AFC Rushden & Diamonds U21 side will contest the James Victory Cup on Tuesday evening in Bletchley when they travel to face Buckingham Town (KO 7:45pm). This cup was presented to the Robins in 1946 by Mrs James to mark the end of World War Two, and is competed for during pre-season between the Robins and an invited opponent. The cup is solid silver.
The focus of the Diamonds team will be their developing U21 side, although it may also be a final chance for other players to get game time before the start of the season.
You can find details of the fixtures for the U21 side in the new UCL U21 League here, where you will also find a link to a match report from their first game last Friday.
Our Opponents
According to their website, Buckingham Town was formed in 1883 and is thus one of the oldest clubs in the UCL. The Robins initially played in local leagues before joining the Hellenic and then the South Midlands League in the 1950’s. They joined the United Counties League in 1974, winning the league title in 1984 and 1985, before joining the Southern League, where they won the Southern Division title in 1991, before dropping back into the UCL, where Morrell Maison took them to the runner’s up spot in 2004. Their club website is here, and their Twitter feed here. The Robins play in red and are managed by Chris Robson. Their pre-season campaign has included four wins by 3-1, 6-1, 7-1 and 5-1.
Directions
For directions for the 24 mile trip from the Dog and Duck to Manor Fields (MK2 2HX) see here. The ground is owned and operated by the Milton Keynes Irish Centre. To get there from the roundabout on the A5 dual carriageway to the south of Milton Keynes, take the exit signposted to Fenny Stratford & Bletchley. After 500 yards, turn left off the main road at the sign for Manor Fields which is opposite Dobbies Garden Centre – turning into a narrow road leading to the sports fields. Cross the small bridge and follow the road until you see the Irish Centre in front of you, facing the car park with the ground to the right of that, behind a fence. There is further parking near the adjacent cricket field – and parking is free.
