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Reply | Saturday Selection - Thoughts?
at 12:50 29 Jul 2026
Not sure on formation, but the ones seen thus far in pre season don't bode well. I know its about fitness etc. but I was expecting last night with it being the final tune up before a competitive cup game vs Tranmere, to see his strongest/expected starting 11.
Waller (Ramming if available)
Moss RB
EEL RCH
Billongo LCH*
Beckwith LB*
Hayes RM
Petitt RCM
Gilmour LCM
Silcott-Duberry LM
East AM
Mani D ST
If Beckwith is injured (looked like that might be the case last night) then Sherring would come in at LCH and Billongo move the LB.
I think East can play that forward attacking midfielder role well, has an eye for goal and finds spaces.
Both EEL and Sherring (may not yet be fully match fit) are fairly slow so Moss and Hayes & Beckwith/Billongo and Silcott-Duberry have to be aware to cover for one another.
I would actually prefer a 3 - 1 - 4 - 2 formation.....
Waller (Ramming if available)
Moss RCH
EEL CH
Beckwith LCH (Billongo if Becks is injured)
Petitt DM
Hayes RM
Edwards RCM
Gilmour LCM
Silcott-Duberry LM
East 10
Mani D ST |
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Reply | I know things take time....
at 10:49 23 Jul 2026
Agree with this, we shouldn't be looking to replace these 9 as it can be clearly seen they made minimal to no impact (Pritchard & Smith aside, but even then both I wouldn't consider the standard of what we now need)
What has me puzzled is the signings of Francis and Bilongo, Francis with a couple of years L1 experience and decent game time under his belt at Exeter and Bilongo with L1 & L2 experience at Bristol Rovers.
Neither dislodged the players in front of them in the NL, so realistically why would this be different in L2. And if somehow they are just far better suited to league football and do become starters this year its surely East or Gilmour missing out for Francis and Beckwith for Bilongo, big calls.
Francis made 13 appearance's from 18 available league games since signing on Feb 10th, but most if not all of these were as a sub. Bilongo signed in January, had 25 league games to go at but featured 3 times (info from Fotmob)
With Francis having worked with Ian Watson previously you'd expect he will feature more and experience wise, again you'd expect he should be able to do a job in L2. Same with Bilongo (to a lesser extent in fairness, and not worked with Watson before)
I get it was McNulty signing these players, not Watson. And maybe the slight tweak in formation/play will mean we see more of the qualities that they must have. We need genuine competition for places to ensure players are performing to keep their places.
McNulty got it right more times than wrong in terms of signings/loans and the impact they made, personally I don't think we saw the best of these two players in the NL and I am hoping they push on more this season as that will be a big bonus. |
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Reply | Good bye Jason and Doney!
at 17:44 17 Jun 2026
Hopefully this draws a line under everything now.
Imagine we'll see the announcement soon that Magnay joins as no.2 and a bit of clarity on other backroom staff (Lillis etc.)
Going off the podcast with Cameron it would appear our faith will still be (and rightly so) put in MRKT, so with the players expected back early July and our first competitive game vs Tranmere on Aug 1st I would like to start seeing some players arriving now. We must surely be close with a couple at least.
Whilst the nucleus of the squad is still good, we need to freshen up, get some new faces in and start fostering that player bonding that served us so well last season, with a never give up attitude.
I thought bringing Taylor & Done in was a masterstroke last year, they both get the club and have at times in both their careers been team mates of Jim's. It's no surprise they have followed him to Stockport and I wish them well. |
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Reply | Jim leaves
at 11:22 5 Jun 2026
What's the wait, why the hold up?
Until confirmed its all rumours, but it does seem more likely than not given the noise everywhere that Jim is off.
So, from our point of view surely a speedy resolution is to get it done, dusted, announced and move on. There was a lot to do (if Jim stayed) in terms of recruitment and maybe a few tactical tweaks to prep us for L2, so a new man (unless from within) would have it harder.
I wonder if Stockport are dragging this out to try and get out of any or as much compensation either for Jim, or any staff Jim is trying to take?
Surely serves us nor them no help in this thing being drawn out. I will be forever grateful to Jim, who served us to the best of his ability for years as a player, always clapped the fans and you sensed he is genuinely one of life's nice guys. And lastly for what he has brought this past two years as our manager, last season will live long in all our memories.
Football waits for nobody though, so if he is going just get him gone and we can then move on. Protracted disruption now is the last thing we need. |
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Reply | What do you think York fans are thinking?
at 16:36 14 Apr 2026
As I remember it (but it is such a long time ago) Dave Penny didn't take to kindly to chopper gate and it was either he or his assistant tried 'pulling it off' in an aggressive manner |
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Reply | Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday
at 22:11 4 Nov 2025
Im far from a pitch expert but, it would seem not many new pitches are laid and bedded in during winter, which if the club decides to go down that route means we are doing it at totally the wrong time of year. 55 days over the summer months is realistic, winter im not so sure. I know we laid a new surface pre Tottenham but this job feels bigger than that.
I dont think the Ogdens are stupid, and no doubt if a total rebuild of the pitch is the route they take there will be cast iron assurances & warranty sort from whichever company/contractor is used.
