Club History

ROCHDALIANS FC

CLUB HISTORY

OLD ROCHDALIANS 1968-69 TO 1980-81

FOX INN / DALE JOINERY 1981-82 TO 1986-87

DALE JOINERY 1987-88 TO 1992-93

ALEXANDER DREW 1993-99

ROCHDALIANS 1999 TO PRESENT DATE.

THE FOOTBALL CLUB WAS FOUNDED IN 1968/69 WHEN GRAHAM DANGERFIELD PERSUADED THE OLD ROCHDALIANS RUGBY CLUB COMMITTEE TO ALLOW A FOOTBALL SECTION TO BE CREATED. HE TOOK A GROUP OF 16/17-YEAR OLD STUDENTS UP TO RAKEWOOD TO FORM THE FIRST TEAM. A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED AND THE FOUNDERMEMBERS WERE GORDON HEDGES (FIRST CHAIRMAN ANDPRESIDENT), DAVE HOWARTH (FIRST SECRETERY) HARRY HOLLAND (FIRST TREASURER) AND GRAHAM DANGERFIELD (FIRST MANAGER). ALAN TRIPPIER SOON JOINED THE COMMITTEE AND LATER BECAME THE SECOND CLUB SECRETARY. WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS PETER CHADWICK AND COLIN WILD JOINED THE COMMITTEE AND MANAGED THE TEAMS IN THE EARLY YEARS.

IN THE EARLY 1970’S ROBIN TWEEDALE BECAME SECRETARY AND WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE CLUB FOR MANY YEARS, INCLUDING MANAGING THE FIRST TEAM, UNTIL HE STEPPED DOWN IN 1983 AND MARK WILSON TOOK OVER THE REAINS AS CLUB SECRETARY.

OTHER LONG SERVING COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDE DOROTHY HARGREAVES, WHO RETIRED AT THE END OF THE1999 SEASON AFTER SERVING THE CLUB FOR TWENTY-ONE YEARS, MANY AS CLUB CHAIRMAN. COLIN WILD HAS GIVIN 38 YEARS SERVICE AND IS CURRENTLY CLUB PRESIDENT. DEREK WILSON ALSO SERVED FOR NINETEEN YEARS. A SPECIAL MENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO HARRY HOLLAND WHO IS THE ONLY FOUNDER MEMBER STILL ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE RUNNING OF THE CLUB. HE IS STILL THE CLUB TREASURER.

SATURDAY HISTORY

THE FIRST OLD ROCHDALIANS FOOTBALL TEAM ENTERED THE ROCHDALE SUNDAY SCHOOLS LEAGUE (R.S.S.L) IN 1969, MANAGED BE GRAHAM DANGERFIELD AND JOHN JONES. THE TEAM COMPRISED OF YOUNG SEVENTEEN YEAR OLDS TOGETHER WITH SOME EXPERIENCED ‘OLDER HEADS’ WHICH INCLUDED HARRY HOLLAND AND GRAHAM DANGERFIELD.

WITHIN A COUPLE OF SEASONS PETER CHADWICK HAD BECOME THE TEAM MANAGER AND THEN A SECOND TEAM WAS SET UP UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF ONE OF OUR LONGEST SERVING MEMBERS, COLIN WILD. HE WENT ON TO MANAGE THE SIDE FOR THE NEXT SIXTEEN SEASONS FROM 1970/71 TO 1985/86

EARLY DAYS

SUCCES ELUDED THE TEAMS IN THE EARLY ‘70’S BUT 1976/77 PROVED TO BE SOMETHING OF A TURNING POINT WITH THE 1ST TEAM RECHING THE TIMPSON CUP FINAL THE FOLLOWING SEASON THEY FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 1 OF THE R.S.S.L. INT THE FOLLOWING THREE SEASONS MANGERS ROBIN TWEEDALE AND THEN ROY HANCOX LED THE TEAM TO TWO CORONATION CUP FINALS AND TWO JOHN BRIGHT CUP FINALS, BUT AMAZINGLY FINISHED RUNNERS UP EACH TIME. ‘HANK’ HAD A MASSIVE INFLUENCE ON THE CLUB, HIS ENTHUSIASM AND WILL TO WIN TURNED THE CLUB INTO WINNERS.

THE 2ND TEAM ALSO PROGRESSED AND IN 1978/79 MADE CLUB HISTORY BY WINNING THE J.E. BREARLEY CUP AND FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 2 OF THE R.S.S.L.

