The Diamonds Forum!

Thanks to everyone who helped draw up this list, although, unfortunately, I had to shave some off the lesser goals of the shortlist - however, I only removed goals which I didn't think would get any votes (nobody thinks Hatswell's goal was our best of all time, or Mikolanda's do they?). The remaining 11 goals all have a chance of getting votes, and most of them have a video clip of them, too. If you feel strongly about a goal that was excluded post below and I'll add it up as quickly as I can, although I'm sure all the main contenders are here already.

The all-time goal should, I think, contain two things: great skill, and special circumstance. There is a third factor, too: personal importance. One of my all-time goals is Rob Gier's versus Leyton Orient in 2005 (my first game at NP, scored in the last few minutes). Having said that though, I don't expect many other people even remember it!

Get voting. The poll will be open for a while. I want to get as many votes counted as possible (I may contact the ET to see if this can get a short mention at the end of a Diamonds article).

For me the winner is Smith's versus K*ttering. Goals are always sweet when I fly over simply because it's so rare for me to be there, but combined with the lateness of the goal, and the nature of the game, and the silencing of the opponenets...

Rankine's came a surprisingly close second for me - even watching it illegally on the internet, with the commentary conked out, on a fuzzy screen, in the most pointless of competitions...

There are two options that are the same! Paul Hall vs Rochdale in the playoffs was the same goal as Paul Hall's playoff semi-final win . Either way i've gone for Billy Sharp vs Northampton just cos it meant so much to us, though the Rochdale goals are up there and I think technically Paul Hall's in the playoff final was world class!

Fixed

Paul Hall goal is still the best ever at the Millenium Stadium

Can't decide between Billy or Ranks

Has to be Billy Sharps winning goal against Cobblers, definitely my most memorable goal for Diamonds, although any goal against Cobblers would get my vote.

Where is Curtis Osanos delightful nearpost flick against Altrincham? Clearly our best goal ever. Fact.

I cannot believe Tarkan Mustapha's goal againt Burnley isn't in that list, yet Rankine's nose dive is !!! I'm speechless. Tarkan's consisted of a move where he wins the ball initially, 13 passes uninterrupted between Diamonds players right across the pitch, then he beats 3 players himself to drill in from 25 yards or so - how can that not be a contender????

I was really torn between Heggs v Leeds or Sharpy v Wobbl£r$, but in the end I had to go with Heggs. The initial disbelief, followed by complete and utter, unrivalled euphoria when little ol' Rushden & Diamonds of the Conference took the lead against, at the time, one of the top teams in the Premier League remains to this day unparalleled, and more than likely will never be equalled. I'm sure we'll have our day against the Wobbl£r$ again, sooner rather than later if both teams carry on the way they're going currently , but those 11 minutes of watching "Leeds United 0-1 Rushden & Diamonds" on the giant scoreboard at Elland Road were like something you could only ever dream about!

But was it skillful????? Best celebration certainly, but best goal??? Never ! We'll have to agree to disagree on that one

Bit different to this one ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PWVmAWH ... re=related

Ah, but this vote isn't for the most skillful Diamonds goal ever, it's for our favourite ever Diamonds goal, based on special circumstance as much as great skill. Heggs' goal against Leeds was, for me anyway, the most amazing feeling I've ever experienced as a Rushden supporter. That's why it got my vote.

Besides, the most skillful Rushden goal ever, David Bell's against Shrewsbury, wasn't even on the list!

For logistic's sake I couldn't put every skillful or memorable goal on the list, because there have been dozens. And, as DA says, it's as much about circumstance and emotion as it is skill. Smith's and Duane's goals against K*ttering weren't technically outstanding, yet they would get far more votes than a technically good goal in a lesser game (Wolleaston versus Northwich, last season, for example).

Similarly, Rankine's "noser" (which already has two votes ) would have - I suspect - gotten more votes than Mustafa's., despite the incredible contrast in skill.

In terms of pure "losing it and going mental" my top 3 would be Heggs' vs Leeds, Duane's vs the Scum, then Billy's vs Knobblers - I celebrated all those like my life depended upon it, the pure rush of excitement was a joy to behold and even Sam's vs the Scum drops down the list.

But all time Diamonds goal? Thats what we're being asked to vote for. For the skill involved, for the importance of it and for memorability it must be Paul Hall's at Rochdale surely?? His Cardiff goal was sensational, but the pressure was really on in the semi to get to Cardiff, and the class he showed in slotting that ball away was immense.

Thats my choice from the list above. In terms of teamwork, skill and a blinding finish I could have been tempted by Tarkan's if it were on the list and I still think its a travesty that it wasn't, and than Rankine's was. That was a joke of a goal and does all the other fantastic goals our players have scored an injustice................just my humble opinion of course

I've looked at that Tarkan goal again and marvel at it, I'd forgotten just how good it was, I think nearly every outfield player had a touch didn't they?? I was lucky enough to be there on the night to see it in the flesh and looking at it now I think its right up there with the best we have EVER seen.

[quote="davealbon"]Ah, but this vote isn't for the most skillful Diamonds goal ever, it's for our favourite ever Diamonds goal, based on special circumstance as much as great skill.[quote]

No its not, its for the "all time Diamonds goal", if we're going to call it that it should be a sublime goal, with great skill, teamwork etc etc, not a ball bouncing around drilled in by pure luck cos it dropped nicely to him, no matter how much it made me go mental

Nor should it be a guy scoring with his nose !!!

To be honest I forgot about it, and can't put it into the above list without re-setting the other votes I don't think it will have topped the list, though, so I don't think it's a completely tainted process.

As for Rankine's goal invalidating, or at least undermining the others - I don't necessarily agree. It was a bright point of a pretty dark season, and the manner in which it was scored, and the person who scored it, combined with the timing (120th minute, nearly on the dot) as well as the large number of Diamonds fans present... I didn't vote for it, and, I agree, it wasn't skillful by any account, but it shouldn't be discounted.

A lot fo fans weren't present for Duane's goals, or Hegg's, etc. A last-minute equaliser in a cup final scored by an imfamously hopeless striker surely has to count for something?

I'm not saying it was our all-time goal, and I'd be kind of embaressed if it was voted so, but I don't think it should be discredited because it was scored with a nose! A goal is measured, I think, by what is means to you, personally. Mustafa's was an excellent team goal, but I am willing to bet that it would have got 0 votes. Rankine's already has 4, which I think is a fair enough reward for sending a few hundred of our fans mad

Edit: I do agree, though, Tarkan's should've been included, people should've been given the chance to vote for him. That was a mistake on my part.

Has to be Billy Sharps goal against the wobblers, simply because of how much it meant to the fans, don't think i've ever experienced anything like it in the debanke, when the goal went in.

I wasn't having a go at you ID, just standing up for what I thought was a great team goal, topped by some brilliant individual play - meant a lot to those of us following the team (and there) at the time, Rankine's meant nothing really, not to me anyway, but it is all individual choice.

I don't think I'd grumble about too many of the other selections, just Rankine's and Mustapha's

But without a doubt, the one goal in my memory that got my heart thumping was Heggs', as has already been said, for 11 minutes we dreamed the dream, could we be the first non-league team to knock a Premiership side out of the FA Cup???? Alas we couldn't do it on the night, but by god, we should have when we played them the first time !!