2nd : 35 years and counting...until now?

By theimps.tk
August 7 2009

Rochdale are one of the names constantly in League Two, but I have a strong feeling that they are about to end their 35 year exile in this division and win promotion. With a good manager and a good squad, they go into the season as my second favourites for promotion.

If there are one team that you can near enough guarantee to be in League Two year upon year, it's Rochdale. Having been relegated 1973/4, Rochdale have yet to gain promotion back to the division above and since then have only finished in the top ten on eight occasions. Last season I had predicted them to win the League, but they never really challenged for automatic promotion.

They started their season with a mixed set of results, winning just once in their opening six games, but only losing twice and they kept going like this until a 6-1 demolition of Chester City reinvigorated their season. From that point onwards they were winning on a fairly regular basis, continuing on their merry way until a relatively comfortable qualification for the Playoffs, although they did suffer heavy defeats at Chesterfield and Bournemouth saw them really struggle to go into the Playoffs on any kind of form.

They faced Gillingham, a team they had only faced on the last day, losing by a 1-0 scoreline. Five days later and Gillingham returned to Spotland and left with the relative advantage of going into the second leg on the back of a goalless draw. Despite having more shots than their hosts, Rochdale fell behind on 13 minutes when Jackson hit home, Dagnall did equalise for Rochdale before Jackson scored the winner in the 58^th minute.

So we go into the new season with the four regular League Two sides still in the division, Rochdale almost more time in this division than Darlington, Lincoln and Macclesfield combined. It's a shame really as despite all their problems with hooliganism outside of the away end after some games, I actually quite like Rochdale and think that the majority of their fans deserve to see a successful side.

Keith Hill is still in charge at Spotland and has won just under half of his games in charge of Dale, winning 57 of the 131 games in charge, losing and drawing a further 37. I still think he is the best "young" manager in the division as he has turned Rochdale from also-rans to one of the most genuine promotion challengers. Infact, some of their own fans have nicknamed them the new-Lincoln as they now consistently make, and subsequently fail in the Playoffs.

Rochdale's squad is fairly decent and they have brought in Jason Kennedy from Darlington after he terrorised them several times for Darlington. Combine him with a lot of other excellent players at Spotland and you could easily be onto a winner. He will join in with Rundle and Toner in the midfield and as seen on many occasions, all three are capable of scoring some stunning goals.

Rochdale's only weakness is themselves really, if they can knock the inconsistency then they'd be laughing and I think they will finally win promotion. They have an excellent manager, an above-average squad and the desire to finally win promotion, hence why I put them at second.