BY THE END OF THE 70’S THE OLD ROCHDALIANS WERE A WELL-ESTABLISHED CLUB IN THE R.S.S.L. BUT CIRCUMSTANCES RESULTED IN THE MEMBERSHIP VOTING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THEIR RAKEWOOD HOME AND FORM N INDEPENDENT FOOTBALL CLUB.

TIME OF CHANGE (1980’S)

IN 1981 THE FOOTBALL CLUB SET UP HOME AT THE FOX INN AND WAS BASED THERE FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS. THE 1ST TEAM ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLY SUCCESS DURING THIS PERIOD UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF ROY HANCOX (1979/83), ROBIN TWEEDALE (1983/86) AND MARK YARWOOD (1986/87)

THE TEAM FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 1 OF THE R.S.S.L. IN 1982 AND FINALLY WON THEIR FIRST MAJOR TROPHY, THE JOHN BRIGHT CUP IN 1983.

IN 1983/84 THE R.S.S.L MERGED WITH THE ROCHDALE AMATEUR LEAGUE TO CREATE THE ROCHDALE ALLIANCE LEAGUE. AT THIS TIME A 3RD TEAM, MANGED BY DERRICK HARGREAVES WAS SET UP AND FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 1V, WON THE SCHOFIELD AND ALSO WON THE CORONATION CUP.

IN 1984/85 THE 2ND TEAM WAS RUNNER UP IN DIVISION 2 AND THE CLUB WON THE COVETED AGGREGATE CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THE 1ST TEAM PICKED UP TWO MORE, RUNNERS UP IN THE JOHN BRIGHT CUP IN 1986 AND 1987 AND ACHIEVED ITS BEST LEAGUE POSITION BY FINISHING RUNNERS UP IN THE PREMIER DIVISION IN 1987.

IN 1987 THE CLUB MOVED TO ITS PRESENT BASE AT THE PLOUGH INN AND TOOK THE NAME DALE JOINERY A.F.C. ACKNOWLEDGING THE BACKING THE BACKING OF OUR SPONSERS. THIS PROVED TO BE A PERIOD OF GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE CLUB.

THE 1ST TEAM WON THE ALLIANCE PREMIER DIVISION IN 1988 AND 1989, LED BY ROBIN TWEEDALE AND DERRICK HARGREAVES. IN ADDITION, IT REACHED SEVERAL MORE CUP FINALS.

THE 2ND TEAM, MANGED BY LES KERSHAW, DAVE SALLOWAY AND BILLY HALLARS REACHED TWO CUP FINALS, ONLY TO FINISH RUNNERS UP.

THE INFAMOUS ‘OLD BOYS’ TEAM THEN STROLLED INTO ACTION UNDER THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF HIGGINS AND WILSON! THE TEAM REACHED FOUR CUP FINALS IN FOUR SEASONS, BEATING OUR OWN SECOND TEAM IN THE SCHOFIELD CUP FINAL OF 1988. IN 1991, ON ROCHDALE A.F.C.’S GROUND AT SPOTLAND THEY AGAIN WON THE SCHOFIELD CUP, DEFEATING KIRKOLT F.C.

THE GLORY YEARS (1990’S)

IN 1991/92 ERROL HIGGINS BECAME 1ST TEAM MANAGER AND MARK WILSON TOOK ON THE PLAYER/MANAGER ROLE IN THE 2ND/OLD BOYS TEAMS THE NEXT NINE YEARS WERE TO SEE A MOST REMARKABLE RUN OF SUCCES.

THE 1ST TEAM WON THE ROCHDALE ALLIANCE LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION THREE CONSECUTIVE TIMES, 1992, 1993 AND 1994: THE A.W. TRIPPIER CUP THREE TIMES, 1992, 1993 AND 1994 AND THE BRITISH MILLERAIN CUP IN 1994. IT ALSO REACHED THE QUARTER-FINAL OF THE LANCASHIRE ADIDAS SHIELD IN 1992 AND THE SEMI-FINAL IN 1994. A REMARKABLE FEAT!

THE 2ND/OLD BOYS TEAMS DID NOT SO BADLY EITHER, WINNING THE ERNEST LYTHGOE MEMORIAL TROPHY IN 1991 AND FINISHING RUNNERS-UP IN 1993. THEY ALSO FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 1 OF THE ALLIANCE LEAGUE IN 1993 BUT WERE UNABLE TO ENTER THE PREMIER DIVISION. THE SCHOFIELD CUP WAS WON IN 1993 AND RETAINED IN 1994.

THE CLUB WON THE AGGREGATE CUP FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 1993.

