The AFC Rushden & Diamonds chairman will be one of 2,000 fans roaring on the visitors at Burton Albion on Saturday in what he describes as ‘the biggest game in our history’.

That history may not rival some of their illustrious rivals in the competition in terms of length - but it has been a rollercoaster ride nonetheless.

Formed in 2011 after the demise of Rushden & Diamonds, who reached the heady heights of the third tier and twice played in the FA Cup third round before hitting financial troubles, the fan-owned phoenix club hit a crisis of their own in 2022, after which Usher and vice-chairman Alex Raspin stepped up to lead the recovery.

Four years on, Usher was ‘the first person over the barriers’ as fans flooded the Hayden Road pitch following the momentous 2-1 win over Morecambe which booked the Diamonds’ place in the first round proper.

“It was genuinely euphoric,” he said. “We've recently installed a digital scoreboard with a clock, and I almost wished we hadn't because I was watching those seconds tick away. It was pure elation when the whistle went.

“In the two weeks leading up to the game, people had been coming up to congratulate us. That's what people do, they say well done. That day, though, people weren't saying well done. They were saying thank you.

“For me, that's incredibly powerful. I'm just a fan. I put my hand up to help when the club was in crisis and somehow ended up as chairman.

“When you're doing what Alex and I do, you tend to keep your head down and get on with the hard work. The rewards are few and far between.

“But I have realised just how much this club means to so many people. It was humbling, sobering, and it's something that will stay with me forever.”

Usher grew up watching Rushden in their Football League days, when they were bankrolled by Dr Martens supremo Max Griggs, and began his involvement with the reformed outfit as a volunteer, helping with pitch preparations or on the turnstiles.

And it is that community spirit which has come to the fore during their cup run, which started in the extra preliminary round in early August.

“The day before the Morecambe game, around 60 people turned up to help,” he said.

“They were painting, weeding and getting everything ready. Some had taken a day's annual leave to be there. One man came straight from a night shift and spent the entire day helping out.

“There is also a woman whose husband and son have been coming to matches for several years. Over the past year, she'd started attending games herself, although I hadn't even realised it.

“Then I looked around at the game and saw her working voluntarily in the kitchen because she knew we were up against it.

“That's exactly what it's about. Bring people in, make them welcome and help them feel part of the club. They'll naturally get more involved because it becomes their club too.”

The Diamonds, who have this week persuaded 40-year-old striker Billy Sharp to come out of retirement and bolster their attacking options, currently have opportunities to get involved off the field available on the Pitching In Volunteer Hub, which allows users to input their postcode and find roles at non-league clubs nearby.

And ahead of their big trip to Burton, Usher is hoping the spotlight shone by their historic exploits will have a lasting impact.

“It has been a real shot in the arm for us,” he said.

“The great thing about being a fan-owned club is that we know everyone personally. I see our fans in Asda and in the pub. We talk to them, and most of them have my phone number.

“When times are hard, and being chairman of a non-league football club is a genuinely difficult job, those people have your back. They support you and help carry you through.

“I want everyone who wants to be part of this experience to come with us and we're not going just for a day out. The odds are heavily stacked against us, but we're going there to give the best possible account of ourselves. It will be the biggest day in our history.”