Rochdale news

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Rochdale

Main Address:
Spotland Stadium
Willbutts Lane
Rochdale
Lancashire
OL11 5DS

Main Tel No: 01706 644648
Main Fax No: 01706 648466

Tickets Tel No: 01706 644648

Club Founded: 1907

Stadium: Spotland Stadium

Stadium Address: Willbutts Lane, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL11 5DS

Stadium Capacity: 10,249

Team Colours: Blue With White Trim

Rochdale Association Football Club was founded in 1907 following a meeting at the Central Council Office in Fleece Street. The club was accepted to the Manchester League a fortnight after its formation and joined the Lancashire Combination a year later. Two previous attempts had been made to launch an Association Football Club in the town, but Rochdale AFC as we know it was officially launched in 1907.

A View From The HillAfter gaining admittance into the Lancashire Combination the club won the competition in 1911. This led to an application being lodged with The Football League. Herbert Hopkinson probably indignant that Dale received the support of just one club, called for the powers-that-be to expand their numbers and create a Third Division. His proposal was considered but scuppered by countless objections. The failure to gain League Status led the club to apply for a place in the Central League. The request was granted but reversed by the FA due to objections from the Lancashire Combination who claimed Dale's attempt to progress up the ladder should have been made earlier. The fact that most of their members had successfully applied for membership of other divisions may well have been a truer reflection of their protests.

The club's next application to join the game's elite came in March 1919. The League had decided to expand following World War One. Six places were available and while Rochdale gathered more votes than they had attracted on their previous effort - for the record seven clubs were in favour - they were still some way behind the chosen. There was some controversy regarding the decision as admittance did not seem to have been based on performance. All the clubs selected had poorer League records than Rochdale. This latest rebuff led some to call for the winding up of the club. The deflection of large number of players only served to heighten this argument but nevertheless the motion was rejected.

The old main standNine years after Herbert Hopkinson's brainchild of a Third Division, it was finally adopted in 1920. Unfortunately Southern League clubs pushed it through and as a consequence took all the places made available. The notion of allowing Northern and Midlands clubs to form an equivalent division was set to take place a year later. Dale were one of 14 clubs recommended by the Football League Management Committee for acceptance without a vote. Thankfully the proposal was rubber stamped. The first ever Football League opposition came in the shape of Accrington Stanley. That game took place on 27th August 1921 with the game finishing 6-3 in favour of Rochdale. It took a little longer to obtain our first away win. Almost six months to be precise but it came at Lincoln City courtesy of an own goal.

Despite the good start to the season the club still finished bottom of the league and so had to reapply for membership. Survival was granted on that occasion but was so nearly lost a couple of years later. Early in May 1924 Dale narrowly missed out on promotion to the Second Division, but the previous August their place among the game's elite was threatened due to monies owing to a former player who took his grievance to the Football Association. The FA duly expelled Rochdale from their number as a punishment but the club were quickly reinstated when it was shown that the payment due had been sent to the player, but he had not received it as he was on holiday when it arrived.

The mid 1920s saw Dale flurt with promotion but ultimately fall short on each occasion. Each campaign was helped by the fine goalscoring exploits of Albert Whitehurst. In five seasons he scored 117 league goals, 44 in season 1926/27 alone and still a club record. He was helped along the way by playrs such as Anstiss, Ferguson and Hughes.

Following the relative success of the mid to late 20s, the 1930s were poor by comparison. Not until 1939 did the team attain a league finish out of the bottom six and even then it was only 15th place. The teams exploits would have been far worse had it not been for the prolific Jimmy Wynn.

During the war the club played in the Northern Section of the Fooball League but the side changed constantly.

The league was re-formed in 1946 when the team once again played in Division Three North. In the first season the team performed well with Joe Hargreaves and Walter Birch forming the spine of the team. Hargreaves finished the season as top scorer with 23 goals in 30 games. For the next five years or so the team established itself as one of the more capable in the division. Although never achieving promotion they did finish in the top half of the table more often than not with defender Birch eventually making 243 league appearances before being forced to retire through injury.

In 1958, before the Football League decided to scrap its regional structure and create four national divisions, Rochdale had narrowly missed out on promotion. They had never experienced life outside the Third Division North but didn't want to be handicapped by the restructure plans which would see all the teams finishing in the lower half of the northern and southern sectors being placed in the fourth and bottom division. By the middle of March, Dale found themselves breathing down the neck of promotion contenders in fourth place. A huge fixture backlog worked against any chance of Dale going up but a tenth-place finish was good enough to ensure a place in the new-style Third Division. Goal average was the deciding factor on who was placed above and below the lucky line and with Dale the boasting the best record of those with 46 points they therefore went into the 1958/59 season in Division Three.

The old Pearl Street Stand

Dale didn't last long in the restructered Division 3 and were relegated after just one season, finishing bottom of the league with just 8 wins all season.

