DIAMONDS ARE READY TO PEAK
ANDY Peaks wants to keep hitting the heights with AFC Rushden & Diamonds – and has got total faith in the club’s way of going about it.
Since their formation out of the ashes of predecessors Rushden & Diamonds, the fan-owned club have enjoyed three promotions in eight years to rise from the United Counties League to the Southern League Premier Central.
Part of that success has been down to prudent housekeeping, the newcomers not wanting to get in the financial straits that eventually cost the original Diamonds dear.
Former Rushden & Diamonds stalwart Peaks has been with the new incarnation every step of the way in their senior football journey. He was assistant manager under Mark Starmer before taking over the hotseat in 2014.
In the last half a dozen years, the 49-year-old has led the club to two promotions. He would love to take the club into Step 2, but believes any effort to do so need to be cleverly calculated.
Resources
“Since the club reformed, they have never spent more than they could afford,” he said. “They never want to run that risk because they know what it’s like to have no football club. As frustrating at that can be for a manager when you want that bit extra, I respect that.
“They don’t gamble to get x-amount in the FA Cup and then cut the budget if it doesn’t work out.”
In the 2019-20 campaign that was ultimately declared null and void, the Northamptonshire club lay 11th when the early ending came, but they were only four points off the play-offs with three games in hand.
“Next season is so difficult to call,” said Peaks. “I’ve heard about teams who will put money in because they think it’s a good time to go for it, while others won’t have the resources.
“I will worry about my club and we’ll pay what we say we will. We’ve been very good over the years in that regard.
“We were on the fringes last year and I feel we will be better for it. I do want to kick on.”
The prospect of National League North status would be an enticing one if Peaks can put the Diamonds – who currently groundshare at Rushden & Higham United’s Hayden Road home – in the frame.
He said: “We’ve made progress quicker than some people thought we would and there are plans for the club to have new facilities in the next few years.
“I want to manage at the highest level I can, but it has to be sustainable. If we got in and around it next season, I think we would be ready to go up. Playoffs would be a fantastic achievement.” One major plus for Peaks is that he will have much of the same squad as last season, with 18 players staying put.
In addition, he’s brought midfielder Fernando BellToxtle, 21, back to the club following the completion of his university studies.
Continuity
“I’ve never been one to make massive changes,” he explained. “They are a good group of lads and we were in a good position when last season ended.
“It was the first season for quite a few of them and they will be better for it and I think the others can go again.
“I like to have continuity. New faces take time to adapt and personalities can clash.
“The players we’ve got know the club and how I work. I always try to treat the players like I wanted to be treated.
“To get so many to commit is fantastic, we’ve brought Fernando in and I will probably add one or two more before the start.”