Rochdale Relegated

[blue matt]

Rochdale swap places with Wrexham and fall out of the league

they were rivals with us in the dungeon in the early 90's

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Rochdale swap places with Wrexham and fall out of the league

they were rivals with us in the dungeon in the early 90's

That's a shame

Grand old club with great fans who stick by their team despite united and City on their doorstep

[Elwood Blues]

Rochdale swap places with Wrexham and fall out of the league

they were rivals with us in the dungeon in the early 90's

The end of their 102 year stay in the football league

[Cardiff-Cal]

Whenever I hear of Rochdale I think about the fact they spent 36 consecutive seasons in League 2 (aka Div 3/Div 4/The Rochdale Division)

From the mid 70s to 2010.

Mental.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Whenever I hear of Rochdale I think about the fact they spent 36 consecutive seasons in League 2 (aka Div 3/Div 4/The Rochdale Division)

From the mid 70s to 2010.

Mental.

You mean they were never in the second tier of English football ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You mean they were never in the second tier of English football ?

They were in league 2 ....ie the old division 4 , for 36 years ?

Is that what you mean ?

[NYCBlue]

They were in league 2 ....ie the old division 4 , for 36 years ?

Is that what you mean ?

They've never been outside the bottom two divisions.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

I remember going to Spotland in the 70s when City's game away to Bolton was cancelled, just as we arrived outside Burnden Park.
So about 6 coach-loads of us headed to watch Rochdale at home to Darlington.
I have no idea what Rochdale's average attendance was that season , but it was 'swelled' by about 300 City fans on the day.

[Cardiff-Cal]

They were in league 2 ....ie the old division 4 , for 36 years ?

Is that what you mean ?

Yeah. 35 seasons without relegation or promotion, the 36th they got promoted.

[Canton68]

I was there. I think it was Workington they were playing in their last season in the league.

[the other bob wilson]

I bet Rochdale, Bury and Oldham have all played some great derbies against each other down the years in front of big crowds in the Football League. All of them gone now, that's a pretty big part of Greater Manchester without an EFL club now and, sadly, I think Rochdale and Bury face a real struggle to get back - Oldham might be able to given their history over the past thirty odd years, but there's some pretty big clubs in the National League now and I see Scunthorpe have suffered their second successive relegation.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

They've never been outside the bottom two divisions.

I had no idea what he meant

[Cardiff-Cal]

I had no idea what he meant

I read back what I wrote and I can’t see how it would be confusing.

They spent 36 seasons in league 2 without getting promoted or relegated.

I put aka Div 3/Div 4 because in those 36 years (1974-2010) the league changed its name a few times.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I read back what I wrote and I can’t see how it would be confusing.

They spent 36 seasons in league 2 without getting promoted or relegated.

I put aka Div 3/Div 4 because in those 36 years (1974-2010) the league changed its name a few times.

It confused me , mind you it's not hard to do that cc

[Cardiff-Cal]

It confused me , mind you it's not hard to do that cc

In the same time period I think we changed divisions 14 times.

Fair play to any loyal Rochdale fans during that period.

[olderblue]

I bet Rochdale, Bury and Oldham have all played some great derbies against each other down the years in front of big crowds in the Football League. All of them gone now, that's a pretty big part of Greater Manchester without an EFL club now and, sadly, I think Rochdale and Bury face a real struggle to get back - Oldham might be able to given their history over the past thirty odd years, but there's some pretty big clubs in the National League now and I see Scunthorpe have suffered their second successive relegation.

Wasn’t there some talk of them combining to form a new club Manchester North End? or something equally as daft?

It was around the time that Robert Maxwell wanted to unite Oxford, Swindon and Reading and call them Thames Valley Royals?

[logic]

Wasn’t there some talk of them combining to form a new club Manchester North End? or something equally as daft?

It was around the time that Robert Maxwell wanted to unite Oxford, Swindon and Reading and call them Thames Valley Royals?

As much as people hate the idea, there may be some merit to merging. I think there are too many pro clubs in England, competing with each other not just on the pitch but for finances. I'd say that's part of the reason so many are just scraping by, at lower levels happy to exist.

[Rjk]

Wasn’t there some talk of them combining to form a new club Manchester North End? or something equally as daft?

It was around the time that Robert Maxwell wanted to unite Oxford, Swindon and Reading and call them Thames Valley Royals?

Thomas valley royals

[splott parker]

Thomas valley royals

Thames

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Thomas valley royals

Thames Valley Transit

[splott parker]

Played them first game of the season some years ago. Took the kids with us and arrived early at Spotland to find ground staff on stepladders covering up the concession prices above the turnstiles, reasoning with us that we’d most probably have a large following and it was a way of cashing in.

Went for a few beers at the pub nearby, the one with the crown bowling green in the garden. When we got to the turnstiles before the game the old fella taking the money told us to chuck the kids over the turnstile because he was disgusted at the club charging nippers full price. Decent people, sad to see them go, I fear for them.

3-3 draw, if I recall, Tony Bird getting a couple.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

As much as people hate the idea, there may be some merit to merging. I think there are too many pro clubs in England, competing with each other not just on the pitch but for finances. I'd say that's part of the reason so many are just scraping by, at lower levels happy to exist.

The main reason is the greed of the Premier league in taking everything for themselves and throwing scraps to the rest

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Played them first game of the season some years ago. Took the kids with us and arrived early at Spotland to find ground staff on stepladders covering up the concession prices above the turnstiles, reasoning with us that we’d most probably have a large following and it was a way of cashing in.

Went for a few beers at the pub nearby, the one with the crown bowling green in the garden. When we got to the turnstiles before the game the old fella taking the money told us to chuck the kids over the turnstile because he was disgusted at the club charging nippers full price. Decent people, sad to see them go, I fear for them.

3-3 draw, if I recall, Tony Bird getting a couple.

It's very sad

The fans of clubs near to big glory teams I think are the spirit of football

Rochdale , Bury , Stockport , Halifax , Doncaster , Crewe , Tranmere , Chester , Hartlepool , Barnsley , Walsall etc

[J R Hartley]

That's a shame

Grand old club with great fans who stick by their team despite united and City on their doorstep

Oh please. They got some of the worst attendances in the football league and always have.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Oh please. They got some of the worst attendances in the football league and always have.

Why do you think a town with very little success just 8 miles from Manchester United and Manchester City and not far from Liverpool gets such poor crowds ?