Crawley Town Football Club

The 2013-14 campaign was a highly successful one for Rochdale who finished in the automatic promotion spots. Keith Hill’s side won just once in their opening five league matches but then got a great run going as they won six of their next seven games. The form of Ian Henderson and the goals of highly rated Scott Hogan helped propel the Lancastrians to the top of League Two and they sealed their return to League One after just six defeats in the second half of the campaign. 

Now in his second spell as Rochdale manager, Keith Hill returned to Spotland after departing Barnsley. In his first spell between 2006-11 Hill eventually took the club from League Two to League One in 2010 when they finished in third place behind Bournemouth and Notts County. In May 2011, Hill was given permission to speak to Barnsley and moved to the Championship side. He was sacked in December 2012 but soon got back into the game, becoming Rochdale’s chief soon. As a player, Hill represented Blackburn Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Rochdale among others before he ended his career in 2003 at Morecambe. 

Holding just over 10,000 spectators, Rochdale have been playing their home matches at Spotland since 1920. For our first ever visit there in January Crawley supporters will be housed on one side of the Willbutts Lane Stand. This can accommodate a maximum of 1,500 fans. 

Sean McGinty has joined the club on a permanent basis after spending time on loan at Rochdale from Sheffield United last season. A host of players including Ian Henderson, Peter Vincenti, Michael Rose and Brian Barry-Murphy have all agreed to extend their stay at Spotland. Striker Jack Muldoon has arrived from Worksop Town and Matty Done has put pen to paper on a two-year contract at the club. 

Nicky Adams spent time playing for Rochdale prior to 18 months as a Red. Ernie Cooksey had a season at Crawley in 2002-03 before departing for Oldham and then Rochdale, whilst Gary Dicker left Rochdale in January 2014 to sign for Crawley. Strikers John Shaw and Marcus Richardson have represented both sides in their careers – the former joined Crawley on loan from Rochdale in 2009. 

Rochdale are 10/1 with Sky Bet to win promotion from League One in 2014-15.