AFC Rushden & Diamonds
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club founded in 2011 in Rushden, Northamptonshire, England, competing in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central and serving local supporters through a Community Benefit Society structure, an Academy programme, and community football initiatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersRushden, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AFC Rushden & Diamonds does
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club founded in 2011 and based at Hayden Road Sports Ground in Rushden, Northamptonshire, England. The club operates as a Community Benefit Society under the ethos 'One Fan, One Vote, One Community, One Club', with supporters able to acquire Part Ownership in the entity. The senior men's first team competes in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central within the National Premier League system under the 'Pitching In' partnership framework, and the club fields FA Cup, FA Trophy, and NFA Hillier Senior Cup campaigns each season. A structured Academy programme covers Pre-Academy through Under-18s with FA Youth Cup participation, supplemented by a Women & Girls C.I.C, Walking Football sessions, and broader community outreach.
The club's product surface is therefore a portfolio of community-facing football activities rather than a single commercial product. Revenue is generated across five streams: matchday gate receipts (Adult FA Cup tickets priced at £12, concession tiers lower, Under-11 free), merchandise and part-ownership sales via the dedicated online shop (afcdiamonds-shop.com), a monthly Team Building Lottery, kit and commercial sponsorship, and part-ownership subscription fees. Distribution is omnichannel-light: tickets are sold via the Fanbase Club third-party platform (app.fanbaseclub.com) and at turnstiles on matchdays, merchandise through the club's own Shopify-style storefront, and community engagement through the website, social media (X/Twitter accounts for the main club, Academy, and Women & Girls C.I.C), Radio Diamonds podcasts, and AFCRDTV video content. The entity has no disclosed headcount, no external parent company or institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no AI, patent, or proprietary technology footprint; technology is limited to standard third-party SaaS for ticketing and e-commerce.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AFC Rushden & Diamonds
- Legal name
- AFC Rushden & Diamonds
- Website
- https://afcdiamonds.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club founded in 2011 in Rushden, Northamptonshire, England, competing in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central and serving local supporters through a Community Benefit Society structure, an Academy programme, and community football initiatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AFC Rushden & Diamonds industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Football Club
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ)
Keywords
Where AFC Rushden & Diamonds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rushden
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AFC Rushden & Diamonds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Matchday Revenue: Gate receipts from home league fixtures, cup matches, and pre-season friendlies. Ticket sales managed via online platform.
- Merchandise and Retail: Online club shop selling merchandise, part ownership packages, and commercial sponsorship opportunities.
- Lottery and Fundraising: Team Building Lottery (monthly draws) and quiz night fundraisers. Proceeds support club operations.
- Part Ownership Programme: Fans can purchase part ownership of the club, providing capital injection and community investment.
- Commercial Sponsorship: Kit sponsorship, commercial pack offerings, and corporate partner relationships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | FA Cup Matchday Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NFA Hillier Senior Cup Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Quiz Night Entry |
| Subscription | Monthly | Lottery Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
AFC Rushden & Diamonds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club that fields a senior team in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central and runs a youth Academy programme (ages 6 to Under 18s), alongside Walking Football and Women & Girls football community programmes. The club also sells matchday tickets, merchandise, Part Ownership shares, and operates a monthly Team Building Lottery, all under a Community Benefit Society structure.
Product overview
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club operating as a Community Benefit Society. The club offers a comprehensive football programme centered on its First Team competing in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central. Supporting the senior team is an Academy Programme providing youth development from Pre-Academy (ages 6-10) through to Under 18s, alongside dedicated Women's and Girls' football delivered through a Community Interest Company. The club's community outreach includes Walking Football sessions. Revenue generation comes through a Team Building Lottery, Part Ownership Scheme, and an Online Club Shop. Media coverage is provided via AFCRDTV and Podcasts featuring interviews and match content. The club maintains fan engagement through digital ticketing via Fanbase Club.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- First Team Football
Companies that use AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AFC Rushden & Diamonds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AFC Rushden & Diamonds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- National Premier League (NPL) / Pitching IncoreAFC Rushden & Diamonds participates in the National Premier League (NPL) system under the 'Pitching In' partnership. The club competes in Southern Football League Premier Division Central and is affiliated with the NPL structure for non-league football.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AFC Rushden & Diamonds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FC United of Manchester: Democratically-run, supporter-owned football club founded in 2005. Compares directly in community ownership structure, community benefit principles, non-league participation, and reliance on volunteer labour and member contributions.
- Altrincham FC: Long-established Northern Premier League / National League System club with comparable non-league commercial structure, including ticketing, merchandise, sponsorship, and community engagement. Provides a like-for-like comparison in scale and operations.
- AFC Wimbledon: The original and most prominent fan-owned English football club, formed as a phoenix club in 2002. Provides the template for community ownership that AFC Rushden & Diamonds follows, though AFC Wimbledon now operates at a higher league tier (EFL League One).
- Chester FC: Fan-owned community football club formed in 2010 as a phoenix club. Operates with a similar supporter-ownership ethos, competing in the National League System at a comparable non-league tier, with diversified revenue from matchday, lottery, and community programmes.
- Hereford FC: Fan-formed successor club to Hereford United, competing in the National League System at a comparable tier to AFC Rushden & Diamonds. Shares the model of community-owned football with matchday, merchandise, and volunteer-driven revenues.
- Bury AFC: Fan-owned phoenix club re-established after the original Bury FC's expulsion. Shares AFC Rushden & Diamonds' structure as a supporter-led Community Benefit Society competing in the lower tiers of the National League System.
Regional players
- Kettering Town FC: Northamptonshire-based non-league football club competing in tiers adjacent to AFC Rushden & Diamonds. Represents direct local/regional competition for fan base, Academy talent, and sponsorship in the same catchment area.
- Banbury United FC: Oxfordshire-based non-league club operating in tiers close to AFC Rushden & Diamonds. Comparable in regional non-league scale, with overlapping catchment for fans and youth players across the South Midlands.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AFC Rushden & Diamonds social profiles
Digital presenceAFC Rushden & Diamonds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AFC Rushden & Diamonds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
AFC Rushden & Diamonds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AFC Rushden & Diamonds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AFC Rushden & Diamonds
What does AFC Rushden & Diamonds do?
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a fan-owned community football club that fields a senior team in the Southern Football League Premier Division Central and runs a youth Academy programme (ages 6 to Under 18s), alongside Walking Football and Women & Girls football community programmes. The club also sells matchday tickets, merchandise, Part Ownership shares, and operates a monthly Team Building Lottery, all under a Community Benefit Society structure.
Is AFC Rushden & Diamonds a public or private company?
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was AFC Rushden & Diamonds founded?
AFC Rushden & Diamonds was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AFC Rushden & Diamonds based?
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is headquartered in Rushden, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does AFC Rushden & Diamonds make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Matchday Revenue is the primary driver. The others are merchandise and Retail, lottery and Fundraising, part Ownership Programme and commercial Sponsorship.
Who are AFC Rushden & Diamonds's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FC United of Manchester, Altrincham FC, AFC Wimbledon, Chester FC, Hereford FC and Bury AFC. Regional players are Kettering Town FC and Banbury United FC.
Does AFC Rushden & Diamonds have an API?
No public API is recorded for AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
What industry is AFC Rushden & Diamonds in?
AFC Rushden & Diamonds's product category is Community Football Club. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKACAE, Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations, with a secondary code of MPAKACAF, Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.