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Reply | EGM + statement
at 23:20 20 Feb 2024
Your last two paragraphs are spot on.
“ We've already lost our league status and will likely soon lose our academy. The shares bought by the fans and the trust to save the club could be almost diluted out of existence. Our ground could have zero protection on it. These were the things we were known for as a club.
These motions may be designed to save the club, but I'm wondering what we'd actually have left.”
For me the club will be nothing like we know or recognise if a sale goes through. Fan shareholders will be irrelevant, ownership of the ground is likely to pass to the new owners to do with what they see fit, the Trust will become totally irrelevant and probably not even recognised by the new owners and I also think we will also lose some fans along the way.
Our hopeless chairman may frame this as the only way to save the club, but the cynic in me sees this as more of a way of him trying to ensure he gets as much of his money back as possible than actually putting the club first.
The only thing the Chairman and board have proved in the last 2 years is they haven’t got a clue what they are doing. If they were competent business men they would not have been in the position of having to put large amounts of their own money in each month to keep things running. They should have already made the required adjustments and cut their cloth according to funds available.
If the club is to be sold to some investor to do what they want with and the club as we know it is gone then would administration be any worse for the fans?
If the EGM amendments don’t pass and we go into administration then surely the chairman’s investment will be completely lost and the club is likely to be bought for a pound so why would an investor stump up around £2 million now when they could get it all for a £1 in 6 weeks time?
It seems to me this situation has been inevitable for the last 12 months and turning up to games this season has been like going to visit a terminally ill friend as they slowly slip away.
Whatever the outcome of the EGM and possible subsequent sale the club already feels lost to me and has done for some time. |
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Reply | Match thread v Solihull
at 23:04 17 Feb 2024
Sums up perfectly how I feel right now.
You see no plans to change our fortunes and that is because I genuinely do not believe there are any. It is only going to get worse as you say and I fully expect the club to go into administration before the season is out or in the summer before next season begins. With the current board there is no future it’s as simple as that for me. They have zero chance of fans paying more for season tickets for next season when they can’t even guarantee there will be a club to watch. Today was the point of no return for me personally. I decided I won’t be attending anymore games this season despite having a season ticket. I’m also not willing to spend another penny at the club until the current board has gone. If the club doesn’t survive it will be down to the current board not having a clue what they are doing. |
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Reply | Match thread v Solihull
at 22:41 17 Feb 2024
Probably because they were playing that boring tippy tappy shite! [Post edited 17 Feb 22:50]
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Reply | Club statement
at 12:28 24 Apr 2023
Your first line is exactly how I interpreted the statement and as you say it is transparent and insulting.
It appears our chairman spent so much time in the clouds in his job as a pilot that his head is still up there somewhere because he certainly doesn't appear to be living in the real world if he expects fans to just blindly buy season tickets for next season to watch the same inept boring shite we have had to watch for the last 4 seasons.
I'm now left wondering what the board will they do when the uptake on season tickets is well down and fans/customers start to vote with their feet and not bother attending. I genuinely fear for the future of the club under the current board set up. |
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Reply | Bradford City match thread
at 18:24 15 Apr 2023
Personally I’d accepted we would be relegated at the end of January, just hope it’s not mathematically confirmed at Stockport.
Your point about the current board having a plan for next season in the National League is the key point in this season now for me.
Currently I certainly have no intention of committing any money for a season ticket for next season until I now the plan, the prices , the manager, the players etc. for next season.
For me the footballing decisions made by the board have contributed massively to the situation we are in and it pains me to say it but I don’t have any faith in them making the correct footballing decisions for next season. It’s obvious that they are businessmen who are trying to run the club as a profitable business which is something I don’t think will ever happen. It seems like the actual product of the football on the pitch just seems to be an afterthought. Watching Dale this season has become a chore and not something that is entertaining or enjoyable.
Having left early today when the 3rd goal went in for the first time ever in over 15 years of watching along with actively choosing not to attend the recent Stockport home game despite having a season ticket and being able to attend. I just feel my connection with the club in its current state is weakening weekly.
