Over 60 former Dale players are enrolled on Dale’s FPA with many returning to the Crown Oil Arena last season as guests of the Club for hospitality appearances. Players such as Shaun Reid, Paul Butler, Gareth Griffiths and many more were invited to be guest speakers in the Club’s 1907 lounge before home matches.
Keith Hicks, former Dale defender and Head of Community Trust for over 30 years is appealing for more of our ex-legends to join up “We have a strong database of former players already but are always on the lookout for more. Those who have been guests of the Club this season have spoken highly of their visits and are eager to return. We are also looking at organising other events such as Sportsman’s Dinner, Golf Days and Re-union Dinners. The Former Player’s Association is a great way to ensure the Club remains connected with those who have served it as well as allowing supporters to reminisce on days gone by”
We are looking to add to our current database!!!!!!!
Any former player who is interested, or if supporters know of someone who may not already be involved, should contact Keith on 07861640958 or email Keith.hicks5@outlook.com.
HOSPITALITY APPEARANCES
The Club is desperate to continue the excellent contribution from ex-players during the 2022/3 season even though we sadly lost our Football League 106 year existence. Previous attenders have been highly commended by Club Officials and diners for of their recollections of experiences and funny stories of happier times here at the Crown Oil Arena:
Mark Stuart – Doncaster Rovers: 1st October 2022
Mark spoke about his time at Dale including this classic “Monday Club” story concerning manager, Mick Docherty “This all started after a good win on the previous Saturday. We came in for training Monday morning and “The Doc” gave us a choice about training or playing 10 pin bowling with a few beers thrown in. Difficult choice, but after much debate the lads decided to try the bowling!!! As usual with them it was never going to be a few beers and as the weeks continued this became a regular thing on Mondays. Unfortunately, as the season progressed, results on the pitch slipped a little but on the upside our bowling average had improved by 40 points over the season, so all was not lost”
Gareth Griffiths – Barrow: 15th October 2022
Gareth gave us memories of his time under Steve Parkin, John Hollins, Paul Simpson and Alan Buckley making 184 league appearances, scoring 14 goals. He spoke of signing in July 2001 and scoring four goals in 41 matches before the massive disappointment of losing Third Division play-off semi-final to Rushden & Diamonds. One of h is favourite stories included a surprise hat-trick against Scarborough in a 4–1 win in the Football League Trophy. Following his retirement from football he began working in the financial services industry plus became a Trustee at the PFA and co-founded Pro Sport Wealth Management LLP-very busy man indeed!!!!
Peter Ward – Gillingham: 18th February 2023
Peter gave an extremely informative twenty minute speech bringing back fantastic memories from great times at Rochdale but according to Peter not too good relating to his infamous miss in front of goal at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup 5th Round tie. During his time at Dale from 1989-91, he made 84 appearances scoring 10 goals but despite a talented midfield player, he will always be remembered for that Crystal Palace miss!!!!!
Paul Jones – Stockport County: 21st February 2023
His memories included playing with fabulous colleagues including Malcolm Brown, David Frain, Chris Beaumont, Dave Sutton, Neil Edmonds, Steve Taylor and not forgetting Danny Bergara, whom he describes as a different but quality manger when he took him to Stockport County. Paul joined Dale after some time out of football after leaving Huddersfield Town making only 14 appearances with his first three matches all victorious, even scoring twice in a home game against Scarborough then celebrated his 600th Football League appearance against Wrexham on the last day of the 1988/9 season.
Andy Thorpe – Swindon Town: 18th March 2023
Andy amused diners with his stories including his start at Dale being Physio for the first team, Youth Team and Reserve games on his own with no assistance doing the warm-ups plus driving the kit van. There were no protein drinks or anything like that and players had to provide their own food. He worked under eight Managers namely Steve Parkin, John Hollins, Paul Simpson, Alan Buckley, Keith Hill, Steve Eyre, John Coleman and Brian Barry-Murphy.
His favourite memories of playing for Dale “The first time we got to Wembley is up there as is getting achieving promotion from League Two, it’s those special times that you live for in football including Manchester United away, Tottenham at home when we scored in the last minute to go to Wembley and the Newcastle United game-but on reflection, I must admit that one of my best experiences here, linked directly to my time as physio involves Chris Dagnall. He had a cruciate ligament injury and needed an operation so I was doing the rehab. With Chris, everything went for him, he was young, naturally fit and strong. He recovered very quickly and after five months he was ready to go and had done two weeks of training with the first team. I think we played Rotherham United and Keith Hill said to me ‘I want him on the bench, because we need to win this game. Is it a risk?’ I don’t know what I was worrying about, there was no need he went on to get a nine minute hat-trick and we won 4-1”
Shaun Reid – Walsall: 7th April 2023
Speaking about his clashes against Wimbledon, he felt they didn’t seem to know what had hit them when they arrived at Spotland, where he felt he had Vinnie Jones under wraps for most of game, he also talked about getting sent off whilst on the stretcher in another match. His view on playing against older brother, Peter, it turns out they did play against each other and had to be separated on a couple of occasions before he left one in on Peter who had to come off injured after about 20 minutes. Shaun finished with recollections of three broken legs, broken ribs, achilles & ankle ligament damage plus the removal of cartilage then the brain haemorrhage when he was managing Warrington Town and how he thought he’d been hit on back of head until he realised something serious had happened. Altogether, it was a fascinating twenty minutes or so about his time at Rochdale, playing 240 game, scoring 14 goals.
