DAME Shirley of Bassey says diamonds are forever but tell someone from Rushden that and the chances are they’ll punch you in the face.

Because Rushden and Diamonds FC were not forever, grand plans ill-conceived and poorly executed at board level running the club into oblivion as they were expelled from the Conference in 2011. It’s always a horrible situation and was harsh after relatively rookie manager Justin Edinburgh had taken them to the Conference playoffs in 2010.

Edinburgh didn’t have a huge budget or the best squad in the division, but his side had a good spirit, played attacking football and worked within his 4-3-3 system designed to best suit the players available to him. And all of that in the confines of Nene Park, one of the very best grounds in the Conference.

Sound familiar? Add a much healthier balance sheet and a fanbase which swells with even the hint of good form on the pitch and couldn’t we be talking about County?

The move to the new surroundings of Rodney Parade has galvanised the Exiles fanbase and the trip to Wembley has seemingly also swelled the number interested in the club.

Top of the league with crowds they’d have dreamed about and rumoured investment to come, is it unrealistic for County to emulate Rushden by getting into the play-offs? It doesn’t seem so at the moment.