Two minute guide to: Rochdale
We take a look ahead to Port Vale’s Johnstone’s Paints Trophy clash with Rochdale with another of our brief guides to the opposition…
Team news
Despite some calls for Sam Johnson to get more first-team experience, Chris Neal (above) is expected to start in goal for the Valiants. Vale can make up to five changes from the side that took on Bristol City and that could mean that Lee Hughes, Louis Dodds, Richard Duffy, Dan Jones and Jennison Myrie-Williams may all come into contention.
Picking a team is something of a guesswork exercice but here goes…. we reckon it could be Duffy in for Yates; Jones in for Chilvers (Dickinson moves into central defence), Myrie-Williams for Birchall, Dodds for Lines and Hughes for Williamson.
But we’ll probably be miles off…
Possible Vale Starting XI:
Neal
Duffy, Robertson, Dickinson, Jones
Myrie-Williams, Griffith, Lines, Loft
Hughes, Pope
Rochdale striker Scott Hogan is expected to overcome a knock in time but the visitors will be without Peter Cavanagh and striker George Donnelly.
Port Vale’s exclusive betting partner is Betbright and every bet that is placed with them will earn the Valiants money.
To place a bet on this match click on this link:
https://www.betbright.com/portvale
Quotes
“He will be in for the game, but I don’t think he will be in the dug-out. He will go up in the stand, and come down at half time and give his opinion.
– Temporary manager Rob Page
“We are expecting a tough game. Keith has always been competitive and he will make sure they are up for this.”
– Assistant Mark Grew
“The manager showed in the last round that he will make a couple of changes. Now it’s up to Rob Page to decide what he does. But whatever team goes out will be strong because we will be looking to go as far as we can. I am sure Rochdale will make changes as well, but they have been on fire this month so we are expecting a tough game.”
– Chris Neal
History
Last time we met:
The two sides played out a 2-2 draw back in April as Vale came within a hair’s bredth of clinching promotion. A Liam Chilvers‘ own-goal gave the home side the lead only for Tom Pope to equalise. Chilvers looked to have won Vale promotion as he scored with a minute left but there was still enough time for Kennedy to score and Vale would have to wait a while longer for their promotion party.
Overall record:
- Vale wins: 20
- Rochdale wins: 7
- Draws: 23
Last time we…
…defeated Rochdale at home was in 2010. The Vale goals came from our “Richards twins” with Marc and Justin scoring one apiece in a 2-1 win.
Connections
Facing their former club
Louis Dodds and Chris Shuker both had loan spells at Rochdale. With Vale expected to ring the changes, both coould end up facing their former club tonight.
Other players to appear for both sides include Gareth Griffiths Marc Richards (loan spell at Rochdale), Alf Bellis, Kevin Pilkington, Jimmy Greenoff, Harry Anstiss, Paul Marshall (right) , Dean Stokes, Ernie Moss, Chris Pearce, Neil Brisco, Arthur McGarry, Bob Mountford (RIP), Darrell Clarke (holder of the shortest Vale first team career – one minute), Jeff Smith, Will Atkinson, Les Lawrence, Sean McClare, Terry Owen, Syd Goodfellow, Peter Farrell, Winston White, Albert Pearson, Jon Bowden, Ian Griffiths, Jack Prince, Tony Lacey, Gerry Keenan, Steve Taylor, Arnold Bliss, Tom Page, David Carrick and Andy Higgins.
Trivia
“Believe in the sign”…
The club crest is a variant of the arms of the former County Borough of Rochdale.
It shows a sack of wool and a cotton plant, representing the local wool and cotton industries. Around the edge of the shield sit eight martlets (birds). These are taken from the Rochdale family coat of arms . Above the shield are more local industry representations are made by the inclusion of a fleece of wool and the iron centre of an old mill-stone .
A motto below the shield reads; ‘Crede Signo’. Roughly translated this means; ‘Believe in the sign’.
A very brief history…
Rochdale AFC was formed in 1907. Since then they have had just two promotions and three relegations, with promotion coming in 1969 and 2010 and relegation in 1959, 1974 and 2012. Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League’s bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League.