The club would remain in the league's bottom division for a further decade but whilst plying their trade in this division they did set a piece of Football League history. During the 1961/62 season they reached the final of the League Cup before losing to Norwich City over two legs. On the way they beat Southampton, Doncaster Rovers, Charlton Athletic, York City and Blackburn Rovers.

It wasn't until the 1968/69 season that Dale fans tasted success again, but this time it was the ultimate dream as the club won promotion for the first and only time in its history. Manager Bob Stokoe had overseen a large upheavel in his playing staff prior to the season with the likes of Colin Parry, Joe Ashworth and Vinny Leech bringing a new look to the Dale side. They joined the likes of Reg Jenkins (left), Billy Rudd and Dennis Butler to give the squad a much healthier look to it.

It soon became obvious that the struggles of previous seasons would be put behind the team as they didn't lose any of their opening seven league games. Youth team product Steve Melledew, who later joined Everton, scored in five successive games in the process.

Despite the upturn in fortunes the team wasn't setting the world alight as more often than not they drew games as opposed to winning them. But after Christmas, however, the upturn started to gather pace and when the legendary Reg Jenkins started to find his boots the points soon came flooding Dale's way. In February a bold move by the Rochdale board saw the club invest %u00A35,000 in Newport County striker Tony Buck. Buck instantly struck up a rapport with Jenkins and the two - along with prolific winger Dennis Butler - scored the goals that ultimately propelled Dick Connor's side, who had by now replaced Bob Stokoe who had left to join Carlisle United, to a third place finish. Promotion being secured by a final day 3-0 victory over Southend United.

The team this time lasted five seasons in Division Three before relegation at the end of the 1973/74 season. The team won just twice all season and crods dropped into three figures on more than one occasion.

Steve TaylorDark days followed at Spotland as the team failed to even finish in the top half of the league's basement division for 14 years. Attendances were poor, as you'd imagine, and financial hardship hit home on more than one occasion. The only real highlight from this dark era was when Steve Taylor (left) won the Adidas Golden Boot in 1986 with 25 goals in 45 matches in what was a very poor Dale side.

The club was thrown into turmoil in the mid 80s when comedian Tommy Cannon (of Cannon & Ball fame), protrayed as the club's saviour initially, allegedly caused controversy and uproar in the town when the newlook Board of Directors made a series of decisions deemed not in the best interests of the club. Cannon eventuall resigned in 1988 after an EGM was called by shareholders but behind him he left a whole host of debts.

After much financial rangling the previous Board of Directors were reinstalled and embarked on a crusade to get the goodship Rochdale back in financial safety. After much hardship messrs Kilpatrick, Morris, Lord, Brierley, Hilton and Walkden saved the club from meltdown. They were helped considerably by Rochdale Hornets RLFC buying a 45% share in the ground for an investment of %u00A3400,000. Hornets had sold their Athletics Ground stadium to WM Morrison Supermarkets and their move to the other side of the town ultimately saved the football club from extinction.

The club's finances were boosted further during the 1989/90 season when Terry Dolan's men reached the 5th round of the F.A Cup. The additional prize money and gate revenue helping the club to pay off a large amount of its debts.

Dolan left to join Hull City a few years later (the club winning a large amount of compensation because he was poached) and his replacement was former player Dave Sutton. The larger than life Sutton embarked on a rollercoaster rise at Spotland but his outspoken comments soon attracted publicity, not always good publicity I might add, Rochdale's way.

The confident nature of the former Bolton defender pursuaded the Rochdale Board to pay a club record %u00A380,000 for Scunthorpe's proven hitman Andy Flounders. He joined fellow new recruits Steve Whitehall, Alan Reeves and Jon Bowden as Rochdale started to look forward instead of backwards for a change. Gates increased as Dale played good attacking football but ultimately Sutton's men would always fall short in their quest for promotion. His ridiculous statements eventually became his downfall and he resigned after a 1-0 defeat at Hartlepool United in November 1994. His spell in charge had been a colourful one but his impact at Spotland was there for everyone to see.

The rest of the 90s didn't quite reach the same height but when Steve Parkin replaced Graham Barrow after three dismal seasons at Spotland the expectation levels soon hit new heights. Parkin won his first three games in charge without conceding a goal and the league's youngest manager, 33 at the time, soon started to make a name for himself.

The club splashed out a record %u00A3100,000 on Walsall striker Clive Platt as gate receipts again exceeded expectation but like Sutton before him, Parkin's teams never quite made it to the ultimate goal. They did record the highest league finish for 26 years in May 2001 when they came 8th and SP's sides also set a new club record points haul in both his two full seasons as manager. During this period a new record transfer fee of %u00A3150,000 was splashed out on Stoke City frontman Paul Connor.

