Rare taste of the high life for wily Hill

Rochdale boss Keith Hill

ROCHDALE enter competitive football beyond the basement division for the first time in 36 years on Saturday when Spotland plays host to Hartlepool.

It marks the start of manager Keith Hill’s biggest test so far. After taking the reins from Steve Parkin in December, 2006, Hill transformed the club from perennial League Two strugglers into annual promotion challengers.

And after reaching the play-offs twice in his first two full years in charge, the Bolton-born boss guided Dale to automatic promotion last time out.

It is the club’s second spell outside the bottom rung of the Football League. The big question now is, can Hill keep Dale punching above their weight?

Promotion was achieved on a small budget and finances remain tight.

Over the summer Dale lost key players Chris Dagnall (Scunthorpe), Tom Kennedy (Leicester) and Nathan Stanton (Burton), while star man Craig Dawson is likely to go before the week is out, Burnley leading the race for his signature.

Despite being hampered by a relatively small wage budget, there is enough quality in the squad to suggest Dale can compete for a mid-table finish at the very least.

Last week Hill pulled off his biggest signing of the summer in Anthony Elding, the former Stockport and Leeds United striker who joined after a spell with Ferencváros in Hungary.

Fellow frontman Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro has looked lively in pre-season and those two could be teamed with last season’s big hit, Chris O’Grady, in an exciting front three.

O’Grady is well known to Athletic fans as a misfiring forward, but Hill has managed to get the best out of him and he looks a different player in a Rochdale shirt.

In midfield, skipper Gary Jones is the club’s record appearance holder and epitomises the hard-work ethic Hill demands of all his players.

Either side of him there is genuine quality in Jason Kennedy and Brian Barry-Murphy, both intelligent distributors of the ball.

Should Dawson depart, Dale also have former Athletic youngster Marcus Holness among their ranks while Matt Flynn can play in the middle of the backline — but Hill will not want to go into the season relying on such an inexperienced pairing.

Hill wants three or four more signings to bolster the backline and give himself options from the bench, but he has the core of a decent squad.

“Pre-season has been superb and it’s gone according to plan,” said the manager, following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Bradford in their final warm-up match.

“Preparations turn now to Hartlepool on Saturday and we’re in for a good week. The lads know what we need to do so that we can put our plans into action in the league programme.

"We are in good shape and spirit and it’s all about stepping over the white line and holding our nerve with the way we want to play.”