THE ISUZU AND MORE

The Isuzu FA Trophy fourth round tie at home to Stockton Town was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Work will commence this week to ‘Dryject’ the Crown Oil Arena pitch, as confirmed in the Co-Chair’s Christmas message. This is a process which aims to remove water from the playing surface. The club is extremely hopeful that this work will ensure the pitch is in a playable condition by the time we are next in action at home, when we welcome York City in Vanarama National League action on Wednesday 15th January (7.45pm kick-off). Our FA Trophy tie will now be played at Stockton’s MAP Group UK Stadium this coming Wednesday (8th January), with kick-off at 7.45pm. Ticket details will be confirmed on Monday. Any tickets purchased for the original tie will be refunded from Monday 6th January. Supporters who purchased online or with card in-person do not need to contact the club. However, fans who paid cash in-person must visit the club in order to collect their refund.

Rochdale AFC is sited in Greater Manchester, England. The team currently competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English league system. Nicknamed 'The Dale', they have played home matches at Spotland Stadium since 1920 and, until 2019, 

Founded in 1907, Rochdale entered the Lancashire Combination and after securing promotion out of Division Two in 1909–10 they won the Division One title in 1910–11 and 1911–12. They then switched to the Central League, before being invited into the Football League when the Third Division North was created in 1921. The club remained in the division for 47 years but were relegated out of the new nationwide Third Division in 1959. They reached the League Cup final in 1962 and secured promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1968–69. Relegated in 1974, Rochdale remained in the fourth tier for 36 consecutive seasons after unsuccessful play-off campaigns in 2002, 2008 and 2009. The club finally secured promotion in 2009–10 and following relegation in 2012 the club was promoted to the third tier for a third time in 2013–14, but were relegated back to League Two in 2020–21. After 102 years as a Football League club, they were relegated to the National League at the end of the 2022–23 season.

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, with some even derisively calling it "the Rochdale Division". The club has the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921-22 (76th) and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950 (79th). Additionally, the club holds the distinction of having played the most seasons in the EFL without reaching the top two tiers (95 seasons as of 2022–23, when they were relegated to the Natioan League).

The club reached the League Cup Final in 1962. This was the first time a club from the bottom league division had reached the final of a major competition – where they lost to Norwich City.

During its history, the club has had three promotions and four relegations, with promotion coming in 1969 and 2010 and 2014 and relegation in 1959, 1974, 2012 and 2021. The 1959 relegation followed the 1958 restructuring which saw the combination of the two Third Division sections into the Third Division and Fourth Division. In the restructuring, Rochdale managed to secure a spot in the Third Division but was relegated at the end of the season to the now lowest Fourth Division.

From 1907–1999: Rochdale A.F.C. was formed in 1907. After World War One, the Football League was expanded and the club unsuccessfully applied to join. In 1921 Rochdale was recommended to be included in the new Third Division North and played their first League game at home against Accrington Stanley on 27 August 1921, winning 6–3. However, this first season ended with the club at the bottom of the League, having to reapply for membership.

The club reached the Football League Cup Final in 1962. This was the first time a club from the bottom league division had reached the final of a major competition, where they lost to Norwich City 4–0 on aggregate. Rochdale had beaten Southampton Bristol Rovers, Charlton Athletic, York City, and Blackburn Rovers on their route to the final.

The club's first promotion came in 1969, earned by a team largely assembled by manager Bob Stokoe, though it was Stokoe's assistant, Len Richley, who steered Rochdale to promotion after Stokoe moved to Carlisle United. In the early stages of the 1969–70 season, Rochdale topped the Third Division table, sparking hopes of a second successive promotion. The team's form significantly declined around Christmas 1969, however, and a failure to halt the team's decline led to the dismissal of Richley. He was succeeded by Dick Conner, who stabilised the club's form and steered them to a 9th-place finish. The following three seasons saw the club finish in the lower reaches of the Third Division table, narrowly avoiding relegation each time. The board viewed merely surviving in the Third Division as unacceptable and replaced Conner with Walter Joyce for the 1973–74 season. This move failed to pay off, and Rochdale was relegated after a campaign in which they won only 2 of 46 league games.

On January 4th, Rochdale AFC was due to host Stockton Town in the FA Trophy 4th Round tie. On the Stockton Town Club  crest, "Fortitudo et Spes” is the Latin phrase that means "Strength and Hope". They may need it eventually, although the tie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Work will commence this week to ‘Dryject’ the Crown Oil Arena pitch, as confirmed in the Co-Chair’s Christmas message. This is a process which aims to remove water from the playing surface. 

We are extremely hopeful that this work will ensure the pitch is in a playable condition by the time we are next in action at home, when we welcome York City in Vanarama National League action on Wednesday 15 January (7.45pm kick-off). 

The FA Trophy tie will now be played at Stockton’s MAP Group UK Stadium this Wednesday (8th January),with kick-off at 7.45pm. Ticket details will be confirmed on Monday.