In November 2001, after another brilliant start to the season for Parkin's men, the vibrant Dale boss was poached by 1st Division Barnsley. The club was much nearer to Parkin's Worksop home, they offered him a considerably better salary and of course the chance to manage one step away from the Premiership. As it was the club were fighting relegation at the time and Parkin's tenure at Oakwell lasted little over 12 months when he couldn't save them from the dreaded drop.

The Dale board opted for experience in the shape of former Chelsea and Arsenal star John Hollins (right) as the next manager and after inspired signings such as Steve Banks, Lee McEvilly, Paul Simpson and Alan McLoughlin he led Dale to the play-offs for the first time. Make no mistakes about it that Dale were already a good side prior to Hollins arrive as the team lay 2nd in the table but his experience guided the club through some difficult times over the forthcoming months and his appointment, although controversial at the time, proved the correct one.

Unfortunately they failed to reach the Play-Off Final at the Millenium Stadium after losing 5-4 over two legs to Brian Talbot's Rushden & Diamonds.

Hollins left shortly after when he refused to accept terms offered to him for an extended contract and Paul Simpson was the man given the opportunity to manage his first club. With an already decent squad he added what looked decent players in Chris Beech, Lee Hodges and Steve Macauley but expectation levels were too high and Simpson left after just one season in charge. He did lead Dale to a financially welcoming 5th round F.A Cup run, but his team were judged on their performance in the league and he paid the ultimate penalty after a final day of the season defeat at Macclesfield Town.

Alan Buckley replaced Simpson but lasted just four months before the prodigal son Steve Parkin returned for a second spell in charge on New Years Eve 2003. Parkin's return didn't see an immediate upturn in the club's fortunes as they flurted with relegation to non-league football but they eventually escaped courtesy of wins against Leyton Orient and Kidderminster Harriers to keep league football in the town intact.

At the close of the 1999-2000 season the club had contested 3,196 League games over 72 seasons winning 1,056, drawing 810 and losing 1,330. In the process scoring 4,317 goals and conceding 5, 024. These efforts had amassed an aggregate 3,189 points.

Spotland Stadium is the home to Rochdale Football Club. Initially the ground only had one stand - The Main Stand. It was built in 1920 and at one time it was the smallest seated area for spectators in the Football League. It was rebuilt in 1992 and can currently hold over 1800 people. This stand is now sponsored by a local company and is called 'The Motorama Stand'.

DID YOU KNOW?

The club's best start to a season is a relatively modest run of four wins and a draw at the opening of the 1985-86 season. This narrowly beat the sequence of four wins which kicked off the 1927-28 term.

The club have only ever been promoted on one occasion and that came during the 1968/69 season. The club finished third behind Doncaster Rovers and Halifax Town that year but a top three finish was good enough to secure promotion to Division Three. The club spent 5 seasons in Division Three before relegation back into the bottom division at the end of the 1973/74 season.

Reg Jenkins has scored more goals than any other player for Rochdale Football Club. He scored 119 league goals in his 8 years at the club. He was recently voted the club's best ever player by the fans.

Our record league victory was 8-1 and the unlucky recipients that day were Chesterfield. It came in a Third Division North game on 18th December 1926. Albert Whitehurst scored 5 goals that day and 44 goals that season. He still holds the record for most goals scored in a season for the club.

The record defeat was against Tranmere Rovers on 25th December 1931. The supporters had very little festive cheer as they saw their side crash 9-1 against Tranmere Rovers. The club have been beaten by an eight goal margin on another two occasions. Those games were against Wrexham in 1929 and Leyton Orient in 1988. Just a qucik mention for Nick Brierley. The game against Leyton Orient marked the last game he actually missed, and he is currently holding the record for the most consecutive games unbroken.

The highest number of debutants ever to take the field in a first-class game turned out for Dale. When Spotland entertained Carlisle on 27th August 1932, only one of the team had played for the club before.

24,231 supporters watched the game against Notts County during the 1949-50 season. Many people came to see the great Tommy Lawton. That led to record gate receipts at the time of %u00A32,285 9s 6d.
Dale Through The Years

1896-97 Joined Lancashire Combination
1897-98 Joined Lancashire League
1900 Left Lancashire League
1901-02 Rejoined Lancashire League
1903 Lancashire League closed down
1908-09 Rejoined Lancashire Combination in Division 2
1909-10 Promoted to Division 1
1910-11 Lancashire Combination Champions
1911-12 Lancashire Combination Champions
1921-22 Founder member of Football League Division 3 North
1923-24 Football League Division 3 North runner-up
1926-27 Football League Division 3 North runner-up
1939-40 Football League programme abandoned due to outbreak of war
1958-59 Placed in Division 3 upon re-organisation
1959 Relegated to Division 4
1961-62 Football League Cup runner-up
1968-69 Promoted to Division 3
1974 Relegated to Division 4
1992-93 Div 4 scrapped on formation of FA Premiership
2001-02 Play-Off Semi-Finalists - Rushden & Diamonds 2-2 Rochdale,
Rochdale 1-2 Rushden & Diamonds.