Rochdale have now confirmed Jim Bentley as the new manager following the rumours last week.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke, was spot on as he usually is and Bentley joins Dale on a two-year deal.

Jim McNulty had taken temporary charge for three games, including out first point of the season at home to Crawley Town this past weekend. He reverts back to player/coach while Bentley will announce his own assistant manager.

Dale are still currently bottom of the EFL with one point from the opening six games and it obviously goes without saying that a change in fortunes is desperate now at this stage.

Despite having been around for what seems like forever, Jim Bentley has only managed two clubs, Morecambe and AFC Fylde but was dismissed from Fylde, where a certain former director was running things, back in March this year. He was appointed manager of Fylde in 2019 and Fylde won 46 of their 94 games under him, drawing 20 and losing 28 at a win percentage of 49%.

Prior to that, Bentley was a long-serving manager at Morecambe, starting there in 2011 and staying there for the best part of a decade in League Two. A couple of very narrow escapes from relegation aside, Morecambe were pretty much a bottom half/mid-table side under Bentley who will no doubt have had a lower budget than most. He resigned and took over at Fylde while Morecambe were bottom of League Two. Over his lengthy spell there, Morecambe won 123 games from 434 games, drawing 119 and losing 192 at a win percentage of 28%.

Good luck Jim, I think you're going to need it!

Photo: Action Images

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