IN 1993/94 THE CLUB FOUND A NEW SPONSOR IN ALEXANDER DREW LTD. AND CONSEQUENTLY THE NAME CHANGED FOR THE FOURTH TIME TO ALEXANDER DREW A.F.C. THIS SEASON WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT AS IT PROVED TO BE THE LAST IN THE ROCHDALE ALLIANCE LEAGUE. WE LEFT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY AND JOINED THE LANCAHIRE AND CHESHIRE LEAGUE. INCREDIBLY, IN JUST THREE SEASONS THE 1ST TEAM, WITH ERROL HIGGINS STILL IN CHARGE AND LATER ASSISTED BY BARRIE LUKER WON THE DIVISION 3, 2 AND 1 CHAMPIONSHIPS AND REACHED THE HOLLAND SHIELD SEMI-FINALS AGAIN IN 1998.

THE 2ND TEAM MANAGED BY MARK WILSON AND PHIL HYDE WAS ALSO VERY SUCCESSFUL. THEY WON THE DIVISION C & B TITLES TO ENTER DIVISION A AND WON IT IN 1997-98 WITH AN UNBEATON RECORD. THE TEAM ALSO WON THE WRAY CUP FOR THE SECOND TIME TO MAKE IT A REMARKABLE SEASON

THE CLUB CREATED LANCAHIRE AND CHESHIRE LEAGUR HISTORY BY WINNING THE S.E WOOLLAM AGGREGATE TROPHY THREE CONSECUTIVE TIMES, 1995,1996 AND 1997. ONLY ONE OTHER CLUB HAS ACHIEVED THIS IN THE LEAGUES LONG HISTORY.

12 L & C TROPHIES IN 6 SEASONS

AT THE END OF THE 1990’S AKEXANDER DREW LTD WITHREW SPONSORSHIP AND SO AS THE MILLENIUM APPROACHED WE RETURNED TO OUR ORIGINAL NAME OF ROCHDALIANS!!

1999-2000 - AFTER A DECADE OF SUCCESS THE APPROACH OF THE MILLENIUM PROVED TO BE A TIME OF CHANGE AND UPHEAVEL FOR THE CLUB WITH A NUMBER OF KEY PLAYERS LEAVING TO PLAY AT A HIGHER LEVEL. A “REBUILDING” PROCESS WAS REQUIRED AND MARK WILSON JOINED THE FIRST TEAM TO FORM A 3 MAN MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH ERROL HIGGINS AND BARRIE LUKER.

INCREDIBLY A NEW SIDE WAS PUT TOGETHER WHICH WON THE L & C 1ST DIVISION TITLE AND FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION UP IN THE RHODES CUP! 1999-2000. AFTER 16 YEARS THIS PROVED TO BE ERROLS SWAN SONG AND HE RETIRED FROM MANAGEMENT!

THE 2000-01 SEASON SAW THE 1ST TEAM LOSE IN THE RHODES CUP FINAL FOR THE 2ND SEASON ON THE RUN! WHILE THE 2ND TEAM FINISHED R.U IN DIVISION A. THE ROCHDALE OBSERVER DID A CLUB REVIEW IN NOVEMBER 2001 WITH A HEADIN “ ROCHDALIANS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB IN TOWN “ !

2002-03 SAW ROCHDALIANS RE-EMERGE AS THE MAJOR FORCE IN THE L & C. THE 1ST TEAM MANAGED BY MARK WILSON AND BARRIE LUKER WON THE DIVISION ONE TITLE WITH THE 2ND TEAM DURING THE DOUBLE OF DIVISION A CHAMPIONS AND WRAY CUP WINNERS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF KEITH SANDERS, PHIL HYDE AND CHRIS WALKER. THE CLUB WERE THE L & C AGGREGATE CUP WINNERS FOR THE 4TH TIME.

2003-04 SAW THE SANDERS / WALKER MANAGEMENT TEAM WON THE DIVISION A TITLE AGAIN BUT SUFFER DEFEAT IN THE WRAY CUP FINAL!

2004-05 SAW THE DEPARTURE OF BARRIE LUKER, AND SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS. TONY McCARROLL AND ALAN O KEEFE JOINED MARK WILSON AS 1ST TEAM MANAGERS BUT THE SIDE FINISHED A DISSAPOINTING 9TH. THE 2ND TEAM BAND WAGGON CONTINUED TO ROLL, HOWEVER, WITH KEITH SANDERS AND PHIL HYDE LEADING THE SIDE TO A 3RD SUCCESSIVE DIV A TITLE!! THIS PROMPTED KEITH TO CONSIDER MANAGING THE 1ST TEAM!

