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Dale retain hunger for success

3/ 5/2008

ROCHDALE complete a long and tiring League Two campaign when they play host to Shrewsbury at Spotland today – but Keith Hill’s men will need little motivation to pull on the shirt three more times before the month is out.

While Hill and his young squad will be relieved to fulfil the scheduled fixture list, the Dale boss insists everyone is looking forward to their end-of-season bonus – the play-offs.

"Come 5pm we’ll have played 46 league games," said Hill.

"The potential of three play-off games are a bonus for us. It’s the aim of probably every team in the division to get promoted, and while we have not

finished in the top three positions, the play-offs

provide a second chance to a handful of teams.

"We are fortunate to be part of it, but that fortune is borne out of hard work and endeavour both on and off the field from everyone at the club."

Hill’s team selection for this afternoon’s match will take into account the high number of games some of the regular first-teamers have played – and the fact fellow play-off contenders have already started to rest key men.

Look at some of the other teams in the play-offs. Wycombe and Stockport, both made a number of changes in their last game and everyone is now jockeying to have the fittest squad going into the play-offs.

Hill said: "Hopefully the atmosphere for the Shrewsbury game will be a good one. It should be, because this club has not tasted success too often in the past, and what we have achieved in reaching the play-offs is a kind of success. Not many teams in the country get to experience the play-offs and we have earned it through the goals we’ve scored, the clean sheets we’ve kept and the football we’ve played over the last nine months.

"This should be a time to reflect on that and the fact we have such a young squad of players who have performed so well. Sometimes there is no patience in football – but there has got to be.

"Dave Flitcroft and I still have our detractors, that’s the job we’re in. Avram Grant has his detractors at Chelsea, and I don’t understand why.

"We are fully focused on developing a squad of young players because this club is never going to pay out £400,000 for a player.

"We have to find the best players who have fallen out of the tree at other clubs. We don’t entertain fools in this squad – if any find their way in, they are quickly out of the door."

On-loan Peterborough striker Rene Howe has extended his loan deal and will be available throughout the play-offs.

"Rene wants to be part of it because he’s scored goals and been integral to our form of the last few months," said Hill. "We must thank Peterborough for allowing him that chance."

Midfielder Chris Basham is not so lucky, as Hill explained.

"Bash has extended his loan deal, but that only means he will be available for the first play-off leg should we play it on Saturday 10 May.

"That’s the day his deal expires. It’s a real shame and I would liken that to getting a yellow card in a Champions League semi-final and having to miss the final. Paul Scholes, as we saw this week, has another chance at reaching the final and I hope that transpires for Chris."

Meanwhile, Lewis Montrose has gone back to Wigan after picking up an injury.