Rushden and Diamonds

Rushden and Diamonds
Hunter starts Rushden clear-out Rushden and Diamonds manager Barry Hunter has begun his end-of-season clear-out of players and staff, reports BBC Radio Northampton. Sean Connelly, Alex Hay, Craig Dove, Andy Sambrook, Lee Worgan and Robert Duffy have all been released. Goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson has also left the club. Drew Broughton and captain Stuart Gray have been offered deals for next season and Marcus Kelly and Jason Taylor have been offered six-month contracts.

Diamonds players told to keep fit
Rushden and Diamonds manager Barry Hunter has stressed to his players that they must maintain their fitness during the close season. Hunter told BBC Radio Northampton: "The lads will be doing fitness tests before we send them on holiday. "As a squad the last thing for us is to play against the fans on Friday night. "After that We will send them away with programmes to work on over the summer break and recharge their batteries and come back on the 1 July."

Diamonds sign goalkeeper Woodman
Rushden and Diamonds have signed experienced goalkeeper Andy Woodman. The former Northampton and Oxford player, 33, has joined the Diamonds as the club's goalkeeping coach but will also register as a player. Woodman, who has started almost 600 senior games during his career, returns to the Football League after a spell with Stevenage last season. Meanwhile, Stuart Gray, Jason Taylor and Marcus Kelly have all agreed new 12-month deals at Nene Park

Burgess set to part with Diamonds
Rushden's Andy Burgess, 23, has been transfer listed at his own request. "Andy came to us back in February and asked to be placed on the transfer list," the club confirmed. "We couldn't agree to the demand, but with all his efforts over the last few months we have reluctantly agreed to circulate his name to other clubs." The club added that a transfer fee will be a requirement of any deal for the midfielder, who has played 184 times in six seasons at Diamonds.

Midfielder Savage joins Diamonds
Bristol Rovers midfielder Dave Savage has joined Rushden and Diamonds. The 31-year-old Irishman told BBC Radio Bristol: "It's hard to walk away from what you think is going to be a big couple of years for the club. "There has been progress, albeit not massively, but I think if a team finishes above Rovers next year they will have done very well." Meanwhile, Rovers have released Kevin Miller and Sonny Parker, while Paul Trollope has been transfer-listed.

Broughton poised to sign new deal
Much-travelled striker Drewe Broughton is set to sign a new one-year contract at Rushden & Diamonds later this week. The 26-year-old has made 12 appearances since joining Rushden - his 11th club - back in February, scoring twice. Boss Barry Hunter told the club website: "Things are looking very positive, and I can assure fans I don't envisage a mass exodus of players. "As far as I am concerned, at this moment I can honestly say no more players will be leaving Nene Park."

Gray agrees Kassam Stadium switch
Oxford have signed midfielder Stuart Gray after he left Rushden & Diamonds. Gray, 31, was at Nene Park for four years and captained Diamonds last term, but he rejected a new deal to link up with ex-Rushden boss Brian Talbot. "When Brian made the call to me I was excited about working with him again. Oxford is a big club and with Brian at the helm it can be successful. "This is one of the biggest clubs in the division and hopefully we can go for promotion if we make a good start."

Rushden handed over to supporters
Ownership of League Two side Rushden & Diamonds has been formally transferred to the club's Supporters' Trust. The Trust has inherited a debt-free club with £20m in assets and more than 20 acres of land. The Griggs family, former owners of the club, have agreed to fund Rushden up to £750,000 over the next two seasons. "This is a magnanimous gesture by the Griggs family to the local community," said Helen Thompson, the club's new managing director. She added: "We are so proud of this five-star palace of sport, which has no comparison outside of the Premiership in our opinion. "And to be vested with the responsibility of sustaining this superb facility for forthcoming generations is such an honour." Dave Suddens, former chief executive of Rushden, described the deal as groundbreaking. "The transfer of ownership to supporters, free of debt, with commitments to further financial support is an amazing gesture of support by Max and Stephen Griggs," said Suddens. "At a time when football is often maligned, and the intentions of those at the top of football ownership often much criticised, this deal is truly groundbreaking."