THE 2005-2006 SEASON WAS A TIME OF REBUILDING WITH KEITH SANDERS AND ALEC HEAP LEADING THE 1ST TEAM TO A CREDIBLE 7TH POSITION WHILE MARK WILSON RETURNED TO 2ND TEAM DUTIES WITH STUART GILBERT AND THE SIDE FINISHED A RESPECTABLE 3RD IN DIVISION A.

2006-07 WAS KEITH SANDERS 2ND SEASON IN CHARGE OF THE 1ST TEAM, NOW ASSISTED BY PETER ROOT AND THEY EXCEDED EXPECTATIONS, FINISHING 3RD IN L & C PREMIER DIVISION AND LOSING 1-0 IN THE RHODES CUP FINAL—THE ONLY TROPHY IN THE L & C TO STILL ELUDE US!

THE 2ND TEAM WAS TAKEN OVER BY TONY LEACH, WITH PHIL HYDE AND TIM SMEDLEY ASSISTING HIM. THEY HAD A FINE SEASON WINNING THE DIVISION A TITLE AND THE REACHING THE FINAL OF THE WRAY CUP AGAIN!

SUNDAY HISTORY

WITH THE TWO TEAMS ESTABLISHED IN THE R.S.SL BY THE EARLY ‘70’S IT WAS DECIDED THAT ROCHDALIANS SHOULD FORM A SUNDAY TEAM. A SIDE WAS ENTERED IN THE LITTLEBOROUGH SUNDAY LEAGUE (L.S.L.) AND IN 1973/74 FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 2.

THE FOLLOWING SEASON, 1974/75 THE L.S.L COMBINED WITH THE ROCHDALE SUNDAY LEAGUE TO FORM THE ROCHDALE AND DISTRICT SUNDAY FOOTBALL LEAGUE, WHICH CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 1999.

THE 1976/77 SEASON PROVED TO BE A CRUCIAL ONE FOR THE SIDE AS THE MANAGEMEBT TEAM OF TERRY HARGREAVES AND ROY HANCOX (COACH) LED THEM TO THE RUNNERS UP SPOT IN DIVISION 1. THIS EARNED A COVETED PLACE WITH THE PREMIER DIVISION BIG BOYS. EVERYONE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE WHEN THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF TERRY HARGREAVES ROCKED THE CLUB. HIS BROTHER FRED HARGREAVES, STEPPED INTO THE BREACH AND LED THE SIDE FOR TWO SEASONS AND THEY BATTLED TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN THE HIGHLY COMPETIVE PREMIER DIVISION. UNFORTUNATELY AT THE END OF 1979 THE TEAM FOLDED. FORTUNATELY, A SECOND TEAM HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 1977/78 MANAGED BY PETER SENIOR. THIS TEAM FINISHED FOURTH IN DIVISION IV AND WAS PROMOTED.

IN 1978/79 PHIL HARGREAVES AND DEREK WILSON TOOK OVER AND THEN FRED HARGREAVES RESUMED CONTROL. HE BUILT A TEAM WHICH WON THREE CONSECUTIVE PROMOTIONS BETWEEN 1980 AND 1982, EACH TIME AS RUNNERS UP.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS RUN, 1980/81, THE CLUB MOVED TO THE FOX INN. TRAGICALLY FRED DIED ON THE 19TH NOVEMBER 1981, WHICH WAS ANOTHER HUGE BLOW FOR THE CLUB. HE HAD ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS AND ALL HIS FOUR SONS REPRESENTED THE CLUB WHILE DOROTHY CONTINUED TO WORK FOR THE CLUB UNTIL 1999, WHEN SHE STEPPED DOWN AFTER TWENTY ONE YEARS SERVICE.

THE ‘HARGREAVES’ HAVE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLUB.

THE TEAM FRED MANAGED FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 1 AND REGAINED A PLACE IN THE PREMIER DIVISION. IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST TEAM IN THE CLUB TO RECEIVE SPONSORSHIP AND TOOK ON TRE NAME DALE JOINERY. FREDS SON, PHIL, TOOK OVER FOR 1982/83 AND MANAGED TO KEEP THE SIDE IN THE PREMIER DIVISION AS DID THE LONG SERVING TOMMY QUINE, WHO ACTED AS PLAYER MANAGER IN 1983/84. DURING THE 1983/84 SEASON THE 2ND TEAM WAS REFORMED AND TERRY BAILEY BEGAN A VERY SUCCESSFUL SEVEN YEAR SPELL IN CHARGE IF THE SIDE.

