Jamie Allen 22:01 - May 17 with 10463 views | dingdangblue | 1 win away from being a Premier League player. | ![](/images/avatars/2229.gif) |
| | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:03 - May 17 with 6895 views | Trev | Not if Gabriel Osho has anything to say about it. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:08 - May 17 with 6861 views | leedsdale | I can’t believe Ben Wilson is anywhere near a team at the top of the Championship. | ![](/images/avatars/1159.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:12 - May 17 with 6837 views | 442Dale |
Jamie Allen on 22:08 - May 17 by leedsdale | I can’t believe Ben Wilson is anywhere near a team at the top of the Championship. |
Suppose Gavin Bazunu played for most of the season at Southampton! Though he proved to be more like the one we saw on loan than when he played at Portsmouth. On the goalkeeping front, Jay Lynch had a great season at Fleetwood by all accounts so where would we be now if he’d played more often than Bazunu under BBM… | ![](/images/avatars/1212.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:16 - May 17 with 6830 views | EllDale | Or if he hadn’t been chopped and changed with Joel Coleman all season? With hindsight, why were we paying those wages for keepers? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:19 - May 17 with 6807 views | D_Alien | Wonder if Fabio Tavares will have recovered from his achilles injury to play in the Premier League, should Coventry make it | ![](/images/avatars/1219.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:20 - May 17 with 6806 views | 442Dale |
Jamie Allen on 22:16 - May 17 by EllDale | Or if he hadn’t been chopped and changed with Joel Coleman all season? With hindsight, why were we paying those wages for keepers? |
Who knows, but we were still able to say at the end of that season that “the club has a stable financial platform and cash reserves to be well positioned for next season.” and subsequently were able to plan to have a “significantly increased playing budget” last summer. | ![](/images/avatars/1212.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 23:40 - May 17 with 6675 views | Sandyman |
Jamie Allen on 22:16 - May 17 by EllDale | Or if he hadn’t been chopped and changed with Joel Coleman all season? With hindsight, why were we paying those wages for keepers? |
Over the years, we've had some fine goalkeepers that have made a big difference to our fortunes. We've given POTS to our goalkeeper despite relegation and that's a fair call. Which begs the question, why the fook did we end up loaning and playing Eastwood despite his previous poor loan spell? His contribution to RAFC is down there with Matt Dickens. That and the irrational farming out of Ethan Brierley have cost us so much IMHO. Point the finger of blame wherever. Best wishes to Jamie Allen, and Gabriel Osho in their quest for the Premiership. They both played very well for us. [Post edited 17 May 2023 23:47]
| ![](/images/avatars/1453.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 00:04 - May 18 with 6659 views | dingdangblue | Incredibly in 2017/18 both Luton and Coventry were promoted from League 2. In 13/14 Luton won the National League title. In 9 years time Dale could be on the verge of the Premier League! | ![](/images/avatars/2229.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) | Login to get fewer ads
Jamie Allen on 01:04 - May 18 with 6632 views | pioneer |
Jamie Allen on 00:04 - May 18 by dingdangblue | Incredibly in 2017/18 both Luton and Coventry were promoted from League 2. In 13/14 Luton won the National League title. In 9 years time Dale could be on the verge of the Premier League! |
Yeh, sure! The difference is the leadership of these two clubs had ambition to achieve better things. At Dale most of the time its been about "little Rochdale" surviving. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 08:28 - May 18 with 6534 views | dingdangblue |
Jamie Allen on 01:04 - May 18 by pioneer | Yeh, sure! The difference is the leadership of these two clubs had ambition to achieve better things. At Dale most of the time its been about "little Rochdale" surviving. |
Tongue firmly in cheek. A massive achievement by both Coventry and Luton. Interesting article about Luton here. Even a seemingly well run club on a shoestring budget is making an operating loss of £7.5 million. If they win 1 more game though and just spend 1 season in the Premier League without any outrageous spending they will have won the lottery. https://www.oakroadhatter.com/post/the-success-and-sustainability-tightrope | ![](/images/avatars/2229.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 14:36 - May 18 with 6119 views | finberty |
Jamie Allen on 22:12 - May 17 by 442Dale | Suppose Gavin Bazunu played for most of the season at Southampton! Though he proved to be more like the one we saw on loan than when he played at Portsmouth. On the goalkeeping front, Jay Lynch had a great season at Fleetwood by all accounts so where would we be now if he’d played more often than Bazunu under BBM… |
I don't know where we would be, but I could hazard a guess we'd have been better served in the goalkeeping department by using Lynch not Bazunu. What I do know is that BBM obtained Bazunu on loan from City, and played him despite repeated errors when it might have been kinder to give him a rest. What I also know is, having overseen our relegation, BBM upped and offed to City himself. So, with the faffing possession-based nonsense on display, and blooding their developing keeper for them, BBM got himself a good job at City out of it all. A marvellously evidence-based CV, streamed for viewing by all. Nice. And thank you. | ![](/images/avatars/2682.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 15:24 - May 18 with 6062 views | Dalenet |
Jamie Allen on 08:28 - May 18 by dingdangblue | Tongue firmly in cheek. A massive achievement by both Coventry and Luton. Interesting article about Luton here. Even a seemingly well run club on a shoestring budget is making an operating loss of £7.5 million. If they win 1 more game though and just spend 1 season in the Premier League without any outrageous spending they will have won the lottery. https://www.oakroadhatter.com/post/the-success-and-sustainability-tightrope |
