The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

For more information on our search for an All-Time Diamonds XI see here: link

Right so we begin our attempt to find the greatest RDFC team with a position that has caused some trouble over the last few years. Due to this I have chosen to stick with the three most likely candidates rather then look for more. (Click on the names for more info on the players)

Billy Turley joined the club in July 1999 from Northampton town and went on to make over 200 appearances for the club over five years before his ignominious exit after testing positive for a second time for illegal substances. Despite this he was an outstanding keeper in his time at Nene Park (although prone to the odd moment of madness) and won the Conference, Division 3 and the conference shield as well as appearing in the clubs visit to the Millenium stadium for the Play Off final.

Jamie Ashdown joined the club in November 2003 on loan from Reading to fill in for the injured Turley. He made an immediate and lasting impression on the fans with a string of excellent performances that ended up keeping Turley out of the frame on his return from injury. He currently deputises for David James and Asmir Begović at Portsmouth in the Premier League and has an FA Cup winners medal.

Dale Roberts joined the club during the 07/08 season on loan from Nottingham Forest, he impressed during his spell and returned again the next season again on loan and established himself again as the clubs number one instead of Alan Marriott. He became a fans favourite and signed permanently in January 2009, he has made over 50 appearances for the club.

The likes of Kevin Fox, Kevin Shoemake, Martin Davies and Graham Benstead have all made more than 50 appearances for the club, however their impact and the level they played for the club at are below the three nominated for the team.

Mark Smith made 59 appearences ;) .

And what about Ian Feuer? (i know he didn't make many appearences but he was involved in one of our biggest ever games).

I think there must be a better way of doing this.

Shouldn't it read "Jamie Ashdown had a cup winners medal". ;) ;)

I think this is the "easy" category to create a shortlist (although I'm not sure how Dale Roberts gets into a list of the three best keepers we've had, ahead of Mark Smith or others with league experience) - I don't envy you trying to select a shortlist of centre backs ...

Don't be surprised if you (and a few others) get a PM about the next few positions Formic.

Roberts is in there as a third nominee as I felt two was too small. I also did set out how this would be done and asked for PM's if people had questions or nominees and got none.

I believe my first game at the Diamonds was the first match after Turley got suspended - I think his name was still in the programme. (Home versus Leyton Orient, January 2005).

Not much option, but my choice is up there anyhow.
Agree Mark Smith could have been an option, but we hav'nt had many decent keepers at the club. Maybe only Fox, Benstead and Cherry(crowd factor) could also have been included

I'd agree that we've struggled with keepers since we reached the Conference level, with the two obvious candidates that WWODB has included being dominant.

Now, if we had a poll for the worst Diamonds keeper that would need a very long shortlist indeed - Michael Bertocchi, Lee Worgan, Steve Corry, Alan Blayney, Scott Shearer, Jamie Young, John Ruddy, Danny Crane, Paul Bastock, Paul Nicholls etc etc.

Formic wrote:I'd agree that we've struggled with keepers since we reached the Conference level, with the two obvious candidates that WWODB has included being dominant.

Now, if we had a poll for the worst Diamonds keeper that would need a very long shortlist indeed - Michael Bertocchi, Lee Worgan, Steve Corry, Alan Blayney, Scott Shearer, Jamie Young, John Ruddy, Danny Crane, Paul Bastock, Paul Nicholls etc etc.

I only remember Bertocchi making a late sub appearence at NP but never saw him play other than that. Not sure Blayney, Shearer, Crane, or Nicholls would deserve inclusion in that lot! Ruddy and Worgan could fight that out.

Worgan would win easily, just for that error at Orient IMO. I'm still amazed that Shearer has made himself a league career, as he seemed so error prone.

Formic wrote:Worgan would win easily, just for that error at Orient IMO. I'm still amazed that Shearer has made himself a league career, as he seemed so error prone.

ditto jamie young.
woodman was a class keeper. such a shame we replaced him with a clown who kept dropping the ball.
barnet away was the turning point of our season.