AFC Rushden & Diamonds are saddened to hear of the news that Main Club Sponsor, Rebel Energy, is ceasing to trade.
Becoming the main sponsor of AFC Rushden & Diamonds in December 2022, Rebel Energy’s partnership saw them sign the highest single commercial deals in the Club’s history in two successive years and also become the official sponsor of Radio Diamonds, providing a vital source of revenue.
Ahead of the 2023/2024 season Rebel also partnered with the Club to donate 10p for every person that attended an AFC Rushden & Diamonds fixture at Hayden Road to a Charity partner of our choosing, with Oakfield Community and Motor Neurone Disease Association the beneficiaries in 23/24 and 24/25 respectively.
Speaking on Rebel Energy’s announcement on 1st April 2025, Club Chair Rob Usher said: “I am truly saddened to hear that Rebel are ceasing to trade. Over the past two and a half years they have been more than just a sponsor to the Club, they have been a true partner. The very ethos of what they set out to do as a business, to take something that is almost exclusively a capitalist industry and find a way to do things differently, in order to support and improve people’s life is admirable and always made me proud to have their name across the front of our shirts. Having had the pleasure of spending time with the people behind the scenes at the company, I could often draw parallels between the social intentions of Rebel Energy and the Club. My thoughts are with all the staff at Rebel affected by this news.”
Club Vice Chair and Commercial Director Alex Raspin added: “Rebel Energy’s commercial support over the last two-and-a-half years provided a bedrock from which we have been able to stabilise the Club and for that we should all be thankful. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that the Club wouldn’t exist as you currently know it, had they not stepped in at a time of need in December 2022. My thoughts first and foremost are with the staff at Rebel who have become friends. Diamonds supporters can rest assured that there are no outstanding payments due from Rebel Energy to the Club as their sponsorship was front-loaded, so this news doesn’t negatively affect the Club short term. It does however mean that we now move in to a crucial period of time where finding a Main Club Sponsor ahead of the new season becomes the top priority for all associated with AFC Rushden & Diamonds. We have navigated many challenging circumstances since assuming our roles with the Club in 2022 and will attack this latest hurdle with the same drive and determination that we have with all the others.”
The Club will shortly be actively pursuing conversations with other parties around becoming the Main Club Sponsor from the 2025/26 onwards. Rebel Energy’s involvement in the Club came about because an AFC Rushden & Diamonds supporter took the time to ask their bosses if sponsorship might be a possibility. We encourage all supporters, whether decision-makers or not within their various businesses, to initiate conversations where possible. Together, we can ensure that the Club continues to move forward.