Young could link up with Diamonds
Reading goalkeeper Jamie Young could join Rushden & Diamonds on loan for the beginning of next season. However, any deal for the 19-year-old Australian-born stopper will not be finalised until next season's transfer regulations have been determined. The proposed move would see Young link up with former Royals defender Barry Hunter, who is Rushden's manager. Young, who has been playing for England Under-20s this summer, has made just one substitute appearance for Reading.

Hunter plans new Rushden arrivals
Rushden & Diamonds manager Barry Hunter does not expect to lose any more players and he is planning to bring in new men before next season starts. "I have had commitments from existing players and their agents," he said. "In fact, players are desperate to come here. It was quite overwhelming to have so many ring who want to play for us. "Equally pleasing was that most played against us last season and would love to be a part of what is happening here," he told the club website.

Broughton signs new Diamonds deal
Much-travelled Rushden & Diamonds striker Drewe Broughton has signed a new one-year contract. The 26-year-old has made 12 appearances since joining Diamonds - his 11th club - back in February, and scored twice. Manager Barry Hunter said: "This is good news for the club and my preparations are moving forward. "Drewe was very happy to get the matter resolved and sign on the dotted line, and I am equally very happy that the deal is all tied up now."

Young set for Diamonds loan spell
Rushden & Diamonds boss Barry Hunter is confident of bringing in Reading keeper Jamie Young on loan, but is waiting to hear how long the deal will be for. "The lad is desperate to come here," he said of Australian-born Young, 19. "An awful lot of clubs wanted him on loan but Steve Coppell was adamant that he wanted proper grooming for Jamie and was very happy to let him to come here. "Steve knows all about our facilities and we have Andy Woodman to coach Jamie along," Hunter told his club's website.

Holt & Burgess still elude Swans
Swansea City have suffered fresh setbacks in their attempts to sign two of their main summer transfer targets. Improved bids of £80,000 for Rushden's Andy Burgess and £130,000 for Grant Holt of Rochdale have been turned down, much to Kenny Jackett's frustration. "We're not close to a deal for either player," said Swans manager Jackett. "The chairman, Huw Jenkins, has made very good offers for both which have been turned down. We'll wait and see if that changes over the next weeks." Burgess is on the transfer list at Nene Park, with Northampton and Oxford also thought to be interested in the midfielder. Holt scored 24 goals for Rochdale in League Two last season and the club have insisted they will not sell unless they receive "an offer we cannot refuse". The ex-Sheffield Wednesday striker has yet to sign an extension to his current contract, which has just another 12 months to run. Jackett said he will consider the implications of this latest failure before deciding on his next step. "If there's a deal to be done close to where we are now then we will do it," he told BBC Wales Sport. "We'll just draw our breath now and if either club comes back to us and wants to pursue either deal then fine. "We've been quiet aggressive what we're trying to do and haven't been able to sign either player." Jackett says he has set his heart on adding "three or four players" to the squad that won promotion to League One last season. He added: "It's very important we look and see what else is around and available. "If we do suddenly go out of the financial parameters that we've set, it takes us into a new ball game of what players are available. "If I could bring in one defender, two midfielders and possibly one forward then that would really strengthen us."

Flahavan agrees new Southend deal
Southend keeper Darryl Flahavan has rejected offers from a host of other clubs to agree a new two-year deal. Bristol Rovers, Grimsby, Northampton and Rushden & Diamonds were all keen on signing the 27-year-old shot-stopper. Flahavan was impressive at the back end of last season, three clean sheets in a row helping the Shrimpers win promotion to League One via the play-offs. He said: "I had offers to go elsewhere but Southend was always my number one option. I really enjoy it here."

Chester boss Curle swoops for duo
Chester City boss Keith Curle has snapped up the midfield duo of Justin Walker and Craig Dove. Ex-Scunthorpe and Lincoln City man Walker, 29, moves to Chester after leaving relegated Cambridge United. Dove, 21, has signed following his departure from Rushden and Diamonds where he started 31 games last season after joining from Middlesbrough. But Curle has failed in an increased bid to bring defender David Artell, 24, from former club Mansfield Town.

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