AFC Rushden & Diamonds are enjoying their best ever run in the Emirates FA Cup this season, having reached the First Round Proper for the very first time.
The Diamonds are one of only two clubs remaining that started in the Extra Preliminary Round, and they’ve come through seven games to reach this stage and set up a trip to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday, where they will face EFL League One side Burton Albion.
Ahead of the tie, the Emirates FA Cup trophy visited the club’s Hayden Road during training to recognise the players and volunteers who have helped make the historic run possible.
The Northamptonshire club had never previously progressed beyond the qualifying rounds of the competition. Their closest previous attempt came in the 2015-16 season, when a Fourth Round Qualifying replay defeat to Barwell saw them narrowly miss out on a place in the First Round Proper.
This season however, the Diamonds have made history. A memorable home victory over National League North side Morecambe sent the club into uncharted territory. James Clifton and Matt Warburton’s first half strikes proved decisive in a 2-1 victory at Hayden Road, sparking wild celebrations as the final whistle confirmed the Diamonds’ place in the Competition Proper.
Behind these incredible squad performances is a group of around 50 volunteers who give up their time to keep the club running. For those individuals, the Emirates FA Cup run has provided a chance to see years of dedication rewarded on the pitch.
Jane and Eileen, who have worked at the club’s much loved Dale’s Bar since the club was formed, were among those celebrating after the Morecambe tie.
“Unbelievable scenes. It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. All the town was behind us, and it felt like everybody in the country wanted us to win that day!” they said.
The celebrations continued after the match as just two days later AFC Rushden and Diamonds discovered they would travel to play League One opposition in the Cup for the first time.
Shaun Frankham, the club’s photographer, has been involved for many years, and followed the Rushden & Diamonds FC.
“There is a real big core of volunteers in the club, from the chairman and vice-chairman all the way down to the groundsmen, the people running the bars, the social media team and the secretary, it’s all done on a voluntary basis,” he said.
“They give up hours of their time, not only on match days but in the evenings, and it’s a fantastic thing to witness. It’s really beginning to pay off this year with the run in the FA Cup.”
Frankham will be among those making the journey to Burton on Saturday, where he will get to capture the occasion from pitch side. Despite the five-division gap between the two sides, he believes the club’s previous performances against higher-ranked opponents give them reason to be optimistic.
“Having witnessed what we’ve done so far against teams in higher leagues, if we run ourselves into the ground, we’ve got every chance of doing something special.” he said.
The Diamonds will also be boosted by the arrival of prolific striker Billy Sharp. The veteran striker spent half a season on loan at Rushden & Diamonds FC in the 2004-05 season and has now come out of retirement to help the club continue their historic cup run, with the opportunity to reach the Second Round Proper and potentially bring up his 300th career goal.
Around 2,000 supporters are expected to make the trip to Staffordshire. While reaching the Competition Proper for the first time has already made this a season to remember, the travelling fans will be dreaming of another upset and the chance to extend their remarkable Emirates FA Cup journey.
With the Diamonds hoping to cause yet another upset, discover some of the competition’s most memorable First Round Proper moments in recent years here.
