| Quick comment! 17:03 - Apr 12 with 10779 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
Great set of results today......could n't really have gone better.
Up to 5th.......
Topsy -turvy r what. |  | | |  |
| Quick comment! on 21:50 - Apr 12 with 3996 views | rich_dale |
| Quick comment! on 21:43 - Apr 12 by TalkingSutty |
Just listened to McNultys interview, he thinks our performances have been good enough. He wasn't asked about no away wins since last year, or the missing 500 season card holders who can't stomach watching it. It's like none of it really matters and if you just ignore it, nobody will mention it. He can't even admit that some of the performances have been unacceptable. [Post edited 12 Apr 21:45]
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There will never be any searching questions asked. Great win and performance today against a team on the beach by all accounts (am an exile so wasn't there) but the true tests and big games all lie ahead | | | |
| Quick comment! on 21:51 - Apr 12 with 3986 views | 442Dale |
The interviews will remain completely pointless unless there’s an independent interviewer asking questions. Last season there seemed to be other press present more with a variety of questions.
The questions that contain answers approach is doing nothing to give fans a better appreciation of their football club. |  |
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| Quick comment! on 21:59 - Apr 12 with 3927 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 21:50 - Apr 12 by rich_dale |
There will never be any searching questions asked. Great win and performance today against a team on the beach by all accounts (am an exile so wasn't there) but the true tests and big games all lie ahead |
Exactly, credit to McNulty and the players today though, they put a shift in and played some football that you could support. They have a bit of rest now and im hopeful they'll steam into Altrincham next Friday from the start, i thought that would happen against Spennymoor though, so who knows? What Jim deems as good performances is obviously different to what the fans have been watching. As we've seen today though the fans will vote with their feet and it doesn't bode well with season card renewal on the horizon. |  | | |
| Quick comment! on 22:08 - Apr 12 with 3851 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 21:50 - Apr 12 by rich_dale |
There will never be any searching questions asked. Great win and performance today against a team on the beach by all accounts (am an exile so wasn't there) but the true tests and big games all lie ahead |
Exactly, credit to McNulty and the players today though, they put a shift in and played some football that you could support. They have a bit of rest now and im hopeful they'll steam into Altrincham next Friday from the start, i thought that would happen against Spennymoor though, so who knows? What Jim deems as good performances is obviously different to what the fans have been watching. As we've seen today though the fans will vote with their feet and it doesn't bode well with season card renewal on the horizon. We have another big home game on Easter Monday, one that we should be promoting again with a view to attracting a big crowd, its very difficult for the marketing team though when the players perform like they did in the first half last week, nobody wants to watch that rubbish and it's something we've seen regularly with this manager. It's obviously pre-planned and instilled in the players before they leave the dressing room. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 22:25 - Apr 12 with 3777 views | 442Dale |
| Quick comment! on 22:08 - Apr 12 by TalkingSutty |
Exactly, credit to McNulty and the players today though, they put a shift in and played some football that you could support. They have a bit of rest now and im hopeful they'll steam into Altrincham next Friday from the start, i thought that would happen against Spennymoor though, so who knows? What Jim deems as good performances is obviously different to what the fans have been watching. As we've seen today though the fans will vote with their feet and it doesn't bode well with season card renewal on the horizon. We have another big home game on Easter Monday, one that we should be promoting again with a view to attracting a big crowd, its very difficult for the marketing team though when the players perform like they did in the first half last week, nobody wants to watch that rubbish and it's something we've seen regularly with this manager. It's obviously pre-planned and instilled in the players before they leave the dressing room. |
It certainly wasn’t this afternoon. The way we utilised the keeper today was the biggest tactical shift of a season that hasn’t seen enough of that.
We had both TAR and Allarakhia playing the Vincenti role from Barrett’s kicks at various times. It was so refreshing to see. It also helps with EEL in the side as he doesn’t suit passing about at the back and he is good at spotting balls into the forwards.