What happens between now and July is going to be crucial for the club for next season,and for me personally will make up my mind about renewing my season ticket. [Post edited 15 Apr 2023 18:29]
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Reply | Rochdale Football Club 2023/24 - Tough Love - Positivity Thread
at 14:40 27 Mar 2023
The current silence and lack of any meaningful communication from the boardroom makes moving forward difficult for all parties.
To me it currently feels like everything currently associated with the club is very negative and the board seem to have become entrenched in a negative mindset and an almost "them and us" mentality where fans are concerned, which is strange seeing as they are all fans themselves.
I'm sure they will be very quick to communicate with fans when they need money from season tickets sales for next season in the national league, but until then I'm not expecting to hear anything meaningful from them. They certainly don't appear to have any desire to relieve the manager of his duties and that alone raises a lot of questions regarding next season in the fans minds. I also think the lack of communication and constant delaying (volunteer fan army) or changing of things (fan owned club) is definitely going to have a really negative impact on next years season ticket sales which is only likely to make the whole situation worse than it already is.
Whilst the fans and maybe even the trust can try different things to try to bring everyone together with a shared interest, until the club and board are open, honest and pulling in the same direction there isn't much that can really be achieved. |
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Reply | SACK Bentley!
at 14:19 22 Feb 2023
To be fair they don't look like they've trained all season. |
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Reply | Stockport County match
at 00:02 22 Feb 2023
It would definitely address some of the issues we have but I’d have serious doubts if either would even want to be involved with the club in its current state.
The longer this season goes on the more we are looking like Scunthorpe did last season and given their position this season the more concerned I am for us next season in the National League.
Without serious changes on and off the pitch I fear we may slide straight through the National League next season as well. |
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Reply | Stockport County match
at 22:35 21 Feb 2023
This is my thoughts exactly and like you I also chose not to go tonight despite having a season ticket.
I actually doubt I will bother going again until Bentley is sacked. Our league status has already gone and even if he is sacked nobody is going to keep us up with these players.
The problem for me with sacking Bentley is that I have no trust in the board to appoint an adequate replacement as they clearly have no footballing knowledge or expertise. They should rightly be thanked for saving the club, but are clearly businessmen whose focus is on making the club more financially viable, unfortunately this is coming at the cost of the product on the pitch. They need somebody with footballing knowledge to help out and it needs to happen soon.
If Bentley is still in charge for next season the financial issues will only get bigger as I would expect a very significant drop in the number of season ticket holders for national league football. |
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Reply | Stockport County (H) Match Thread
at 11:26 21 Feb 2023
I'd say it's 100% certain O'Donnell won't be fit enough for even a place on the bench tonight.
I'm not certain on the current rules but I actually expected the club to announce the 7 day emergency loan signing of a goalkeeper yesterday to cover for the next 2 games.
As Eastwood is the only fit 1st team keeper surely we must be eligible for the emergency loan? In the circumstances there is no point recalling Brad Kelly as under EFL rules he wouldn't qualify as a 1st team keeper due to lack of appearances so I think the the club should be eligible to bring in another keeper on a 7 day emergency loan.
If we are eligible surely there is a better alternative out there than playing Eastwood?
His performances have been so bad that if we are not eligible for an emergency loan then I would rather see us recall Kelly and play him as I doubt he would be any worse and would benefit from some first team experience with a view to next season in the National League. |
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Reply | Refwatch: Rochdale v Carlisle United
at 10:24 30 Jan 2023
https://www.skysports.com/football/rochdale-vs-carlisle-united/report/468720
I'd say that is a clear intentional elbow that only an inept referee wouldn't give a red card for.
By giving a yellow he is effectively stating he did see the incident, so the fact he deemed it not worthy of a red shows how poor the decision was.
If that incident had happened in a premier league game VAR would have overturned the refs decision to a Red without doubt.
The problem at this level is that a lot of referees / officials are just not good enough and these types of errors happen pretty frequently. Personally I think it is because most of the officials are either just starting out/early in their professional careers and prone to errors due to lack of experience, or they have been refereeing at this level for years because they aren't good enough to go any higher up the leagues. |
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Reply | January Transfer Window
at 23:50 25 Jan 2023
I very much doubt he has had any input and has simply been overridden by the board. Earlier in the season he was very keen to point out that it was the board that sold Charman against his wishes and there was nothing h could do about it as we needed the money.
