Blue Square Premier Ground Guide - Fans Ground Reviews, Nene Park, Rushden And Diamonds

Nene Park - Rushden & Diamonds
Tuesday, September 27th, 2005
V Northampton Town, League Two 7.45pm
By Sean Wilkinson

Even though this was only the third competitive game between Northampton and Rushden, there was an air of expectation from both sets of fans. A local derby is always a special day out and this one was really getting me excited. As a supporter of the away side, Northampton, I was keen to see a Cobblers win after losing 3-2 here in March to a late goal, that was a sickner.

I arranged to travel on the supporters club coach for the relatively short trip across Northamptonshire. Due to the amount of people going to the game there were some old double decker buses which would ferry us to the ground. The journey was noisy and a bit uncomfortable but I had a game of football to think of so I didn't really care.

After arrival I made my way down a slope to the turnstiles and bought a programme. The amount of content and detail in the matchday magazine didn't really live up to it's Ł2.50 price tag so I got my ticket stubbed and walked to my seat. Needless to say with the game being a local derby the home fans were far from our best friends so there was a lot of non-friendly banter as the ground started to fill.

After looking around me I was quite impressed with my surroundings. At one end there is a terraced stand for home fans, there are small all seated stands at both sides of the ground, again for home fans and the away end is facing the terraced home end, the best stand in my opinion. Considering Rushden have only been a League side for just a few seasons, I was even more impressed by what they had done.

The game was brilliant, one of the best I have ever seen. Northampton took the lead in the first ten minutes and the AirWair stand erupted. This lead was taken into the second half but disaster soon struck, Diamonds had equalised and the three sides of the ground occupied by their fans went crazy. Despite their goal, we never heard a peep out of them whilst we continued to sing our hearts out. The noise from our end paid off and one of the Diamonds players had scored for us, thank you very much number 6 and we'll have the lead back, 2-1. Four minutes after our lead was restored it was bettered, Scott McGleish pouncing on a mistake from their keeper and Northampton were 3-1 up. That's how it stayed.

Getting out always takes a while but was worth it due to the result. The bus filled up and we were away and moving steadily back to Sixfields. This was the only time I had ever heard chanting and singing on the coach home but under the circumstances I joined in and we didn't stop until the coach did, even then people were honking their horns in the car park.

Overall, that was the best game I have ever been to. Exactly a week before my 17th birthday, what an early present. I would love to go back as a Cobblers fan but I just hope that win and many more this season can get us into League 1. UP THE TOWN!!!

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