Rochdale AFC relegated for first time in over a hundred years

Report by ITV Granada sports correspondent Chris Hall

It was a dark day in the history of Rochdale AFC as they were relegated from the Football League for the first time in 102 years.

Rochdale have been ever-present in the league since 1921, but after losing to Stockport County on Saturday 22 April that proud record came to an end, to the bitter disappointment of their supporters.

Simon Gauge, Chairman of Rochdale AFC, said: “We’re extremely sorry that we’ve dropped out of the league, and feel the hurt but we’re here as a football club, we still exist, we haven’t gone bang and we live to fight another day. 

“One thing is for optimism, we are starting probably as one of the top six clubs in that league (National League) rather than one of the bottom six clubs (in League Two).”

However, if Rochdale don’t climb back up to League Two at the first attempt, they face a drop in revenue of nearly £1million. Which is a worry for a club which is already losing a million pounds a year. 

“Budgets will have to be cut, to try and minimise that loss but we face the same challenges in the National League," added Gauge.

"We need to go on cup runs, we need to produce players which our academy is brilliant at doing and sell them on. 

“We need to make sure that the decline on the pitch doesn’t continue and we have a really good season next year when we are challenging for trophies and winning the National League and getting back into the Football League.”

However, fans think they need investment and don’t think things will get better anytime soon.

Ben Midlane, Co-host of ‘All Dale Aren’t We’ podcast, said : “I think most fans realistically are worried, I think we will go further, maybe the bottom end of the National League before it gets positive again. 

“I think we’re really crying out for some outside investment, which would be a massive help and put some funds back into the club, we really are struggling…realistically a lot of fans are worried for the future of the club.

“It’ll get a lot worse before it gets better.”

For other teams, finding new owners led them to promotion. 

For their opposition, Stockport, they moved up from the National League into League Two following new ownership and League One isn’t a far-off possibility for them next season. 

Hollywood favourites Wrexham have been another example where new owners have spurred the team on and led them to promotion into League Two after being relegated in the early 2000s.

The chairman continued: “Inevitably, we need investment in the club, there needs to be investment in a controlled way that puts supporters first.

“A little more investment in the playing team will make the job of getting back easier. 

“There’s plenty of examples of teams that have come up without having the biggest budget in that league as well.

“Speaking to investors now, especially from abroad, the National League is a lot more famous than League Two, that is the Wrexham effect. 

“An opportunity for the rest of us I guess, to fill the void that they are now going to leave in that National League.”

Two years ago, Rochdale were a League One club who won promotion twice since 2010 and were one of the first clubs to play in the League Cup final.

However, now the team must worry about getting back to where they once were.

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