The training ground might have been an interesting place these last few days. We can only hope they’re looking to perfect it further ahead of Friday rather than revert back to predictability. [Post edited 12 Apr 22:37]
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| Quick comment! on 22:39 - Apr 12 with 3716 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 22:25 - Apr 12 by 442Dale |
It certainly wasn’t this afternoon. The way we utilised the keeper today was the biggest tactical shift of a season that hasn’t seen enough of that.
We had both TAR and Allarakhia playing the Vincenti role from Barrett’s kicks at various times. It was so refreshing to see. It also helps with EEL in the side as he doesn’t suit passing about at the back and he is good at spotting balls into the forwards.
The training ground might have been an interesting place these last few days. We can only hope they’re looking to perfect it further ahead of Friday rather than revert back to predictability. [Post edited 12 Apr 22:37]
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Yes, fingers crossed today wasn't a false dawn. We've seen what works and what doesn't. We can't manage games and try to turn the contest into some sort of tactical chess match played on grass. We give our opponents too much credence when we do that, they don't engage and the game stops, nobody wants to watch it. We have enough talented players to take the game to our opponents in the same way as we did today and beat them on a regular basis. McNulty doesnt seem to want to do that though, why take one pass when you can take five? That seems to be how he derives his pleasure. Anyway, let's see which team turns up next weekend. [Post edited 12 Apr 22:40]
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| Quick comment! on 23:19 - Apr 12 with 3612 views | TVOS1907 |
| Quick comment! on 21:12 - Apr 12 by EllDale |
Today showed how much Tobi was missed last week.
Eastleigh made the mistake of not doing their homework on Tobi and Tarryn.
Once the latter finds himself one on one with the fullback and in a bit of space he can run riot.
Their manager tinkered a bit at halftime and reorganised the defence but BJ made a smart tactical move in swapping the wingbacks. Credit him for that.
Either by design or accident Jim has hit on a potent combination upfront.
Having said both Hendo and Barlow squandered glorious chances which normally you would expect them to bury. If Mitchell had missed those he would have had some stick on here.
Credit the keeper too. I had a bit of a downer on him but he made some decent saves today and his distribution was much better.
As for the gate - it didn’t help that the away following was negligible. Were there 30 of them at the most.
In comparison there were 1400 home fans at Halifax who roundly booed the team off the pitch.
They’ve scored one goal in six games and haven’t had a shot on target for their last two home matches. |
13 in the away end, including Rhys Bennett! |  |
| If you don't know why your posts keep getting downvoted, there's no hope for you. |
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| Quick comment! on 23:30 - Apr 12 with 3578 views | Dalenet |
| Quick comment! on 19:49 - Apr 12 by TalkingSutty |
Nearly 500 season card holders failed to turn up today. We know all about the walking football, constantly passing the ball between defenders, players standing still with their foot on the ball, throwing games away near the end of games and not winning away from home in the league since last year. It's still poor though when you deliberately choose to not support the club. The first half display against Spennymoor did it for me and McNulty, it made my mind up in respect of his suitability to manage our club. He sent his team out to start a game like that in one of the most important games in the clubs history and persevered with it for half of the game with no attempt to change it. We've seen that 'display' numerous times before, he thinks he's managing the game but he's not, he's ruining the afternoon for everybody. So he's cooked his goose with me. It hasn't crossed my mind to stop attending games though and i haven't considered not renewing my season cards in the summer. Managers come and go, so will McNulty. I'd urge everybody to return next week and support the club, sometimes we get a decent performance like today. [Post edited 12 Apr 21:06]
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TS, I think you underestimate just how many season ticket holders live away from Rochdale. We have had at least 4 other home league games before today where the home gate was between 1500-1800, yet no outcry. Its not just a Spennymoor impact. I don't know what the gate was today, but I can understand why people won't spend more to travel to watch the team after last weeks performance. And remember we have had 9 home games in 6 weeks and it is a lot to splash out (even if you are a season ticket holder) if you need to travel.
