Where else could we start than with Keith Hicks given he spent 35 years at the club, and still working on Dale stuff even in retirement.
Name: Keith Hicks
DOB: 9th August 1954
Dale debut: Dale 2 Aldershot 0 – 17.08.85
Last game: Dale 1 Crewe 1 – 23.08.86
Also played for: Oldham, Hereford, Mossley, Hyde
Time at Dale: Signed in July 1985, with League debut against Aldershot on 17th August 1985 sustaining an injury that lasted eight weeks before returning for the fixture against Crewe Alexandra on 12th October, ironically the same opponents including David Platt, future England International, the same opponents on 20th August 1986, which saw a pelvic injury that curtailed my professional career.
Had played against Rochdale on many occasions including Rose Bowl for Oldham Athletic at Spotland on 29th July 1972 marking the legendary Reg Jenkins and 1973/4 season again at Rochdale scoring at the Sandy Lane End,
16th February 1974, the season Rochdale were relegated under Walter Joyce, who had played a massive part in my development from apprenticeship to professional football with the Latics.
Had also played for Hereford United, 17th September 1980 again scoring in a 3-0 victory at Edgar Street plus being sent off at Rochdale two weeks later.
My one full season was a strange experience that saw us in eight position in the 4th Division before tailing away dramatically after the FA Cup match against Manchester United to finish up needing a point at Peterborough United on the last game of the season to stay outside the re-election zone, this with a squad including Steve Taylor, Ronnie Moore, Joe Cooke, John Seasman, Shaun Reid and other seasoned footballers.
Favourite memories of playing for Dale: Biggest highlight would have to be playing in that FA Cup 3rd Round match on 9th January against Manchester United after numerous postponements, marking Mark Hughes before being replaced by Jesper Olsen, think we were more than happy to keep the score line down as they had won the FA Cup the season before.
Also, away at Mansfield on 30th November will go down in the memory bank as the match was played on a foggy day 30th with a goal scored by myself witnessed by hardly anyone including Manager Vic Halom, who was quoted “who scored our goal, Hicksey? he never scores” as will the home against Darlington in the FA Cup 1st Round on 16th November when I was credited with an own goal after a back pass from fully 45 yards was missed by David Redfern.
What are you doing now?: Retirement from professional football lead to 33 years involved with the Community Sports Trust on 5th October 1987, employed as Trust Manager but other roles included Centre of Excellence Director, Youth Team Assistant Manager and First Team Scout giving me immense enjoyment and pride in delivering many programme benefiting the many community diverse groups in Rochdale, highlights being seeing the progress of players like Stephen Bywater, Matty Gilks, Jamie Allen, Fabio Tavares plus many others who aome through Community/Academy involvement going on to make big steps in the professional game plus hopefully Ethan Brierley, who is just starting out at Rochdale. Now I have retired from working at the Club, I am getting my hands on helping to launch the Rochdale Former Players Association with also helping out on Saturday home match day activities for the Community Trust run professionally by Siobhan McElhinney.
