New Investment at Nene Park

The Trust Board of Rushden and Diamonds are delighted to announce the arrival of new investment into the football club in an arrangement designed to fund the future of football at Nene Park.

In 2005 Rushden & Diamonds Football Club, together with the majority of the existing Nene Park complex, was passed into the ownership of a group of volunteers determined to manage the operation of the club whilst new investment was secured.

During the last two years the Trust has successfully reduced the inherited annual operating losses of £1.5m, however the Club is still losing approximately £600k per annum.

On the field however the picture has been less successful with the club having been relegated from The Football League at the end of the last season. Some restructuring of the team has been undertaken during the summer months but the resources necessary to sufficiently strengthen the squad have become difficult to secure.

During this time the Trust Board have worked with a number of potential investors to ensure the right partners were found to take the club forward. This has proved extremely difficult, due to the onerous conditions placed upon the Trust in the original transfer from The Griggs Group. The Trust Board are therefore pleased to announce the completion of an agreement which will see an investment group headed by Keith Cousins who will become Chairman of the Football Club with the existing club directors (Helen Thompson, Shaun Hodgkin and Nick Archer) resigning their positions to allow the creation of a new football club.

After months of confidential discussions, Trust Chairman, Paul Hajduk, welcomed the deal saying “I am pleased that we have been able to rescue the club from almost certain closure. The Board has worked tirelessly to secure the long-term future of the club and we are delighted to now have completed this agreement with Keith.

The Trust Board have worked with one single aim in mind, to ensure the survival of the football club, which remains in a perilous financial position. We are confident that, with Keith’s help and particularly with his injection of expertise and resources, we will see the football club flourish once more.”

Hajduk also paid tribute to the immense amount of work undertaken by the past and current football club directors, who, through working together, have turned the club around financially through large-scale reductions in operating costs.

In addition he paid a special tribute to the strong band of volunteers who are the real heart of the club; “I am really grateful for all the hard work put in by so many people, all volunteering their services free of charge. Without them there would be no club and I know that Keith will be looking forward to seeing this real community involvement continue in the future.”

Cousins is delighted to have successfully concluded an agreement with the Trust Directors at Rushden and Diamonds. “I am honoured to be given the opportunity to begin the process of rebuilding the club and to assist in opening this new chapter in the club’s relatively short, but successful history. The real hard work starts now.

I have been working with the Trust Board since the summer to see how we could develop the football club by making all the assets work to support activities on and off the pitch. I have been very impressed with the members and how they have conducted themselves during a very difficult period. The fact remains, that even with the enormous support from all at the Club and Trust, the Club’s financial position is very poor. We need to address urgently all aspects of the finances and endeavour to put the Club back on a firm financial footing. To achieve this, we will need the continued full support of all the staff, sponsors and fans. I believe, if we can get this right, we have the strong foundations in place for future success. I really look forward to working with all concerned and indeed with those fans who volunteer to work at the club. There is a real community spirit here and that is something I want to embrace and build upon.”

Cousins added “Nene Park was an immense vision on the part of Max Griggs which has been developed into an outstanding sporting and commercial venue being more than capable of supporting that of a Football League club. Whilst I have invested substantial funds into the club unfortunately I am not a new Max. This club is and will remain in a serious financial position and it will only be through a great deal of hard work and financial support that will ensure the club maintains the standards that this club so deserves. I will, however, be ensuring that every asset here will be contributing towards the future success of the club”.

When looking to the future Cousins said “the first thing to do now is complete the appointment of the first team Manager and I hope to make an announcement in the next 24 hours.

I would though like to pay tribute to the work of Tony Godden and Paul Driver for doing such a superb job over the last few weeks. I also hope to announce some further additional players joining the club before the loan deadline of 5.00pm tomorrow.”

Diamonds look to bounce back in the Conference at home to Aldershot on Saturday before returning to FA Cup action against Tamworth a week later. Both games are at Nene Park kicking off at 3pm.

Signed by all Trust Board Members:

Paul Hajduk
Nicholas Archer
Warren Barber
Glenis Haynes
Shaun Hodgkin
Roger Knight
Rachel Roberts
Peter Rolton
Helen Thompson

In the presence of non-executive Trust Board Members:

John Souster
David Taylor