Of course you could ask why, in a borough of over over 220,000, less than 2,000 turn up to support their team even on a good day. We are ruddy lucky that so many fans are prepared to travel to watch us when most have better quality options on their doorstep. | | | |
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| Quick comment! on 23:34 - Apr 12 with 3557 views | James1980 |
| Quick comment! on 23:30 - Apr 12 by Dalenet |
TS, I think you underestimate just how many season ticket holders live away from Rochdale. We have had at least 4 other home league games before today where the home gate was between 1500-1800, yet no outcry. Its not just a Spennymoor impact. I don't know what the gate was today, but I can understand why people won't spend more to travel to watch the team after last weeks performance. And remember we have had 9 home games in 6 weeks and it is a lot to splash out (even if you are a season ticket holder) if you need to travel.
Of course you could ask why, in a borough of over over 220,000, less than 2,000 turn up to support their team even on a good day. We are ruddy lucky that so many fans are prepared to travel to watch us when most have better quality options on their doorstep. |
Also Easter hols so some might be away on their holibobs | |
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| Quick comment! on 06:27 - Apr 13 with 3239 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 23:30 - Apr 12 by Dalenet |
TS, I think you underestimate just how many season ticket holders live away from Rochdale. We have had at least 4 other home league games before today where the home gate was between 1500-1800, yet no outcry. Its not just a Spennymoor impact. I don't know what the gate was today, but I can understand why people won't spend more to travel to watch the team after last weeks performance. And remember we have had 9 home games in 6 weeks and it is a lot to splash out (even if you are a season ticket holder) if you need to travel.
Of course you could ask why, in a borough of over over 220,000, less than 2,000 turn up to support their team even on a good day. We are ruddy lucky that so many fans are prepared to travel to watch us when most have better quality options on their doorstep. |
Apologies then, i didn't know we've had 4 other league games with attendances between 1500 and 1800. I've been to nearly every game and didn't realise that. Yesterday was a beautiful day, the attendance was worrying, certainly for a Saturday fixture. It's worthy of mention and not an irrelevance. I have a family member who is a season card holder who didn't go because he's sick of the performances and it sounds like others are the same, in fact i know they are.
The manager stated yesterday that performances have been good enough, he's not concerned with them. That in itself should worry everybody, those in the Boardroom watch the games week in week out, what do they think? The manager is fannying the fans and disrespecting them also, his arrogance is off the scale. All he needs to say is performances and results haven't been good enough, we are all aware of that and are working hard to put things right. No away wins since Xmas in the league and he says that performances have been good enough? Try telling that to the fans that traipse all over the country watching them constantly throw points down the drain and spending a fortune in the process. Cameron Ogden watches the games, i think he was at Wealdstone and the Spennymoor game, did he think the performances were good enough? We surrendered the first half against Spennymoor and didn't lay a glove on a part time team, should have been a goal down at half time, did he think that was good enough in one of the biggest games in the clubs history? So no, the performance against Spennymoor wasn't good enough and we lost. It wasn't good enough to win at Woking onTuesday and we lost. So there are two examples just in one week where performances weren't good enough and we lost both games. Who is McNulty trying to kid? I struggle to believe that those who watch week in and week out in the Boardroom believe what the manager is saying, they watch the games like we do.
