? Tbf, Rushden itself has a population of 28,368. In Kettering's case, as soon as you move a club away from its conurbation you are in big big trouble; see also Slough Town - currently top of the Southern League Division 1 Central having been Conference regulars up until around a decade ago - and Brighton who moved to Gillingham in 1997 and who then took 14 years to build a proper football stadium in and around their own city.

Lack of support wasn't really the issue for Rushden&Diamonds. They weren't a Macclesfield or Accrington. They got very good crowds by conference standards and in their football league days, but relied too much on Max Griggs' cash. Even without it, they still had the crowds to easily be a viable football league club. Their lowest league average of 3162, when they came dead last, is still higher than nine League Two clubs this season.

Either they were paying over the odds for players, or were just crap at raising revenue beyond ticket sales, or maybe Max Griggs lumbered them with debts when he left.


Kettering's crowds have actually gone up this season, although how long it'll last is another thing altogether.

[Svlad Cjelli]

According to the 2001 census, Irthlingborough has a population of 6,179. Whoever thought - apart from Max Griggs - that such a small place could support (in every sense of the word) a big spending football club? Tbf, Rushden itself has a population of 28,368. In Kettering's case, as soon as you move a club away from its conurbation you are in big big trouble; see also Slough Town - currently top of the Southern League Division 1 Central having been Conference regulars up until around a decade ago - and Brighton who moved to Gillingham in 1997 and who then took 14 years to build a proper football stadium in and around their own city.

Lack of support wasn't really the issue for Rushden&Diamonds. They weren't a Macclesfield or Accrington. They got very good crowds by conference standards and in their football league days, but relied too much on Max Griggs' cash. Even without it, they still had the crowds to easily be a viable football league club. Their lowest league average of 3162, when they came dead last, is still higher than nine League Two clubs this season.

Either they were paying over the odds for players, or were just crap at raising revenue beyond ticket sales, or maybe Max Griggs lumbered them with debts when he left.


Kettering's crowds have actually gone up this season, although how long it'll last is another thing altogether.

Have they? I thought they started high but have plummeted since - Kettering have just been locked out of their "own" ground by bailiffs.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Have they? I thought they started high but have plummeted since - Kettering have just been locked out of their "own" ground by bailiffs.

Apparently crowds ar 3.7% up on last year. As I said, for how long is a different matter.

I still get the feeling that the move to Nene Park was more about selling the old place than being good for Kettering. The cynic in me expects Kettering to fold, and the chairman to buy a large new house with some extra money that's come his way.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Kettering face a winding up order from HMRC on 6th Feb http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/local/corby/kettering_town_face_winding_up_order_1_3398395.

They're not expected to survive that.

[FiNeRaIn]

Why couldn't this of been portsmouth or cardiff then?

[Terminal Boardom]

Because non league clubs are much lower profile

[Svlad Cjelli]

Because non league clubs are much lower profile

And have fewer supporters - even though many of their supporters may well care more about their club than league supporters.

[bobbybottler]

Why couldn't this of been Rangers then?

[Wimb]

Have they? I thought they started high but have plummeted since - Kettering have just been locked out of their "own" ground by bailiffs.

Apparently crowds ar 3.7% up on last year. As I said, for how long is a different matter.

I still get the feeling that the move to Nene Park was more about selling the old place than being good for Kettering. The cynic in me expects Kettering to fold, and the chairman to buy a large new house with some extra money that's come his way.

Lovely stadium Nene Park, sad to think it could soon be empty

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Have they? I thought they started high but have plummeted since - Kettering have just been locked out of their "own" ground by bailiffs.

Apparently crowds ar 3.7% up on last year. As I said, for how long is a different matter.

I still get the feeling that the move to Nene Park was more about selling the old place than being good for Kettering. The cynic in me expects Kettering to fold, and the chairman to buy a large new house with some extra money that's come his way.

Lovely stadium Nene Park, sad to think it could soon be empty

AFC R&D are looking for a ground next season, hopefully in the United Counties League, so maybe they could play there. I've no idea who owns the ground currently though.

[st george]

[quote
How do you lose 3-0 when your fans take over a ground in complete passion. How does that fail to motivate you to actually perform][/quote]

Probably because they let some of their first team go and are now playing reserves and youth.

[frimmers3]

has anyone else here ever visited feethams?(an ex darlo resident posts).....

[Svlad Cjelli]

has anyone else here ever visited feethams?(an ex darlo resident posts).....

yes, was a lovely little ground. And far more suitable for a club of Darlo's size.

[Terminal Boardom]

has anyone else here ever visited feethams?(an ex darlo resident posts).....

yes, was a lovely little ground. And far more suitable for a club of Darlo's size.

Of course - 1985/86 for a tense 0-0 draw to clinch promotion to the Original Division 2.

[Christof]

has anyone else here ever visited feethams?(an ex darlo resident posts).....

Yep - Darlington 2 - 1 Southend in about 2002 (whilst working in the area one weekend). Lovely little ground, classic big stand/small stand/terraced ends combo, felt a bit like stepping back in time (in a good way).

Cannot for the life of me understand why Reynolds thought that building a 25,000 seat stadium was a good idea though, there were about 3,000 there I think.

[Handsome Man]

I remember 4-1 at Darlington in the snow with Craig Maskell scoring a hat-trick and a really good-humoured linesman prepared to have a laugh with us Reading fans - happy days.

I also had loads of good times watching Diamonds, the closest ground to the hippopotamous. It always was a surreal affair though, because Irthlingborough really was way too small to have even the 1,000 fans that went in the last conference season. The whole affair was just Max Griggs paying for the ground and the set-up because he could - at their most spend-thrift, Diamonds bought players from Northampton and could pay them better wages.

[Mr Angry]

has anyone else here ever visited feethams?(an ex darlo resident posts).....

yes, was a lovely little ground. And far more suitable for a club of Darlo's size.

Of course - 1985/86 for a tense 0-0 draw to clinch promotion to the Original Division 2.

Tense is a euphemism for crap.



That was my only visit as well.

[Royal With Cheese]

Who cares - we were up and I got half my face on the front page of the EP. Can clearly see my watch strap.

Great evening in the Rising Sun when we got back!