IN 1984/85 MARK WILSON AND ERROL HIGGINS TOOK CONTROL OF THE 1ST TEAM AND STABILITY RETURNED TO THE SUNDAY TEAMS. IN THEIR FIRST SEASON IN CHARGE THEY LED THE 1ST TEAM TO THEIR BEST EVER LEAGUE POSITION, FINISHING RUNNERS UP TO THE MIGHTY TIM BOBBIN AND RECORDING ITS ONLY VICTORY AGAINST THEM IN A MEMORABLE 3-1 WIN AT BALDERSTONE. THE 2ND TEAM FINISHED RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 2 AND EARNED PROMOTION.

1985/86 SAW THE 2ND TEAM PUSHING FOR THE DOUBLE ENDING UP RUNNERS UP IN DIVISION 2 AND LIFTING THE W.E KAY TROPHY, ITS ONLY CUP SUCCESS IN THE ROCHDALE & DISTRICT SUNDAY LEAGUE! THE FOLLOWING SEASON THE 2ND TEAM ACHIEVED THE REMARKABLE FEAT OF WINNING THE DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS WAS TO BE THE CLUBS ONLY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS AND IT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY 2ND TEAM TO WIN THE FIRST DIVISION.

THE LATE ‘80’S AND EARLY 90’S SAW A SUCCESSION OF GOOD CLUB MEN MANGE TWO TEAMS BUT INSTABILITY LED TO THE END OF THE CLUBS SUNDAY FOOTBALL TEAMS. THE 1ST TEAM SAW PLAYER/MANAGER TIM JORDAN IN CHARGE FOR THE 1988/89 SEASON AND THE SIDE REACHED ITS ONLY MAJOR CUP FINAL IN 1989/90 WHEN MAEK YARWOOD LED IT TO THE G. ROWE CUP FINAL. THIS WAQS TO BE THE LAST SUCCESS ON SUNDAYS.

ALEC HEAP, GEOFF UTTLEY, GARETH WHITWORTH, PHIL LEE, AND PAUL GOODWIN WORKED VERY HARD FOR LITTLE REWARD BETWEEN 1990 AND 1994.

THE 2ND TEAM WAS RUN BY VARIOUS MANAGEMENT TEAMS, INVOLVING CHRIS HOYLE, ANTHONY McCARROLL, PHIL LEE, DAVE SALLOWAY AND PAUL GOODWIN.

WHEN PHILL LEE WAS FORCED TO STEP DOWN AT THE END OF THE 1994 SEASON IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE HIME AND SADLY THE CLUBS INVOLVEMENT IN THE ROCHDALE & DISTRICT SUNDAY LEAGUE ENDED AFTER 20 YEARS.

IN 1997 SUNDAY FOOTBALL WAS RESURRECTED BY BARRIE LUKER AND WAYNE WHITLOW WHEN THEY FORMED THE ALEXANDRA DREW YOUTH TEAM.

THE CLUBS UNDER 18’S COMPETED SUCCESSFULLY IN THE BLACKBURN YOUTH LEAGUE WITH THE HIGHLIGHT BEING AN EXTRA TIME VICTORY OVER ACCRINGTON STANLEY ON THEIR GROUND!

THE CLUBS SUCCESSFUL YOUTH SIDE HAD RUN ITS COURSE AND SO THEY ENTERED THE OLDHAM & DISTRICT SUNDAY LEAGUE AND RAN AWAY WITH THE DIVISION 2 TITLE!

THE CLUB SET UP A NEW YOUTH SIDE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TONY McCARROLL AND ALAN O’KEEFE AND THEY PERFORMED EXTREMELY WELL IN THE NORTH WEST YOUTH ALLIANCE LAGUE, DEFEATING A NUMBER OF ‘SEMI PRO’ CLUBS.

A NEW UNDER 17 YOUTH SIDE WAS INTRODUCED LED BY DAVE KIRBY AND ANDY ROTHWELL. THEY FINISHED R.U IN THE BLACKBURN, DARWIN AND HYNDBURN YOTH LEAGUE!

THIS ‘INJECTION OF NEW BLOOD’ HAS PROVED TO BE CRUCIAL TO THE CLUBS DEVELOPMENT WITH MANY OF THE PLAYERS PROGRESSING TO PLAY IN THE CLUBS SENIOR SIDES IN THE L & C.