He never accepts responsibility for anything McNulty, there's always an excuse. He thinks the fans are stupid also, he must do when you listen to his interviews. If the Chairman, Directors, managers and players think the level of performance has been good enough then good luck selling season tickets and increasing attendances because as fans we are used to seeing as lot better than what we're seeing. He was happy with our performance against Spennymoor and everybody else is wrong obviously. We lost twice last week. We need a new manager, one that doesn't try to bullsh*t the supporters because that's what he's doing in these interviews. It sounds as though he's not accountable to anybody at the club and nobody even questions him. Yesterday was some sort of level of performance but we next play a Altrincham team who are on the floor form wise and Fylde who might be relegated by next Friday. Anything can happen though because there's no consistency in performance apart from the results away from home, we can't win games on our travels. One win in our last ten away league games, none in our last eight and the manager thinks performances are good enough. The fact he doesn't even mentiion our away form or is questioned about it is also ridiculous..another example of him shunning responsibility. How does the manager justify that Greg? Anyway, this week is a chance for a reset, a chance to win away from home and hit some winning form to take into the play offs. Missing fans need to return and together we need to attack the remaining fixtures head on, no messing about and no excuses. I still have faith in the players, they need to be unshackled from the stuff we've had to watch and given a licence to go out and express themselves. [Post edited 13 Apr 9:08]
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| Quick comment! on 08:54 - Apr 13 with 2944 views | meeee |
All of our sub 2,000 attendances this season have been on Tuesday nights. Yesterday was our first Saturday 3pm kick-off to dip below 2,000 since we dropped into non-league and I don't think it's a coincidence that it came off the back of that dreadful performance last weekend |  | | |
| Quick comment! on 09:20 - Apr 13 with 2838 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 08:54 - Apr 13 by meeee |
All of our sub 2,000 attendances this season have been on Tuesday nights. Yesterday was our first Saturday 3pm kick-off to dip below 2,000 since we dropped into non-league and I don't think it's a coincidence that it came off the back of that dreadful performance last weekend |
The most damaging defeat in the history of the club that i think. A chance to attract sponsorship, investment, enthuse the whole of the Town. A chance for the Ogden family to use Wembley as a platform to network with business partners. A chance to lift our first ever silverware at Wembley stadium. A chance to showcase the club and sell more seaon cards to kick start project 5000. What happened on the day was inexcusable, especially that first half performance, what a ridiculous way to approach a game of football at home to part time opponents and dont let the manager kid you that it was a one off poor 45 minutes because it wasn't, we all know that. Losing our league status against Stockport was bad but that was a culmination of previous results and performances. Last Saturday was worse than that, yet a week later McNulty has the audacity to publicly state that he's been pleased with performances. It's a insult to the supporters that.
All of the above is bad news but we do have a big opportunity to retrieve a lot of those losses in the remaining fixtures, a play off place and a Wembley final is still very achievable. Unfortunately though I'm not sure the manager has even recognised that, he'll view it as a unnecessary pressure and expectation that he and the players don't need. What happened against Spennymoor should be at the forefront of every team talk he conducts between now and the end of the season. The players should now use that feeling of disappointment as fuel every time they take to the pitch, it should become the mantra in the pre- match huddle..they're not going to feel it again. It's a chance now for redemption and a chance to go to Wembley and succeed. As i say, though i doubt it's even registered with him and probably those in the Boardroom. They'll instead pretend it never happened instead of turning the negative into a season defining positive. I hope i'm proved wrong and the manager and players can show that they can handle the big games for a change. We can only hope. [Post edited 13 Apr 10:01]
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| Quick comment! on 09:21 - Apr 13 with 2830 views | EllDale |
I think it’s wrong to mention that there are 220k living in Rochdale because that includes Middleton and large former Manchester overspill areas in Heywood where they’ve never heard of Dale and probably swear allegiance to City or United or perhaps even Bury or Oldham.
The old borough area of Rochdale has a population of around 100k.
Having said that it’s still not a large percentage going to Spotland regularly.
It probably explains why the council are reluctant to help too. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 09:47 - Apr 13 with 2707 views | Dale_4_Life |
Well done to Jim and the Team a perfect response at the perfect time.
Front foot attack minded Dale could have had 5 / 6 goals yesterday.
Onwards now to a huge Easter weekend and a chance to get that first away league win in 2025.
Up the Dale. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 10:46 - Apr 13 with 2566 views | Drigdale |
After what has happened recently yesterday was the tonic we needed.
The football was so much better. There was less sideways passing, more attacking intent and some proper old style defending. We looked so much better for it all.
Some great individual performances, Edwards is a real find. Where has he been all season?
Fingers crossed this carries on for the remaining games, if it does it gives us some hope.
