By Nathan Jackson
June 11 2011

Rushden and Diamond's expulsion from the Blue Square Premier division has now been confirmed, meaning that Southport regain their place in the top tier of non-league football. Rushden only formed in the 1990s and quickly made their way up the non-league structure thanks to heavy financial backing.

Rushden formed in 1992 thanks to Max Griggs merging Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds. They quickly gained the nickname of "Ru$hd£n" as they spent their way through the non-league, the Crawley and Fleetwood of their day, before gaining promotion to the Football League in 2001. Their first home game in the League was against the Imps and was televised and it was a season where they made the Playoff Final, losing to Cheltenham before winning the division next season.

The Rushden train didn't look like stopping before Griggs left the club in the 2003/4 season and as soon as he left, Rushden quickly started falling back down the Leagues and were back in non-league in the 2006/7 season. Despite regularly thrashing teams, including a joint Conference record for a 9-0 win at Weymouth, they never looked like returning to the Football League and as debts have mounted, their future has looked increasingly uncertain for several years.

At today's Football Conference AGM, it was confirmed that Rushden and Diamonds have been expelled from the Blue Square Premier and they will almost certainly cease to exist after a winding up order that will be heard in court next week.

Relegated Southport have gained a reprieve, the fourth winners of the AGM Cup, following on from three time winners Altrincham.

Rushden's expulsion now confirmed as Southport survive

Discussion started by theimps.ka (IP Logged), 11/06/2011 14:23

theimps.ka
11/06/2011 14:23

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