To me EBJ looks more pissed off and dejected with every passing post match interview.
Personally I’m now thinking that it is likely Brierley will be sold and I am sure this will be against his wishes. I’m also convinced we won’t get anymore than 1 player in if indeed we do get any at all before the window closes. Given are next 2 home games are against Carlisle and Northampton I’m expecting nothing more than 2 heavy defeats followed by EBJ resigning due to be handicapped by the board.
Whatever happens I’m 100% convinced we will be relegated without putting up a real fight and the board will be left with the financial consequences it will bring.
Unfortunately the board are now trying to run the club as a profitable business which it will never be and it is all to the detriment of the product on the pitch.
The long term effects will be relegation to non-league football and even smaller crowds and less money coming in which will only make the situation worse and the product on the pitch will continue to deteriorate. It’s a vicious circle which may well lead to the club ceasing to exist in the not to distant future. |
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Reply | Central League v Bolton
at 14:01 24 Jan 2023
Is it really a strong team?
I can't imagine anymore than 2 or 3 of that lot starting on Saturday and probably around 5 others in their usual positions warming the bench.
With the squad we currently have it's hard to imagine what a strong team line up looks like, and despite the experience on the pitch we are losing at HT yet again.
At least the game ties up the management team and gives a good excuse for another day passing us by without any new signings. |
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Thread | New Kits survey
at 17:24 6 Jan 2023
https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2023/january/survey_23-24kits/
We have the chance to influence the choice of kit colours for next season in the link for both home and away / 3rd shirts.
Particularly liked the question “ If there is no clash should we wear the home strip in away games”? For me this should always be the case and it shows that the club have put a bit of thought into the questions at least.
You’ve got 1 week to have your say so be quick if you want to influence the choices. [Post edited 6 Jan 2023 17:26]
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Reply | Outgoing transfers
at 11:10 20 Dec 2022
January is going to be a very tough month for us to make the changes we require.
For me the only way we can free up wages for new players will be to send most of the loanees back and don't renew Malleys short term deal.
Slicker - waste of a loan use Brad Kelly as the back up keeper.
Seriki - reasonable going forward but can't defend.
Nelson - for me the one loanee who actually looks like he could be a good player, but it seems pretty clearly he isn't going to start any games.
Tulloch - offers nothing, didn't even look good enough up against similar players when we played Liverpools U21's and he wasn't in the game. Personally I can't even see any potential in him.
Unfortunately a chunk of the money saved here is likely going to be needed to attempt to sign Quiqley permanently. If we end up without him for the second half of the season I think we really will be staring down the barrel at relegation.
I definitely can't see anyone in the first team who someone would be willing to pay a fee for in January with the exception of Brierley and possibly Liam Kelly. The problem would be we wouldn't get a realistic value for either which won't help us with recruiting replacements. Wouldn't be surprised to see someone leave though as I think we would accept any offer for any player at the present time.
In the window I'm expecting either an attempt to sign Quigley permanently or alternatively on loan for the remainder of the season. Also think we could end up playing the majority of January without him while it is sorted out a bit like O'Keefe last season.
Lloyd to sign to the end of the season in place of Malley who won't have his short term deal renewed.
I think 2 or 3 of the loanees will be sent back and replaced with further loans hopefully for more experienced players.
With the possible exception of Quigley as mentioned above I can't see us signing anyone permanently unless there are some unattached free agents out there that are worth a short term deal.
The business we do in January is going to need to be done as early as possible and is very likely to either make or break our season. |
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Reply | What do I do on Saturday?
at 10:24 7 Dec 2022
Scraping Ice from the car windscreen at 7:00am this morning with a temperature reading of -2c doesn't bode well for the weekend.
Not sure what temperatures our frost covers can endure to save the pitch but with the forecasts for the next few days showing a high of mainly 1 or 2 degrees during the day and several overnight temperatures of between -3c to -5c with a high of Zero at kick off time on Saturday I think there is a real possibility that the game could well be called off for a frozen pitch.
To be honest with the way we have played in the last 4 games and the lack of quality in the squad currently I wouldn't be too unhappy about a few postponements between now and January as it may benefit us in the long term. [Post edited 7 Dec 2022 10:27]
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