PS I only counted 11 in the away end. All credit to them for making the long journey. It was a bit funny at the end though when the Eastleigh players came over at the end of the match to applaud them. 9 fans had made a quick exit and the other 2 didn't notice the players | | | |
| Quick comment! on 11:04 - Apr 13 with 2504 views | 49thseason |
We haven't had a season average crowd of over 4000 since 1971-72 and the last time it was over 5000 was 1957-58!
In those days there were only 2 tv channels and no televised football until 1964, most people didnt own a car and shopped at their local grocers and green grocers..The world has changed significantly and shopping and entertainment habits have also changed.
Is a season ticket too much of a commitment?
Could we attract different supporters on Tuesdays than Saturdays and vice versa?
Man Utd have just imposed a 70% increase on some of their supporters STs , is this an opportunity for us?
Are we mining for new supporters in areas like Ramsbottoml, Shaw, Whitworth, Edenfield, Todmorden, etc? Could pricing be geographically targeted?
What about sales to businesses as employee incentives?
How about giving tickets to estate agents as freebies for people who move into the area?
We have been over a lot of this stuff countless times but I am not convinced there has ever been a consistent campaign devised that delivered long term attendances
Its simply not enough to chuck a free ticket at someone occasionally, there has to be
engagement at the game, follow up, another offer, and keep doing it. Its persistence that wins in the end...
But we do also need a team that entertains, scores goals, has character and a will to win. No one went to the Colosseum to see play-fights and artificial blood and guts..Being top of the fair play league does not attract new or old customers.. |  | | |
| Quick comment! on 11:37 - Apr 13 with 2394 views | TVOS1907 |
| Quick comment! on 11:04 - Apr 13 by 49thseason |
We haven't had a season average crowd of over 4000 since 1971-72 and the last time it was over 5000 was 1957-58!
In those days there were only 2 tv channels and no televised football until 1964, most people didnt own a car and shopped at their local grocers and green grocers..The world has changed significantly and shopping and entertainment habits have also changed.
Is a season ticket too much of a commitment?
Could we attract different supporters on Tuesdays than Saturdays and vice versa?
Man Utd have just imposed a 70% increase on some of their supporters STs , is this an opportunity for us?
Are we mining for new supporters in areas like Ramsbottoml, Shaw, Whitworth, Edenfield, Todmorden, etc? Could pricing be geographically targeted?
What about sales to businesses as employee incentives?
How about giving tickets to estate agents as freebies for people who move into the area?
We have been over a lot of this stuff countless times but I am not convinced there has ever been a consistent campaign devised that delivered long term attendances
Its simply not enough to chuck a free ticket at someone occasionally, there has to be
engagement at the game, follow up, another offer, and keep doing it. Its persistence that wins in the end...
But we do also need a team that entertains, scores goals, has character and a will to win. No one went to the Colosseum to see play-fights and artificial blood and guts..Being top of the fair play league does not attract new or old customers.. |
Are you going to raise all those ideas at the CAB?
Please feed back to us on how it goes. | |
| If you don't know why your posts keep getting downvoted, there's no hope for you. |
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| Quick comment! on 12:35 - Apr 13 with 2248 views | pioneer |
| Quick comment! on 11:04 - Apr 13 by 49thseason |
We haven't had a season average crowd of over 4000 since 1971-72 and the last time it was over 5000 was 1957-58!
In those days there were only 2 tv channels and no televised football until 1964, most people didnt own a car and shopped at their local grocers and green grocers..The world has changed significantly and shopping and entertainment habits have also changed.
Is a season ticket too much of a commitment?
Could we attract different supporters on Tuesdays than Saturdays and vice versa?
Man Utd have just imposed a 70% increase on some of their supporters STs , is this an opportunity for us?
Are we mining for new supporters in areas like Ramsbottoml, Shaw, Whitworth, Edenfield, Todmorden, etc? Could pricing be geographically targeted?
What about sales to businesses as employee incentives?