Imagine it. A club that just 14 years ago went into administration, and then whose points deductions took them into non league, is now running at a loss of £7.5m. Now I know that such a number is chicken feed in the Championship, but still. What happens if they don't go up? [Post edited 18 May 2023 18:18]
| ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 17:18 - May 18 with 5925 views | Rodingdale |
Jamie Allen on 15:24 - May 18 by Dalenet | Imagine it. A club that just 14 years ago went into administration, and then whose points deductions took them into non league, is now running at a loss of £7.5m. Now I know that such a number is chicken feed in the Championship, but still. What happens if they don't go up? [Post edited 18 May 2023 18:18]
|
Easy - they do it all over again. At least they won’t die wondering. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 17:38 - May 18 with 5904 views | James1980 |
Jamie Allen on 17:18 - May 18 by Rodingdale | Easy - they do it all over again. At least they won’t die wondering. |
'Die wondering' What do you mean by that? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 22:19 - May 18 with 5692 views | Rodingdale |
Jamie Allen on 17:38 - May 18 by James1980 | 'Die wondering' What do you mean by that? |
It’s a common enough phrase James - do something, rather than don’t do something and die wondering (what might have been if you had). Luton have gambled a lot, they’ll have had a lot of fun and they won’t die wondering. 🙄 | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 03:20 - May 19 with 5576 views | James1980 |
Jamie Allen on 22:19 - May 18 by Rodingdale | It’s a common enough phrase James - do something, rather than don’t do something and die wondering (what might have been if you had). Luton have gambled a lot, they’ll have had a lot of fun and they won’t die wondering. 🙄 |
I'm know what 'die wondering' means. I suppose you could say they've 'enjoyed the ride' which this time has gone in the right direction. I was just wondering if you were suggesting Rochdale should have taken the financial gamble Luton has? Who knows we might have been one game away from the top flight, but then again we might have ended up like Bury, at least we wouldn't have been 'wondering' though, even if we had 'died' | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 07:30 - May 19 with 5538 views | pioneer |
Jamie Allen on 03:20 - May 19 by James1980 | I'm know what 'die wondering' means. I suppose you could say they've 'enjoyed the ride' which this time has gone in the right direction. I was just wondering if you were suggesting Rochdale should have taken the financial gamble Luton has? Who knows we might have been one game away from the top flight, but then again we might have ended up like Bury, at least we wouldn't have been 'wondering' though, even if we had 'died' |
I think we have just ‘died wondering’ James. No other club has spent as many years in the football league without making it to the second tier. look at the teams we have played in the league in the past and what they have been able to achieve….yes often temporarily before returning the the lower tiers, but they have been there. Brentford, Bournemouth, Wigan, Wycombe, Burton, Doncaster, Rotherham, Coventry, Luton, Hull, Reading, Bradford, Barnsley, Huddersfield, ……. Not every team that made it to the championship went bust., | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 10:48 - May 19 with 5365 views | James1980 |
Jamie Allen on 07:30 - May 19 by pioneer | I think we have just ‘died wondering’ James. No other club has spent as many years in the football league without making it to the second tier. look at the teams we have played in the league in the past and what they have been able to achieve….yes often temporarily before returning the the lower tiers, but they have been there. Brentford, Bournemouth, Wigan, Wycombe, Burton, Doncaster, Rotherham, Coventry, Luton, Hull, Reading, Bradford, Barnsley, Huddersfield, ……. Not every team that made it to the championship went bust., |
Not just since Simon et al entered the boardroom. What should have been done differently for us to have had a punt at the bigger time? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 11:12 - May 19 with 5333 views | 49thseason |
Jamie Allen on 10:48 - May 19 by James1980 | Not just since Simon et al entered the boardroom. What should have been done differently for us to have had a punt at the bigger time? |
The previous Boards of Directors should have invested some of the occasional windfalls of money...FA Cup, player sales, TV games etc. In developing the fan-base and off- field income streams. That would have enabled some of the players sold to have been kept longer, imagine if we had managed to hang on to Holt, Lambert, Alfie, Hogan etc for another season apiece. Instead, they had to be sold for what amounted to peanuts to cover bills. There was neither the ambition, smarts or energy in the boardroom to do anything other than turn up for a few drinks and a meal on saturdays and have a meeting once a month. It was more about their businesses than the football business. Low expectations, lazy management and even in the relatively good years brought by Hill, no real desire to push the boundaries of what might be possible. The football world was changing rapidly, unfortunately the Rochdale Boards of the past didnt get the memo. | ![](/images/avatars/1190.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 12:37 - May 19 with 5230 views | dingdangblue |
