Adam Rundle is the next ex-Dale legend to entertain hospitality diners prior to kick off at the Rochdale v Wealdstone match, below is memories of his time at the Crown Oil Arena.
DOB: 8th July 1984
Dale debut: 5th August 2006 v Walsall home 0-1
Also played for: Darlington, Carlisle United, Dublin City, Mansfield Town, Rotherham United, Chesterfield, Morecambe, Gateshead, Cork City, Whitby Town
Time at Dale: 132 League appearances, 19 goals On 30th June 2006, Rochdale manager Steve Parkin made Adam his first signing of the summer, initially signing a one year deal and was given the number 11 shirt. Under Parkin, he played in few games, but he flourished under the tutelage of new manager Keith Hill, who was appointed in late 2006. The highlight was playing in the League Two play-off final defeat at Wembley, in which he scored an exceptional volleyed goal with his right foot. Adam soon signed an extension to his contract until the end of 2009/10 season before joining Rotherham United on a one month emergency loan making his league debut in a 2–0 win over Lincoln City.
Adam Rundle 2006/7 and 2007/8 by Rochdale AFC FansNet “You can pretty much put Adam Rundle’s 2006/7 season into two halves, the half with Steve Parkin in charge and the half with Keith Hill in half. The initial signs were promising when manager Steve Parkin made all the right noises in the summer of wanting to bring a left winger into the Club and Rundle met all the right criteria, available, young and with plenty still to prove and it started in the right direction. However, as the team’s form continued to suffer, Parkin switched the side’s tactics to 4-3-3 which pretty much meant that there was no place in the squad for him and so it remained until Parkin was replaced by Keith Hill with Rundle’s only outings being for the reserve side but Hill reverted the side back to 4-4-2 and stuck Rundle back in at left wing, and if truth be told, he never looked back from there. There was a slight dip towards the end of January, which saw new recruit Rory Prendergast come in and take the left wing position but it lasted just a couple of games with Rundle making that position his own, showing his best form of the season in the process. He ended the season with five goals to his name and signed a new contract in the Summer of 2007. That form continued into the 2007/8 season, when even Rundle’s biggest critic was forced to admit that Rundle was becoming one of the most crucial players at the Club and that was backed up by statistics as he was one of the leading players in the Division in terms of assists for all Fantasy Football geeks. He developed more and more into a team player and a settled side saw him improve no end. He had decent pace, good vision and the ability to beat his man before putting a cross over, a proper old fashioned winger, which contributed to the successful run to the Division Two Play Off Final, which turned out to be a defeat against Stockport County”