How about giving tickets to estate agents as freebies for people who move into the area?
We have been over a lot of this stuff countless times but I am not convinced there has ever been a consistent campaign devised that delivered long term attendances
Its simply not enough to chuck a free ticket at someone occasionally, there has to be
engagement at the game, follow up, another offer, and keep doing it. Its persistence that wins in the end...
But we do also need a team that entertains, scores goals, has character and a will to win. No one went to the Colosseum to see play-fights and artificial blood and guts..Being top of the fair play league does not attract new or old customers.. |
Average attendance was over 6000 in 1969-70 season and over 5000 in the 68-9 promotion season. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 12:39 - Apr 13 with 2234 views | TVOS1907 |
| Quick comment! on 12:35 - Apr 13 by pioneer |
Average attendance was over 6000 in 1969-70 season and over 5000 in the 68-9 promotion season. |
Yep, 6109 in 1969/70 and 5399 in 1968/69 | |
| If you don't know why your posts keep getting downvoted, there's no hope for you. |
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| Quick comment! on 16:10 - Apr 13 with 1842 views | Duckegg |
Eastleigh provided the perfect opposition for Dale in which they played and you could hear their manager having a ago aswell...
Even though Dale won 4-0 the score just papers over the problems, lack of movement at times when the keeper or a defender is looking for a through and it just ends up being played left to right and back again the two wide men played well enough.
When Mitchell came on was poor, he jumped up to try and head the ball but it was like his boots where made of concrete and his touch is very poor aswell.
Corey Edwards played really well and made his presence known to which Eastleigh player was close by.
Nice to see Henderson get as much time has he did.. |  | | |
| Quick comment! on 20:41 - Apr 13 with 1502 views | 442Dale |
| Quick comment! on 11:37 - Apr 13 by TVOS1907 |
Are you going to raise all those ideas at the CAB?
Please feed back to us on how it goes. |
When it comes to winning at Spotland and scoring goals it’s worth looking at our home form from Keith Hill’s first full season to present:
L2
07/08 37 points (37 goals)
08/09 39 (40)
09/10 45 (45)
L1
10/11 35 (36)
11/12 26 (30)
L2
12/13 32 (33)
13/14 48 (42)
L1
14/15 36 (36)
15/16 42 (41)
16/17 46 (48)
17/18 30 (24)
18/19 28 (25)
19/20 19 (19) only 16 home games due to Covid.
20/21 21 (27)
L2
21/22 32 (28)
22/23 20 (29)
NL
23/24 35 (37)
24/25 39 (38) after 21 games.
So we are currently on track to have the 5th best home campaign in that period in terms of points gained. There are, at the moment, five other seasons where we have scored more than the 39 goals we currently have with two more games still to play.
A very astute observer correctly pointed out there is a lot of context to where we stand in the table; there’s no dispute that this also applies with respect to stats like these. Nobody will argue that we have indeed seen a lot of games at Spotland that have been a hard watch and the away form has been undeniably poor in 2025.
However, in a sport where results matter, they so frequently determine mood of course, and where many rightly point to goalscoring being the number one priority, this current team is doing quite well at home.
(TVOS stat corrections accepted) | |
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| Quick comment! on 01:02 - Apr 14 with 1226 views | pioneer |
| Quick comment! on 20:41 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
When it comes to winning at Spotland and scoring goals it’s worth looking at our home form from Keith Hill’s first full season to present:
L2
07/08 37 points (37 goals)
08/09 39 (40)
09/10 45 (45)
L1
10/11 35 (36)
11/12 26 (30)
L2
12/13 32 (33)
13/14 48 (42)
L1
14/15 36 (36)
15/16 42 (41)
16/17 46 (48)
17/18 30 (24)
18/19 28 (25)
19/20 19 (19) only 16 home games due to Covid.
20/21 21 (27)
L2
21/22 32 (28)
22/23 20 (29)
NL
23/24 35 (37)
24/25 39 (38) after 21 games.
