Burgess ready to do all he can to give AFC Rushden & Diamonds a big finish

Andy Burgess is set to meet the squad for the first time tonight after being appointed as Diamonds' interim manager
Andy Burgess, pictured playing for Oxford United in his playing career, is the new interim manager at AFC Rushden & DiamondsAndy Burgess, pictured playing for Oxford United in his playing career, is the new interim manager at AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Andy Burgess, pictured playing for Oxford United in his playing career, is the new interim manager at AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Andy Burgess insists he will be doing everything he can to ensure AFC Rushden & Diamonds finish their season “in a successful way”.

The Rushden & Diamonds legend was named as the new interim manager at Hayden Road today (Thursday) as the club completed a swift recruitment process following the shock departure of Andy Peaks last week,

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Burgess’ appointment has, unsurprisingly, already been met with much delight from the Diamonds fanbase.

The 40-year-old made 333 appearances for the original club in a fine playing career.

But now he has been tasked with finishing the job Peaks starts this season with Diamonds well-placed to secure a play-off place in the Southern League Premier Central.

And Burgess insists he will not be looking to “reinvent any wheels” as he prepares to meet the squad for the first time tonight ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Hednesford Town.

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“Andy Peaks has done a brilliant job along with the other guys on the management team,” Burgess said.

“They have built a squad that is very much together. If you look at the results, a lot of them are close and there have been some late goals in there and that tells you all you need to know about the character and the personalities in the squad.

“So the job they have done has been outstanding.

“I have said, and I made it very clear during the recruitment process, that it’s not a time to come in and pull up anything that’s been done and reinvent any wheels.

“It’s a time to come in, identify any gaps and try to fill those gaps if we possibly can with the right type of player and character, and try to keep them on track as much as possible.

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“The players know how well they have done and how important the next two-and-a-half months are in terms of finishing what they have started.

“I’m not coming in to change much, or anything. I’m coming in to try to identify anything that perhaps needs tweaking and do everything I can to help the club finish in a successful way.

“I’ll be meeting the players this evening, which will be good.

“It’s not ideal in terms of only being with them once before Saturday and then we have another game on Tuesday (at Biggleswade Town) so there’s not going to be a lot of time to work with the players.

“But, as I said, I don’t think there’s much needs doing.”

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There is, of course, plenty of sentiment surrounding Burgess’ appointment, not least from the man himself.

And he admitted things lined up perfectly for him to throw his hat into the ring.

“Obviously my links to the original club have meant I have always looked out for AFC and I have followed them and monitored them closely,” Burgess added.

“They have done fabulous work in the time they have been an entity and they have come through the divisions and done fantastically this season and got themselves in a great position.

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“It’s been great to see from afar and when the opportunity came up, I looked at it and everything has lined up in my personal life and my professional life and where I am in my football life.

“If you don’t ask, you don’t get and if you don’t throw your hat into the ring, you don’t get an opportunity.

“I just felt everything lined up and I wanted the opportunity to come back to an area that means so much to me and was such a massive part of my playing career.”

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