I just wouldn't necessarily want this to be a rushed project and it not be right. Whatever is done has to solve this issue once and for all. I feel for the board, Jim & the players, this is the last thing they need after what has been an amazing start. How cruel would it be (if it turns out that way) that the home stadium is the opponent that beats us and costs us a crack at automatic.
Whether it's Bury (I hear the points made about the artificial, and I get that & accept it, the City shout is a good one, as is FC Utd, but I can't see any way in which we can stay at Spotland. |
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Reply | Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday
at 15:43 4 Nov 2025
I posted yesterday that it appears to me that the only way of salvaging this season and the excellent start we have made is to move grounds. Yes it wont be San Spotty, but our away from home performances and points tally has been more than decent that we should be ok.
Surely the League have to be asking questions, If I was a NL club official from any team due to play us between now and say March I would be raising concerns, and rightly so.
Then we have our fellow fans, postponements (especially late, last minute) causes ill feeling, we get a reputation for postponing games so away fans may well think 'I'm not going up there for the game to be called off' this loses us money.
Just my opinion, but stop wasting money on this remedial machinery, whatever was mentioned yesterday and do the only sensible thing left and that is move our home games to another venue. This cannot continue as is. |
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Reply | Rochdale v Scunthorpe on Tuesday
at 14:54 3 Nov 2025
Whilst they are clearly trying to help the issues by spending what is obviously not an insignificant amount on this machinery, I think it's time we come to terms with facing the possibility of playing the rest of the season or at least the winter away from Spotland.
Pains me to say it but id approach Bury, local has an artificial pitch and plenty big enough venue to hold NL matches/crowds. Surely the money would come in handy to them, and we may as well use this machinery money on renting out another stadium in my view.
It's clear given the Southend game and tomorrow's game that we're going to be relying on a almost totally dry winter to complete the season, in Rochdale of all places....not going to happen. |
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Reply | Negative and personal
at 14:03 21 Mar 2025
Thing is that if Jim was to change things back to a Beckwith / Hogan / Kingdon defence tomorrow and leave EEL out, then that's an admission he got it wrong on Tuesday. I may be wrong but I don't think I have once seen Jim admit in interview that he got something wrong.
At a time when we were really starting to build some momentum and actually looking really good across the whole team , it now feels like we have gone 3 steps backwards. I fear that if EEL starts, tomorrow its going to put unnecessary pressure on the whole team. Over to you Jim. |
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Reply | Pitch update
at 11:12 4 Jan 2025
That last sentence is what worries me the most and what everyone should be concerned about.
I can accept frozen pitches in winter from time to time, due to not having the luxury of a heated pitch & very little sunlight getting to what's always been the problematic Main stand side.
Then there's the frost covers, how effective are they? Probably making this up but was it a minus 2/3 rating they had when purchased? They are also relatively old now and will have perhaps naturally lost a bit of effectiveness.
Now onto the rain. In the past a sudden 20min downpour has seen games off. The pitch never really draining despite the amount of summer renovation/investment over the years in numerous close seasons.
People can point to the climate in Rochdale, but I won't accept its massively different on average than other teams close to us. Some of which are leagues below us so you'd think would have less resources
available, but have got games on when we haven't.
The Oldham postponement aside I worry that the pitch cannot deal with moderate, even mild rainfall. Between now & seasons end we'll have plenty more rain so this fixture backlog will only get worse you'd think.
Is there a real prospect we'll have to play home games away from Spotland? The league surely won't put up with too many more postponements.
Those in position at the club with the responsibility of getting us through this I don't envy one bit, but it needs dealing with and fast. |
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Reply | Answers to Supporters questions
at 17:15 29 Feb 2024
I think that is a very fair assessment DL, I can't see much if anything being answered that they wont just refer to these answers already given, and they will try to keep it on the pitch football related.
All things considered (and of course there is a week still to go for new information to come to light) I am voting to pass the resolutions next week. It is very apparent its a one way out of this situation were in.
I did check my sock draw too and to my delight found £6.37p!!! There was also a half used packet of chewing gum and a birth certificate we long since thought was lost.
EDIT - Well just noticed the thread about WSH!! So guess now there is a name out there if true, that will be the talk of the town tonight....still glad I checked my sock drawer though  [Post edited 29 Feb 2024 17:19]
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Reply | Poor state of affairs if true
at 21:40 15 Mar 2023
It's fair to say that at present (like in my original post) we have yet to hear anything from the club. Whilst I don't for one minute think we are entitled a response to every accusation levelled at them, I think the board do need to respond to this.
I have absolutely no agenda here other than something I read which (if true) I thought was pretty poor form. We rightly celebrated Cloughie and all he did for the Dale in life, and in death. He like many before him and many after, gave his heart & soul to our great club.
This current board cobbled themselves together and with the help of fans steered the club away from what would only have led to our demise. But impacted on them both financially & emotionally. I don't question their commitment, they saved our club, but at what cost? Are they now just so battle worn/scarred whatever, that all they want is the nearest exit?
