Is it Team Rochdale or is it Team Bottomley. by BigKindo 19 Feb 2021 13:43
It gives me great sadness to have to add yet another thread re the parlous state of Rochdale AFC. In recent times, in remaining silent, I have constantly had to bite my bottom lip. Alas enough is enough and my feelings should be laid bare.
I first attended a match at the Dale in 1949 and have been a season ticket holder for many years, perhaps more than I care to remember especially if I added up the cost. Not so much in recent seasons but I have occasionally attended away matches and been warmly greeted by fellow Daleys in hostelries as far away as Barnet, Wycombe, Torquay, Newport, Brentford etc. I have experienced many highs and sadly the many lows coupled with following a poorly supported club. But despite not being born in Rochdale, the Dale have been my team. My defence of the club following snide and sarcastic comments from supporters of other ’bigger’ clubs has honed the sharpness of my retorts. But now the same commentators have turned to express concern and sadness, and question what has gone wrong at Dale..
Unless things change within the upper echelons of the Club I fear that this will be my and my wife’s last season of attending. Ah I hear you mutter. ‘another wanting rid of BBM.’ Well although that may help the situation, but as others have so eloquently written, BBM. might become the sacrificial lamb in an attempt to divert attention away from the serious situation at the club. If BBM departs there will be no changes further up the pecking order.
My feelings are that the wheels started to come off on the appointment of the current C.E.O. Mr David Bottomley. The club is no longer family friendly orientated and Mr Bottomley appears to have ignored the need for customers and appears to take us, well certainly in my case, for granted. What a very strange way to run a business.
On August 21st 2020 I sent Mr Bottomley a polite email requesting the Club’s policy for the forthcoming season re Blue Badge Car Parking pass holders. I sent a reminder email to him on September 17th. 2020. I thereafter received a response from the then Club Secretary. On October 2nd. 2020 I sent a further email to Mr Bottomley, which I felt to be constructive, re the Club’s offer to refund season ticket monies. Again no response. In week ending October 16th. I received a telephone call from another Board Member i.e. the Club’s courtesy call made to those considered vulnerable during the pandemic. The subject of my email was raised, a requested copy was forwarded, and I was assured that the matter would be taken up with the C.E.O. I also understand that similar approaches were made by the Trust on my behalf. To date I have heard nothing from Mr Bottomley. I have not even had the courtesy of an acknowledgment re my last email. What a very odd way to treat any customer either long-standing or new.
Having successfully run my own business for 40 years I certainly know the value of paying loyal customers, and suppliers, and as a Director the need to comply with the various statutory bodies examples being the Information Commissioners Office, Trading Standards Office, P.R.S. Licensing etc. I am extremely interested to know that when the position of C.E.O. became available, and prior to Mr Bottomley’s appointment, was the position advertised, how many applications were received, how many were interviewed and who decided whom was the best candidate? Or, perhaps, as rumours suggest you opted to fulfil the position yourself. There appears to be some disquiet over a previous decision to take away the ‘Club privileges’ from two ex long-serving (suffering?) Directors, privileges which thankfully were later re-instated. But the rumour mill has also thrown up that other ex long-standing Directors are currently banned from the Club. Is this fact or an Apocrypha?
Hopefully the previous paragraph has given Mr Bottomley a platform, an opportunity, to respond and refute these constantly circulating rumours to the benefit of the Club, his own position and the Club’s loyal supporters. Answers are needed and quickly before the situation deteriorates. But will he respond? Previous experience says no and that ignorance is bliss.
And now yesterday’s news that the Chairman had decided to stand down. ‘For personal reasons’ can mean a multitude of things. Hopefully it is not a health issue. I had several occasions to speak with him after matches and I found him to be polite and he always thanked me for attending the match.
So it appears that the question I pose, perhaps, is that Team Rochdale has become Team Bottomley. In the end all Empires sooner or later collapse. The problem is the remaining detritus which has to be garnered up by others in an attempt to restore the norm. This has all makings and content of a Shakespearean Tragedy and however long the situation is spun out the end result will be the same.
Can anybody provide an answer? I certainly know what my solution would be.

[Post edited 19 Feb 2021 22:13]

[Post edited 19 Feb 2021 20:08]