The Dale Supporters Trust try to make sure that members of our exile community are included in Trust activities. We welcome, where we can, exiles to the ground for match days so it was with pleasure that we saw Toronto based and lifelong Dale fan Andrew Partington check-in at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday 23 October for our home game against Sutton United, and what a game to choose to see!
Andrew’s visit was hosted by Trust Board members Dave Earnshaw and Bob the Trust’s welfare Officer.
Andrew seen above right with the Trusts Dave Earnshaw post-match but pre drinks!
Andrew’s trip to the UK allowed him to take in last week’s away game at Swindon, a match that we at least did not lose. He joined us at Spotland with Sally, a long-term friend from Gloucester and local lads father and son John and Simon Ripley.
Taken after our last gasp winner against Sutton, Andrew (Right of picture) with friend Sally and John (Second Left) and dad Simon Ripley
We were intrigued to know how he became a Dale fan, especially since he has lived abroad for many years, so we asked him!
“Well to cut a long story short,” said Andrew “ I consider Rochdale my hometown and it is where I spent my formative years. In fact, my family moved to Gloucestershire in the mid-’70s but our relatives were always in the vicinity so trips back were frequent. I still come back 2-3 times a year (in normal years!) to watch the ‘dale and see friends even though my family home is still in Gloucestershire and I live in Toronto where I have been since the mid-’90s”.
My father was a man of Rochdale born a mere couple or so of good tee shots from Spotland. During my time there we lived in Bamford and I have fond memories of school at both Bamford Primary and Shawfield (neither of which exist – at least in name – these days)”.
It was good to talk to Andrew about early Dale days and to hear his reminiscences from back in the day, but it was also particularly good to meet his friends, who though not Dale fans primarily, had totally immersed themselves in the game and were really interested in the club and how we as a Trust work, so much so they are jointing Andrew as Trust members.
Thanks to Tony Pockney for extending hospitality to us and for getting us into the boardroom for a good photo opportunity with the new Dale wall logo.
We wish Andrew a safe onward journey home and look forward to his next visit, which he says will not only be as a Dale fan but as a shareholder too!.
The Dale Trust is particularly interested in its exile members especially those that have made the trip from overseas. For more information on the “Exiles” and the work of coordinator Ian Goodwin then please get in touch via email exiles@daletrust.co.uk