Adam Rundle was the guest of honour at the Rochdale v Wealdstone match entertaining hospitality diners with stories of his time in professional football, below is the script with questions by Martin Culshaw.
Adam Rundle – almost 150 games for the Club scoring 19 goals and was part of the Play Off final team that lost to Stockport County but has the memory of scoring at Wembley Stadium. Please welcome Adam Rundle…..
You started career at Newcastle United, where you came through their academy system but when you didn’t receive a professional contract you joined Darlington. What was that time like for you, being at huge academy like Newcastle to then be told you weren’t going to be offered a professional deal with them? “I was offered a deal at Newcastle United but it was a two year Scholarship. Other players were offered longer like 5 years. My dad was well connected in football back then and he advised me that because they’d only offered me the two years, they would have only used me as a bit part player so we explored other options. To be honest, signing for Darlington at that time was probably the best thing I ever did as it prepared me for what was to come in my 13 year career. On my debut at Lincoln I came on as a substitute and within 5 minutes I’d been knocked unconscious”
Your time at Darlington was when they were at Feethams before they moved to the Darlington Arena. Feethams was a proper football ground wasn’t it? “It was a fantastic proper ground. A bit like here at Rochdale, a proper stadium. I played in some huge stadiums in my 13 years but always preferred the smaller grounds”
After a couple of seasons at Darlington, the scouts started to take note of Adam Rundle and you got a move across country to Carlisle United who paid a rumoured £40k for you. Roddy Collins was the manager who was this big Irish bloke who had links to the Boxing world. He looked scary on the side lines, what was he like to play under? “It was actually £50k they paid for me. Roddy was brilliant. He knew nothing about football and training reflected that!!! He got rid of weights and put in everything to do with boxing. We’d do sparring sessions. I suppose it toughened me up. The make up of the squad was predominantly Irish and they liked to drink, so after training we’d go out on the lash”
Whilst at Carlisle they were relegated from the Football League. They are a big club at lower league levels with a big fan base. What was the feeling like when relegation was confirmed? “Before that we’d got to the LDV vans Trophy final at Wembley under Roddy. We went to London on the Monday before the game on the Saturday and just went on pub crawls every day. By the time the end of the season came around, Paul Simpson had taken over as player manager and he played in my position so I was forced out really as the manager picked himself ahead of me”
After leaving Carlisle you joined up once again with Roddy Collins over in Ireland at Dublin City. Was the football over on the Emerald Isle a lot different to what you’d been used to? “The football wasn’t great. If I’d stayed any length of time in Dublin I wouldn’t have had the career I had as again it was just pub crawls every day which wasn’t for me really”
One of your team-mates in Dublin was former England striker Carlton Palmer and that would pave the way for your next move as when Palmer became manager of Mansfield Town, he made you one of his first signings? “As soon as Carlton showed an interest in me I couldn’t wait to come back to England”
It was whilst you were at Mansfield you fulfilled a boyhood dream of playing at your beloved St James’ Park when Mansfield drew Newcastle in the FA Cup. Can you describe the feeling you got walking out onto the pitch there? “In all of my career, that is the only game I actually remember. I cant really remember any other games that I played in. I faced Alan Shearer who scored that day and broke the goalscoring record. I remember the noise when he scored and it actually made me jump. I couldn’t believe just how loud it actually was. Being such a big Newcastle fan, I almost ran over and celebrated with Shearer! It was the first time I’d been to St James Park and actually looked around the place”
It was Summer 2006 when Steve Parkin made you his first signing of the Summer but games under Steve weren’t as often as you may like and when Parkin was replaced before Christmas, Keith Hill was the manager that seemed to really get the best out of you? “I was the only signing Steve was allowed to make that season. I’d done well in pre-season then on my debut I went to clear a ball away and scuffed it straight to a striker and they scored. Parkin went mad and told me I’d never play for the club again under him again. So really I didn’t want Rochdale to do well at that time as I wanted him to get sacked and when he did, Keith just believed in me. He sat me down and told me what he wanted from me and that I’d play the rest of the season for him”
Why do you think Keith was able to make you a better player? “It wasn’t about him making me a better player but he just believed in me. He gave me confidence even when I had bad games. He played fast attacking football which suited me”
When Keith first took over, Dale were languishing down near the bottom but a great second half to the season saw Dale almost reach the play-offs. What was it that Keith had that meant he did so well for Rochdale? “Again, he just made us all feel confident. He made coming into training enjoyable. He could get the best out of every body”
Your second season here at Spotland saw us reach the Play Off’s and a semi final against your former club in Darlington. We had
Simon Ramsden here last week and we spoke about these games. How much did the crowd here at Spotland help you through that game? “Crowd noise didn’t really bother me that much. I wasn’t a player that listened to it although I did know when supporters were having a go at me. In the game here against Darlington, the away fans had been giving me grief all game so when Ben’s (Muirhead) penalty went in, I thought I’m going giving some back here so I celebrated in front of the away fans and they were angry. We had a few beers after the game, I got a lift to the game so on the way home back to the North East I needed the toilet so we stopped at Wetherby Services. I noticed some coaches and minibuses on the car park so I took my Rochdale tracksuit off and put a hoodie on and put my hood up. I walked into the toilets and a load of Darlington fans recognised me and chased me all over the car park!!! I saw a police van so I thought if I can just get there I’ll be ok. The side door was open on the van so I just jumped in and explained. They got rid of the fans and I was led back to the car and
I got home safely”
The final at Wembley against Stockport was an unbelievable game with Rory McArdle putting Dale in front before Stockport taking control. Just when the game looked to be drifting away, up stepped Adam Rundle with a superb volley. What do you remember about that goal and the feeling knowing you’d just scored at Wembley Stadium? “I don’t actually remember the goal, of course I’ve seen it back and I’ve got the DVD but I don’t remember the moment. It will of course live with me forever and I tell my son about it who’s also into football”
The following season you seemed to drop out of favour and spent time out on loan at Rotherham before returning to Spotland and then having your contract terminated. Can you say what happened at that time? “My best friend was Adam Le Fondre who had left Rochdale so when the chance came to join him at Rotherham I couldn’t wait to go. Keith asked me was it something I was interested in. It wasn’t about leaving Rochdale but more about being with Adam. When I came back from the loan spell, Keith was upset with me, I think because he’s given me the opportunities he had, he felt somehow betrayed by me which looking back I understand so it was inevitable I would leave. In hindsight I shouldn’t have gone but that’s football”
What was your highlight of playing for Rochdale? “Has to be Wembley and scoring in the final”
Best team-mate you ever played with here at Rochdale? “As I say, Adam Le Fondre was my best friend and he was brilliant. I played with the likes of Grant Holt and Glenn Murray but I think the best player, because of how long he played was Gary Jones. Jonah was just a machine. Then to go to Bradford and do it all over again there getting to the League Cup final, he’s got to be the best player I played with here”
Best player you ever faced in your career? “I played against some top players like Dietmar Hamann, he was unbelievable, Alan Shearer was another. But for me Joey Barton. He was so good, I just watched him playing and thought his technical ability was just unreal”
And best Stadium you played at? “Wembley or Newcastle of course”
