As the 2014-15 Season reaches its climax there are a number of important dates and some background data that could be of interest to AFC Rushden & Diamonds Fans. These are detailed in the various league handbooks, or elsewhere on this website, but are summarised below.
Remaining Fixtures
These can be found in the Diamonds Fixture list here. Note that the semi-final of the UCL Knock-Out Cup is on Tuesday 31st March at the Dog & Duck against Wisbech Town (KO 7:45pm). The current league table is here. See the Fixture News page for more information and a downloadable fixture / results list.
Registration Deadline
The UCL has a deadline for registration of new players (similar to the “Transfer Deadline” seen in more senior leagues). This is defined in the UCL Handbook as follows : “After 5.00pm on the 31st March each season new registrations, new loans, and transfer of registrations will be declined or will be approved subject to such limitations and restrictions as the Board may determine and, if so determined, the Player shall only be eligible to play in the matches for which permission is granted by the Board.”
Details of the UCL Player Registrations for AFC Rushden & Diamonds are here – with more specific detail on the First Team Squad here.
Disciplinary Period
There is one further milestone in the Disciplinary area, particularly relating to players picking up their tenth yellow card of the season, and is defined in the FA Discipline Handbook as follows: “If a Player receives 10 cautions between the first day of the season and the second Sunday in April they will be suspended for a period of 2 matches and fined £15. If they receive their 10th caution after the second Sunday in April they will be warned as to their future conduct and no suspension shall be imposed.”
This is obviously in addition to the normal rule on Red Cards – noting that a second red card during a season will result in an additional game being added to the relevant ban. You can see the provisional details of this season’s yellow and red cards here (alongside other key season stats) – noting that the official information is held by the Northants FA and is no longer readily accessible on their website.
Potential Promotion Criteria
The FA Handbook details the process for potential promotion between Non-League Step 5 and Step 4 as follows: “
Relegated Step 4 Clubs “… will be replaced by the fourteen most suitable Clubs from the Leagues at Step 5 as determined by the LC. The suitability shall be determined as the Club finishing in 1st position in each Step 5 League which meets the entry criteria and wishes to be considered for promotion. In the event of the 1st placed Club not being eligible, the Clubs finishing in 2nd or 3rd position shall be subject to the same criteria. In usual circumstances, no more than one Club will be promoted from any one League. The Clubs to be promoted from Step 5 will be allocated to the most geographically appropriate division at Step 4.”
“Any Club seeking promotion from Step 5 to Step 4 must make application to the Association on the prescribed form, copied to their existing League, by 30th November in the relevant year. The application must be accompanied by the appropriate application fee, as determined by the LC, which is non refundable.”
Applicant Clubs must achieve a minimum E Grade by 31st March in the Playing Season when promotion is sought.”
According to the UCL Newsletter of December 2014, only the Diamonds and Holbeach United applied for Promotion this season.
