“8 weeks in and the future already looks brighter at Rushden & Diamonds”


Rushden and Diamonds Supporters Trust Chairman, Paul Hajduk, has been reflecting on changes at Nene Park since the completion of the deal that brought Keith Cousins to the Chairmanship of the football club last November.

“I cannot help but be delighted at the progress made at Nene Park since Keith invested in the club only 8 weeks ago. It has been well documented that the club was close to going into administration at the time and you can understand that there was then a far more negative feeling around the place as a result”

“Keith has worked so hard to bring a much more positive feeling both on and off the field as we work together to rebuild this wonderful football club.”

“As we said at the time, it was essential that the Trust Board did everything possible to ensure the long-term survival of the Football Club and to do this, we needed to attract the right person and the right level of investment.”

“In Keith we all felt we had found the right person – as events have proved given what he has brought to the club in such a very short space of time.”

“The Trust had made it absolutely clear that any new investor would have to demonstrate their ability, their expertise, call it what you will to make the best use of the superb facilities at Nene Park. Already, 8 weeks in, we have two new major commercial sponsorship deals both bringing in much needed additional investment to support the on-field activities of the club”.

In addition Cousins is expected to announce a third new commercial deal this week which on its own is expected to bring in significant funds over the next three years.

Paul added, “Put together, I understand that these new deals amount to around £300k of much needed investment. Previously the Trust had simply lacked the high-level contacts necessary to put deals of this magnitude together and clearly the finalisation of sponsorship of this calibre is, I think, an important measure of investor opinion in both Keith and in terms of his plans for the future.”

Keith has also been looking into developing additional facilities as part of the Nene Park Complex aimed at complimenting the existing site and hopefully, in so doing, also increasing both levels of support and interest in the club.

It is expected these will include both a hotel to be situated behind the existing De Banke Terrace and a restaurant to be situated close to the A6 roundabout. However, these projects cannot be progressed further until after the trust members’ vote in February which will decide upon the future ownership of the site.

While progress is clearly being made off the field, on the field there are also signs of improvement following the opening of the January transfer ‘window’.

“One of the first things Keith did was to bring in a manager in Graham Westley who had already found considerable success at this level and who has now embarked upon a rebuilding of the first team squad.”

“We have already seen a host of new players attracted to the club, further testament to both the quality of the Nene Park facilities and the players’ own belief in the future of Rushden & Diamonds under Graham and Keith.”

“A few more results like Saturday’s win against Stafford Rangers, starting with our crucial home game against Cambridge tomorrow, will see us to climb the table.”

All part of the new atmosphere which now surrounds Nene Park. Paul commented “There have been times when relegation has seemed a real possibility, either through our own results or as a result of administration, yet now there is a much more positive feel to life at Nene Park.”

”Sure there some people seemingly yet to be convinced that Keith is the ideal standard bearer for the dream that Max Griggs created, I would simply say to them – ‘Look at what Keith has achieved in the first 8 weeks, look at the additional levels of investment now being generated and then look at all the new players attracted to the club since Keith arrived. Clearly, life under the stewardship of Keith Cousins is looking much brighter”.

Press Release ends