Next in our line of features looking at new teams joining Pools in League One last term is an outfit that everyone was willing to finally secure promotion - Rochdale.
Who's in charge?
Keith Hill has proved a revelation since taking the managerial reins at Rochdale in December 2006. After stabilising the club in his first few months in charge, he quickly set about building a team that could challenge for promotion. The Bolton-born 41-year-old has a great relationship with the Dale supporters having played 176 times for the Club during a playing career which also saw spells at Blackburn and Plymouth.
Where do they play?
Dale play their home games in the welcoming surroundings of Spotland, which has been vastly improved over the last ten years or so. It always seems to offer a great atmosphere too, though Pools fans will want to forget their last visit when they were beaten in a fiery encounter at the end of the 2006/2007 campaign which dented their challenge for the League Two title.
How did they get here?
After suffering the heartache of two consecutive failed play-off missions, Rochdale sealed promotion automatically last term, finishing third and nine points clear of the chasing pack. It was the first time in 41 years that Dale had managed to negotiate a way out of the basement division and it led to wild celebrations at Spotland.
When did we last meet?
That late season encounter at Spotland in which Andy Monkhouse and Richard Barker were both shown red cards in a 2-0 defeat was the last time we played Rochdale. Their last visit to The Vic was more enjoyable with Darryl Duffy's early goal securing all three points for promotion-hunting Pools. During the 2006/2007 season, Pools also knocked Dale out of the FA Cup in a dour televised replay at The Vic which went to penalties.
CT says...
"It's great to see a club of Rochdale's note coming in to League One for the first time in a long number of years. They have worked extremely hard over the years there and have just failed to make the step up so it's excellent to see them finally do it last season. I've seen quite a bit of them in League Two and although I am sure they will see a difference when they make the step up and their main priority will be to secure survival in League One."