Jamie Allen on 11:12 - May 19 by 49thseason | The previous Boards of Directors should have invested some of the occasional windfalls of money...FA Cup, player sales, TV games etc. In developing the fan-base and off- field income streams. That would have enabled some of the players sold to have been kept longer, imagine if we had managed to hang on to Holt, Lambert, Alfie, Hogan etc for another season apiece. Instead, they had to be sold for what amounted to peanuts to cover bills. There was neither the ambition, smarts or energy in the boardroom to do anything other than turn up for a few drinks and a meal on saturdays and have a meeting once a month. It was more about their businesses than the football business. Low expectations, lazy management and even in the relatively good years brought by Hill, no real desire to push the boundaries of what might be possible. The football world was changing rapidly, unfortunately the Rochdale Boards of the past didnt get the memo. |
Seasons 14/15, 15/16 and 16/17 were the years if ever we were going to gamble or if we'd had any sort of investment behind us. That first season after promotion obviously selling Matt Done to Sheffield Utd who then made the play offs with his goals. The next couple of seasons we nearly made it with Mendez-Laing eventually finding the form which took him to Cardiff and a promotion to the Premier League. Its difficult as our promotion seasons and our best 3 seasons in League 1 still didn't really see our home crowds improve to the levels they deserved ( look at Stockport and Wrexham getting 8000 - 10,000). | ![](/images/avatars/2229.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 12:47 - May 19 with 5214 views | SaxonDale |
Jamie Allen on 12:37 - May 19 by dingdangblue | Seasons 14/15, 15/16 and 16/17 were the years if ever we were going to gamble or if we'd had any sort of investment behind us. That first season after promotion obviously selling Matt Done to Sheffield Utd who then made the play offs with his goals. The next couple of seasons we nearly made it with Mendez-Laing eventually finding the form which took him to Cardiff and a promotion to the Premier League. Its difficult as our promotion seasons and our best 3 seasons in League 1 still didn't really see our home crowds improve to the levels they deserved ( look at Stockport and Wrexham getting 8000 - 10,000). |
Always felt that the slight issue with our developing of player's for success was that it would generally take a player 6 months to get up to speed, following which we'd arguably only ever have 1 or 2 transfer windows to make the most of them. During which, we'd inevitably lose another player (Stephen Dawson, Done, NML) or some would go off the boil or would be injured (Bunney, McDermott, Keane) I don't think we ever had a full season in League 1 under Hill where all our key players were both fit and playing well- otherwise I reckon we would've got play-offs or more. | ![](/images/avatars/1115.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 14:09 - May 19 with 5098 views | boroblue | When Hill and Flitcroft were here first time, whilst still in League 2, the club came up with "a 7 year plan to reach the Championship." Despite the howls of laughter from most fans, I seriously think we would have had a good chance of being on the verge of that had they stayed with the club but I feel that was more down to the unbelievable momentum we had gained rather than any seriously laid down "behind the scenes" plans - if those plans had been in place, they surely wouldn't have turned to sh1t so quickly. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 14:35 - May 19 with 5061 views | D_Alien | My impression is the BoD, led by Chris Dunphy, didn't believe we were viable as a Championship club and therefore guided us in the direction of trying to sustain our success in L1 without ever getting into a situation where we'd take that next step It would've been good to have given it a proper crack during Hill's second period, but i also suspect he knew what their thinking was and his motivation waned accordingly That doesn't detract from Chris Dunphy's achievement in both appointing, trying to sustain and then re-recruiting Hill but the additional factor (already mentioned) was the limitations of the club's failure to increase commercial revenue with no significant rise in gates The difference in our average gates this past season and those we were achieving at the top end of L1 was just 500 | ![](/images/avatars/1219.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 14:47 - May 19 with 5031 views | James1980 |
Jamie Allen on 14:35 - May 19 by D_Alien | My impression is the BoD, led by Chris Dunphy, didn't believe we were viable as a Championship club and therefore guided us in the direction of trying to sustain our success in L1 without ever getting into a situation where we'd take that next step It would've been good to have given it a proper crack during Hill's second period, but i also suspect he knew what their thinking was and his motivation waned accordingly That doesn't detract from Chris Dunphy's achievement in both appointing, trying to sustain and then re-recruiting Hill but the additional factor (already mentioned) was the limitations of the club's failure to increase commercial revenue with no significant rise in gates The difference in our average gates this past season and those we were achieving at the top end of L1 was just 500 |
Would climbing to the 2nd tier not have seen more people in the borough sitting up and taking notice of their local football club though? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Jamie Allen on 14:58 - May 19 with 5020 views | D_Alien |
Jamie Allen on 14:47 - May 19 by James1980 | Would climbing to the 2nd tier not have seen more people in the borough sitting up and taking notice of their local football club though? |
We'll never know (we died wondering, as it were...) but when we made it to Wembley for the playoff final in 2008 we took (i believe) 17000 That's the number who sat up and took notice then, so it really shouldn't have been beyond our capabilities to add a couple of thousand on a regular basis. The trouble is, for a club in the Championship an extra couple of thousand wouldn't have made that much difference | ![](/images/avatars/1219.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
| |