Sometimes it's better to say nothing, your dammed if you do & the same if you don't. Unfortunately we're in a situation at present that the board (imo) need to be visual & vocal. Things like this just don't help. |
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Thread | Poor state of affairs if true
at 19:04 15 Mar 2023
Came across this link below on Facebook, I don't usually believe all I read & hear unless from source. But as this was posted by Mr Hicks himself I can only assume (without yet hearing any response from the club) that this is a very shoddy way to treat a long time employee & former player. Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere. I don't know Keith but as long as I've been supporting Dale he has been a stalwart of the community set up.
https://m.facebook.com/story.p |
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Reply | A Moment of Clarity - Is RAFC a Club in Crisis?
at 11:15 22 Feb 2023
A measured response TS, and one in which a lot of sense is made. The irony is in my view that the Board who DID pull us out of the mire through the MH debacle (and paid a pretty penny for the privilege) are the only ones who can stop the slide.
Every game here on in that Bentley remains in charge will just attract more pressure and ill feeling, and with every passing game we edge nearer to the end of season and taking this negativity and dark cloud down with us. Everything at the minute feels like were doing the same thing and expecting a different result....only it never comes.
The board need to act its that simple. Jim has had a go, its not worked out and that's the way it goes sometimes. Do I think Hilly, Askey or anyone else would do a better job? Not sure, impossible to tell, but they couldn't do worse.
Nothing against the bloke but the long and short of it is Jim has to go, and go now for his sake, the clubs sake, the boards sake & ours. If the planning and fightback to tackle next season is to start to take shape, then him going is the first action that needs sorting.
Its up to those now in the boardroom to act. |
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Reply | Incoming signing.....
at 16:46 12 Dec 2022
Given these are the next 3 at home, what in your opinion do we need minimum from the 9 points available?
Id like to say we can win all 3 if we have any intention on staying up, but after the way in which we lost vs a poor Harrogate team I am really unsure if we have more than 4 points in us from the 3 games? Could we even get the 4 points!?!
The board will surely realise that going through the season with this squad as it is brings home the real possibility of relegation, whilst I would never advocate spending more than we have we are in desperate need of clearing some deadwood and getting a few EBJ replacements in.
This Jan will be as important a one for us for many a year. |
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Reply | Swindon Match Thread..
at 10:54 19 Aug 2022
4-1-3-2
O'Donnell
Seriki* EEL Nelson John
Diagouraga
Brierly Ball Odoh
Rodders Hendo
* if Seriki not fit then Swiss if he is fit, or Graham.
I would also like to see Malley on the bench and given 30 mins if he has it in him as Ball seems to tire around the hour mark anyway. Tulloch has done nowt for me at the minute, but perhaps is a victim of the system we have used?
I actually dont believe we have a poor squad and I think the right manager could get a tune out of them. I do see it as a mid table squad, but thats just my opinion. When everyone is fit and we are playing to a style that suits, with the right guy in the dugout I think its game on. |
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Reply | Happy football eve to every Daley!
at 21:52 29 Jul 2022
I'd take that if on offer right now mate. No matter what though it'll be our club that does what it does this season, not some plaything of a fanciful owner. UTD, happy season Mike 👌🻠|
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Thread | Happy football eve to every Daley!
at 20:10 29 Jul 2022
DB can fook off!
Morton House can fook off!
Captain Sabotage can fook off!
Baldilocks can/has fooked off!
I love the start of a new season, full of optimism and the butterflies I had as a kid. No matter what the season may bring, I'm a Daley through & through. UTD âš½ï¸ðŸ‘ŠðŸ‘Œ I should add I'm very drunk but who cares its football time
I'm very drunk on season eve, but c'mon the Dale |
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Reply | Pitch invasions
at 08:45 20 May 2022
Really good point that ED makes here.
There is a definite shift from the euphoria and wanting to celebrate with your own, to a minority (its always a minority who spoil things) who have the sole intention to goad away players / supporters.
What happened to Billy Sharp was disgusting, and the more times it happens there is a chance the fences return which would be a very sad day for football. |
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Reply | Trust update email..
at 10:18 18 May 2022
I think he definitely wanted it passed at EGM. Its likely he would have stayed on and overseen whatever MH, Curran, Rose, Southall et al had in mind for the club.
Whilst staying on and for whatever period of time it'd taken to execute the plan for the club, he was allegedly drawing a 6 figure annual salary and theres every chance that he had agreed a increase to this with the potential new owners.
I think he had 12500 shares, so at £6 each thats £75k whereas if he had hung around for 3 or 4 years on an increased salary he stood to make a lot more than £75k. Even if he had of recieved £10 a share I still believe he would have wanted to stay on, he loved the kudos of his self appointed role.
As many on here have said....all roads lead to Roger and sooner or later it will all come out in the wash, it always does.
The overcoat men are mentioned and rightly so remembered a lot on here for their keeping the club alive through the 80's & 90's. We have the equivilent now in those like RAFCBLUE, JUDD, R17ALE, UTDNFS, DaleTrust and the many others. Now I havent got a name for them, but by god they will be remembered for generations to come as equally an important piece of fabric in our history. |
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