Browse Sections

• Rochdale FC
• Rochdale Hornets
• Local football
• Local cricket

Play-off push best way of bringing punters in

1/ 3/2008

ROCHDALE will look to end a run of four consecutive home defeats today when they take on Chesterfield in front of an anticipated bumper Spotland crowd.

The club will find out this afternoon just how successful the Superfan initiative has been, while manager Keith Hill’s priority will be on a return to winning ways.

Dale are without Tom Kennedy after the left-back collected a fifth yellow card of the campaign in last Saturday’s defeat by Wycombe. Hill has options and with Nathan Stanton likely to come back into the team alongside Rory McArdle in central defence, Marcus Holness is expected to edge it ahead of Nathan D’Laryea.

"We have Nathan D’Laryea, Marcus Holness and David Perkins who can all play left-back, so we have good options there," said Hill.

"Nathan has been unfortunate with the injury he got early in the season after an excellent performance against Stoke City. His recovery was delayed in which time we brought in Marcus and he has performed admirably. Sometimes these situations develop but Nathan will get opportunities, he has been a model professional in his time here."

With scores of potential new supporters and self-exiled fans returning to the fold for today’s game as part of the Superfan scheme, the club hopes to fill the stands around Spotland. But the Dale boss is under no illusion as to what will bring the punters back – a genuine push for promotion.

"There has been a lot of doom and gloom about the place lately, mainly from the ‘told-you-so-supporters’ I spoke of earlier in the week," said the Dale chief. "It comes from tradition and was very prevalent here in my time as a player.

"But when you look back over the course of the season we have lost nine games, which compares very well with the elite in this division.

"We have given a very good account of ourselves and I believe the way to get more supporters through the turnstiles is for us to reach the play offs. If we get bums of seats, we can show them what we are capable of. We are in an excellent position, we’re really enthusiastic and we are not doubting our ability to achieve."

A look at the table this time last year supports Hill’s belief. After 31 games last season Dale were 19th in the standings with 35 points. They are currently 15 points ahead of that mark and when you consider that last season they collected 31 points from their remaining 15 matches, it bodes well for the challenge ahead.

Clean sheets proved the building blocks in those final 15 games – Dale enjoyed nine shut-outs during that run in – and Hill wants a repeat of that, starting today against Chesterfield.

"We saw last week the importance of not conceding a goal," he said. "Once Wycombe were ahead they sat back and defended. We need to get back to clean sheets and we have spoken at length about that this week."

Chesterfield travel to Spotland on the back of a 1-0 victory at home to Brentford – their first win in seven games.

The Spireites are currently eighth in League Two, one place above Dale, although a win today would lift Dale above them with games in hand.

Chesterfield defender Gregor Robertson is certain to miss today’s game after being sidelined for up to a month with a thigh muscle injury. Chesterfield are also sweating on the fitness of top scorer Jack Lester, who has been in a rich vein of form this season, scoring 24 times in all competitions. He has an ankle niggle.

If you can't make it to Spotland, log on to www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk from 2.30pm to read the Observer’s online match coverage as Dale take on Chesterfield – pre-match news, half-time update and full-time verdict.