Chester City 1 Rushden & Diamonds 2

Nationwide Conference, Saturday 5th May 2001

It has been along time coming but Rushden & Diamond have finally been promoted to the Football League. After the near misses of the last two seasons Max Griggs faith in Brian Talbot to deliver the Holy Grail that is League football, has been repaid in impressive style. Such is the set up at Rushden they are already being talked about as potential promotion candidates for next season.

You had to remind yourself that there was actually a game of football taking place here today. Rushden’s impressive travelling support was vociferous, as you would expect for a team about to be unveiled as Champions but the Chester faithful were equally as noisy. The Chester fans were expressing their disappointment at the way that the club is being run by the American chairman Terry Smith, who had the good sense to stay away from today’s proceedings. This game may not of taken place after it was announced prior to the game that Chester’s stewards had resigned on block as a show of unity with the 1000 supporters who had walked through the streets carrying a coffin, draped in the club colours.

The stewards agreed to return to work for this game, but once the game got under way it you sensed that should not have bothered. It certainly had all the attributes of an end of season encounter. We had to wait for 15 minutes for the first bit of meaningful action. Good work down the left by Justin Jackson, found Duane Darby unmarked but he could only steer the ball around the post.

Three minutes later John Brady thought he had opened up the Championship celebrations when on 18 minutes he scored but the referee adjudged that both he and Darby were both offside.

As the half wore on the frustrations of the Deva faithful continued to be vented at their absentee American chairman. The Rushden supporters who had been in good voice all day even joined in with the “Smith out” chants. With today’s game attracting City’s best attendance of the season; just over 4,000 saw the game the good spirited banter carried on during half time.

The second half started a little better than the first with regards to meaningful action. Rusden won a couple of corners in quick succession, which they could not convert into goals.

Chester though turned party poopers on 56 minutes when Graig Gaunt headed home a Neil Doughty corner to put Chester into the lead and one up. Chester had little time to defend this lead when three minutes later Rushden restored parity, when John Brady whipped in a free kick from the left hand side. Mark Peters rose unchallenged to head home the equalizer.

On 72 minutes referee Dave Kellett waved away Chester appeals for a penalty, when Steve Whitehall appeared to be pushed by Billy Turley in the Rushden goal.

Rushden’s magnificent season was capped with in the 89th minute when Duane Darby laid the ball off to the man of the match John Darby who thumped a 35 yard shot past Chester keeper Wayne Brown.

This launched the Championship celebrations, after the game Rushden were awarded the championship trophy in front of their travelling army of 2000 supporters as well as those Chester fans that had stayed to applaud the champions as well as continue their protests against their chairman.

Brian Talbot managed to reflect on the championship success amid the celebrations when he said, “It has been a fabulous season and the lads have been magnificent. We’ll now have a short break before we get down to life in the league. It’s a great feeling. It’s been a tough campaign but in the end it’s all been worth it.”

It was the realisation of a dream for Club Chairman Max Griggs who has bankrolled Rusden and was glowing in his praise for his boss Brian Talbot before reflecting on the future.

“Brian is a top manager he doesn’t treat me like a bottomless pit of money. I will now sit back and relax, as I am happy we are now a league club. This is good for the area and the local community.”

He further added,

“ It has all been heady stuff I will be able to relax in a couple of days and release we are in the league.”

While it appears to be a quite summer Rushden, the same can’t be said of today’s opponents Chester City who face up to a summer of uncertainty again. Who will own the club? Will Terry Smith still be in charge? Will there still be a Chester City next season? These are just a few questions being asked at the moment. Chester have one more game on Monday night the final of the Nationwide trophy, which could at least add a silver lining to another gloomy season and give manager Graham Barrow, who is still barred from speaking to the press, a trophy his efforts have deserved.

ATT 4040

* This report previously appeared on the now defunct website Pyramid Football