The day many thought might never happen has finally come to pass. On Saturday, Kettering Town will kick off the new Blue Square Bet Premier season in the former home of their old rivals Rushden & Diamonds.
The Poppies welcome Newport County to Nene Park which, depending on which side of the fence you're on, either marks the start of a bold new era or is just opportunist squatters barging their way into what is your old club's home.
When the idea was first floated of Kettering moving out of their home of 114 years at Rockingham Road and ten miles down the A6, many scoffed at it as a pie in the sky idea that would be discarded as quickly as it was suggested.
Yet at a meeting in June, Poppies fans overwhelmingly voted in favour of upping sticks and relocating to Irthlingborough. The decision was not universally popular though, with the Supporters Trust initially against it and plans to form a Kettering 1872 phoenix club suggested.
That opposition has, for the most part, subsided and the transformation of Nene Park into a home for its new occupiers has been underway for several weeks. Anyone driving past that did not know any better would think Kettering had always played there.
The signs outside proudly inform passers by that this is the home of Kettering Town FC. Inside the ground, the seats in the Airwair Stand that one spelt out "R.D.F.C." now read "K.T.F.C.".
Poppies chairman Imraan Ladak has even confirmed that the Nene Park name will be changed once a sponsor to take over the naming rights has been found. The one concession to the former tenants is that one of the stands will be named after Dale Roberts, the Diamonds goalkeeper who died last year.
Whatever the case, Kettering are there for at least the next 25 years - the length of the lease on the ground. That was the main cause for leaving Rockingham Road behind, where the lease is due to expire in 2013.
They will continue to play youth team games at their old home until that runs out. Proposals to play four or five first team matches there were also mooted, but it remains to be seen whether that transpires.
On the pitch, it has also been a summer of change at Kettering. Morrell Maison has returned for his third spell in charge following the departure of previous boss Marcus Law to Tamworth.
There has also been a large turnover in the squad with Maison making ten new signings, including that of former Real Madrid C team defender Jaime Navarro. Some of them, such as Nathan Koo-Booth, David Bridges and Craig Dobson, have previously turned out for the club.
With around 1,000 season tickets for their first campaign at their new home being sold, a healthy crowd is expected for the visit of Newport. Whatever the result this marks a new era for one group of fans and the definite end to one for another.
