Simon joins the long list of ex-Dale legends to make an appearance when Rochdale take on Altrincham in the FA Trophy Quarter Finals. he says he hasn’t been back for ages so is looking forward to a return and hopefully see the lads progress onto the Semi Finals. He spoke of his affection for the Dale and the other Clubs he turned out for during an illustrious career.
DOB: 17th December 1981
Dale debut: 4th February 2006, Oxford United Away 1-1
Last game for Dale: 10th May 2009, Gillingham Away 1-2 (Play Off Semi Final)
Also played for: Sunderland, Notts County, Grimsby Town, Bradford City, Motherwell, Gateshead, Whitby Town
Time at Dale: 112 League appearances, 6 goals
Favourite memories in professional football: I joined my boyhood Club, Sunderland at 15 years old then signing professional terms at 18, which was the dream and following two successive seasons for Sunderland finishing 7th in the Premier League, I was sent out on loan to Notts County to get some valuable League experience during the 2002/3 season. I managed to play 31 games that season in League One, which was invaluable and then returned back to Sunderland following the end of the loan. I only managed to play once for Sunderland the following season which was in the FA Cup at Ipswich Town but this was the dream from being a boy following the Club home and away.
I moved on to Grimsby Town the following season playing 37 games before Rochdale contacted me and took over the remainder of my contract in the January transfer market, making 112 appearances at Rochdale, scoring 6 goals of which 3 of those strangely were scored against my previous club Grimsby. Favourite memory was scoring an over-head kick against my previous team Grimsby a couple of weeks after leaving them but the main highlight was the Play Off Semi Final win on penalties against Darlington and then devastation of losing the Play Off final at Wembley, it wasn’t the result we wanted but an experience I will never forget.
After Rochdale I moved onto Bradford City and was made Club Captain, which was an honour and playing under Stuart McCall, who would then sign me again down the line for Motherwell, where I enjoyed the most successful time of my career, making my debut in the Champions League against Panathinaikos and having two successive second placed finishes in the League behind Celtic and enjoying Europa league games too. This was the best time of my career by far and to go from League Two football to playing in the Champions League is something I will cherish forever.
What are you doing since leaving professional football: I’m now running my own fitness company, this is my 4th year of doing this and training people daily, I’ve always had a passion for fitness so I like passing on experience to others and help with their health and well-being.