Paul Butler – Bradford City: 15th April 2023
Paul recalled being substitute for the first game of the 1990/1 season, being carried off and giving away a penalty before touching the ball in his second match. He went on to establish himself making 158 appearances scoring 10 goals partnering Alan Reeves in the centre of the defence succeeding him as Player of the Year after Reeves transfer. Memories include FA Cup debut marking Billy Whitehurst and playing against Liverpool again in the FA Cup. Once Reevsey left, Paul, far from being lost, stepped into the role of leading man with aplomb and his performances would eventually pave the way to him earning a big money move of his own. Physically imposing and possessing a face that said ‘don’t mess with me’ even when relaxed. His fine form in a mostly poorly performing Rochdale side attracted interest and his expected departure came in the summer of 1996, a few miles down the road to arch rivals, Bury, the destination proving somewhat disappointing to supporters, even though the reported £100,000 fee paid by the Shakers was a welcome boost to the Club”
Wayne Goodison – Tranmere Rovers: 18th April 2023
Wayne spoke of his time at Rochdale during the late 80’s/early 90’s in a team that reached the FA Cup 5th Round for the first time ever using his experience from his spells at Barnsley and Crewe Alexandra to good use seeing him appear in 78 matches, scoring 4 goals. He also spoke of his spells playing in non-league football and current working as an University Lecturer at UCFB, based at the Etihad and Wembley whilst continuing in football co-managing 1874 Northwich.
Lee McEvilly – Sutton United: 29th April 2023
For the last home game of the season against Sutton United, Lee entertained diners prior to kick off of his 3 spells at Dale, where he made 110 appearances, scoring 33 goals. “My memories at Dale are special to me and always will be being my first Professional Club. Fans were fantastic to me even when playing against Rochdale, giving me a great reception, that means a lot to me and always will, that’s why I come back to watch whenever I can”
Matches scheduled for player involvement for 2023:
August
5th Saturday Ebbsfleet United 3.00pm
19th Saturday Eastleigh 3.00pm
26th Saturday Bromley 3.00pm
September
2nd Saturday FC Halifax Town 3.00pm
16th Saturday Barnet 3.00pm
26th Tuesday Chesterfield 7.45pm
30th Saturday Southend United 3.00pm
October
21st Saturday Oldham Athletic 3.00pm
24th Tuesday Gateshead 7.45pm
November
18th Saturday Aldershot Town 3.00pm
21st Tuesday Altrincham 7.45pm
December
16th Saturday York City 3.00pm
26th Tuesday AFC Fylde 3.00pm
CURRY ON UP THE DALE EVENING
The Club had brilliant entertainment from the three legends, Steve Taylor, Nathan Stanton and Lyndon Simmonds, invited to speak at this annual event. Fabulous stories about their time at Rochdale including insights about Vic Halom’s time in charge in the 80’s by Steve, Lyndon’s goal scoring feats that kept Dale in the League at the end of the 1987/8 season plus comical snippets from Nathan about Keith Hill’s exploits including Play Off Final and promotion later in his reign as the most successful Dale manager.
EXILES DAY
Willie Burns, who was booked in to entertain the 40+ Exiles attending the match against Stevenage Town substituting for Darren Ryan brilliantly expressing his view about the events at Burnley, where he was one of two players to be sent off in a famous 1-0 victory and his pass late on at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup to Peter Ward that should have been put away!!!! Talking about the Exiles Day at the Crown Oil Arena, he spoke of his delight in seeing Dale’s first win for quite a while and the reception from the supporters, hopefully he will back again this season.
OBITUARIES
Sadly some of our heroes passed away during 2023, here are a couple of our ex-colleagues:
John Hollins – 14th June 2023
John was the first ever Dale manager to lead the Cub to the Play Offs back in 2001/02, where we lost to Rushden & Diamonds after taking over a month or so later and steering Dale to finishing 5th in Division Three, winning 10 and drawing 10 of the 27 games he was in charge for. John was always willing to chat with supporters and often turned up at the Club’s Centre of Excellence training nights on Wednesdays, where he took time out to coach the juniors but not really sure they could understand his accent.
Wayne Evans – 2nd July 2023
Nicknamed ‘Evo’ by the Dale supporters, the full-back amassed 297 appearances for the Club putting him in eighth spot in our all-time appearance holders list. After beginning his career at Welshpool Town, he joined Walsall where he spent six years before joining Dale in 1999. Almost an ever-present over the next six seasons, Wayne was a key member of the sides that reached the Division Three Play Offs for the first time in 2002 as well as the FA Cup fifth round the following year. His final appearance for the Club came in April 2005, before joining Kidderminster Harriers and later returning to Welshpool.
