Name: Reg Jenkins
DOB: 7th October 1938
Dale debut: York City – 22nd August 1964
Last game: Brentford – 24th March 1973
Also played for: Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City, Torquay United
Time at Dale: In 1964, after three seasons on the south west coast playing for the three local clubs, Rochdale enquired about bringing the big forward north. Speaking to the Observer in 2007 Norma Jenkins said: “Reg came home one afternoon and said ‘Rochdale want to sign me, where’s Rochdale?’” Officially Reg was to receive 10 per cent of the £3,000 transfer fee but so keen to get their man an extra added £300 bonus was offered, which went straight on a new washing machine.
He scored a brace in his first game at Spotland and went on to net 25 goals in his first season.
Off the pitch he was regarded as a true gentleman and a great bloke by supporters.
He played a crucial role in the Club’s first promotion in 1969, when Dale finished third with Reg scoring 13 goals that season and even better in Division Three the following year, scoring 20 league goals.
However that was to prove the high point of his time at Rochdale. Over the next couple of seasons he picked up several niggling injuries and was never able to properly recover. Hurried back into the team too quickly he constantly endured setbacks in his attempts to return, pulling muscles as he rushed back without sufficient preparation.
His stats according to Google are 305 appearances, then a record, with 119 goals.
By 1973 Oldham manager, Jimmy Frizzell, made him an offer to be his assistant, but Reg had already secured a plot of land in his home village of Millbrook.
He was given a free transfer by Rochdale, aged 36 and when his best friend’s father started building a house for them, Reg was offered a job driving a lorry on similar wages to the Oldham role.
Reg retired from the professional game and returned home to the South West.
Reg was voted as Rochdale’s greatest ever player by the fans in 2004.
Favourite memories of playing for Dale: According to Norma, Reg described his time at Rochdale as being the best ever with the outstanding memories being the match against Southend United, which ensured promotion to the Third Division plus the previous game away to Halifax Town, which Dale won 1-0.
As for myself (Keith Hicks) I played against Reg in a Rose Bowl encounter for Oldham Athletic, July 1972 and was greeted with “what do you think you are doing young man?” when I gave him the customary late tackle early in the first half. From then on, I was waiting for some kind of retaliation that was the norm in those days but nothing happened, he just gave me a hard time before the final whistle blew.
What are you doing since leaving Dale?: While recuperating from a knee operation in Tenerife, Reg passed away in January 2013 at the age of 74 and a very sad loss to people un and down the country. February 2014, his home-town club, Millbrook, renamed their ground in his honour, the ground formerly known as Mill Park is now officially referred to as Jenkins Park. In October 2016, the Club renovated the main stand to reflect the name change.