So we are currently on track to have the 5th best home campaign in that period in terms of points gained. There are, at the moment, five other seasons where we have scored more than the 39 goals we currently have with two more games still to play.
A very astute observer correctly pointed out there is a lot of context to where we stand in the table; there’s no dispute that this also applies with respect to stats like these. Nobody will argue that we have indeed seen a lot of games at Spotland that have been a hard watch and the away form has been undeniably poor in 2025.
However, in a sport where results matter, they so frequently determine mood of course, and where many rightly point to goalscoring being the number one priority, this current team is doing quite well at home.
(TVOS stat corrections accepted) |
lies, damned lies, statistics and possible lapsed season ticket holders.
Perhaps some expect better records in a lower standard of football. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 08:44 - Apr 14 with 969 views | 442Dale |
| Quick comment! on 01:02 - Apr 14 by pioneer |
lies, damned lies, statistics and possible lapsed season ticket holders.
Perhaps some expect better records in a lower standard of football. |
Which is why there was specific mention of context. | |
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| Quick comment! on 09:09 - Apr 14 with 899 views | Dalenet |
| Quick comment! on 08:54 - Apr 13 by meeee |
All of our sub 2,000 attendances this season have been on Tuesday nights. Yesterday was our first Saturday 3pm kick-off to dip below 2,000 since we dropped into non-league and I don't think it's a coincidence that it came off the back of that dreadful performance last weekend |
Very true. But it reinforces my point perfectly. Season Ticket holders that live away from Rochdale find it hard to get to Tuesday evening games especially if they have a job. I know I do. We should be pleased we have so many season card holders that are still prepared to support their home town club, despite having to put up with some pretty poor performances over the past 5 years. I am not sure how we compare with other clubs, and it might be the norm, but if I am right and we have c400-500 season card holders that have to travel to Rochdale to watch games, we shouldn't be surprised when they can't get there. | | | |
| Quick comment! on 09:15 - Apr 14 with 887 views | TalkingSutty |
| Quick comment! on 08:44 - Apr 14 by 442Dale |
Which is why there was specific mention of context. |
You're right to mention context, some of the football we've have to watch under the current manager is bordering on unwatchable. You can try to use context to explain why this keeps happening, the sort of first half performance against Spennymoor is what I'm talking about. That's not a isolated example, just when you think a corner has been turned it rears it's ugly head again..walking football, foot on the ball, defenders constantly passing it around between themselves, first instinct to pass it backwards, eventually funnel it back to the keeper, long kick from keeper straight through to the opposition keeper or out of play. That's on rinse and repeat and it's a performance that invariably turns up when it's a game with something riding on it. It lacks courage and bravery and is absolute garbage to watch and kills the atmosphere in the ground. We saw it last weekend. Context can be used to explain historical managerial performances and styles of football but it also needs to be balanced alongside the budget which was available to the manager at the time and our standing in the pyramid. This what we are seeing under McNulty isn't acceptable, when you bear in mind the level we are now playing, some of these performances are the worst I've ever seen and I blame the manager because he's working with a decent budget and has a squad of players that don't need to be throwing in performances like that. They're playing under instruction from him, they must be because as he said in his last interview he's happy with the level of performance.
Irrespective of our league position, i still think he's failed to get the best out of the players this season and that's because of the negativity in how we've been set up in games and also how we've taken a step back and tried to manage game in the second half, in particular away from home. The amount of points we've thrown away, the poor teams in this league that we've dropped points against, the games against Ebsfleet, the cup game against Bromley, Spennymoor, Wealdstone etc etc...Putting everything in context i think this season is one of missed opportunities. We should have won the FA Trophy and been finishing in the top three of the league had the manager simplified our game and been more positive like we saw on Saturday. He can still retrieve it but we know what the manager does when there's a bit of pressure on a game. He won't change and that's what worries me about next season. It's not a football experiment this, give the players their head and let them play and express themselves, we can beat anybody in this league if that's what they are allowed to do. [Post edited 14 Apr 9:41]
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