As we approach the festive period, it is always a good point to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.
The last two Decembers have been particularly traumatic, as we began both months without the money in the bank to pay staff come that early December payday. Two years ago, we spent the month trying to secure loans by payday, with one being agreed the day before. Last year, personally, it was a month of dilemma waiting to see the results of the AGM/EGM and whether to put personal money into paying staff and keep the club going. We only wanted to do this if the judgement was that the money would buy the time to secure the right investment into the club.
From a footballing point of view, two years ago we were struggling just outside of the relegation places in League Two and about to watch our rivals make major moves in the transfer markets – something we didn’t have the money to do – which saw them pull clear at our expense. Last year, we were in the midst of an injury crisis again without the funds to react and strengthen.
Nothing else other than survival was important at that point. We had to keep going long enough, somehow, to secure investment and make sure a club that had been going for over 100 years lived to fight another day.
Roll on a year and we are in a very different place. The right investment was secured, and we will all be forever grateful to the Ogden family, with their roots entrenched in Rochdale, for stepping forward and purchasing the club. We are now on a very different journey, building a club for generations to come.
If we just compare the previous two Decembers, the stability that the investment has brought means that we are no longer plotting how to survive, but how we can succeed. We are putting staffing structures in place that will mean our staff can grow in a sustainable and structured manner as the club grows. We will enter the New Year with vigour to increase our commercial revenues and set about project 5,000 – to increase home attendances to that figure.
On the pitch, the stability gives the foundation to build success. When we have had injuries this year, we have been able to react and provide cover, and now those injured players are returning we are in a position during the busy festive and January fixtures to utilise the whole squad and push for the playoff places.
There is so much work going on behind the scenes that will not be immediately apparent, which we hope will lead to numerous exciting announcements throughout the coming year. We are aware that the fan experience in buying tickets and merchandise online, as well as in our food and beverage spaces, needs improvement. The Fans Forum at the end of January will be a good stage to share some further detail in these areas, as well looking ahead to larger medium to long-term projects, so we urge those interested to be in attendance.
There is also the problem of the pitch. It is extremely frustrating to postpone games, especially on Saturdays with good levels of forward sales. The problem will not go away. It was clearly not constructed as ordered when the refurb was done in 2020. There appears to be no written contract for the works prior to the contractor starting and with significant changes to the Board and staff in 2021, those directly involved in the pitch rebuild are no longer here. Therefore, our route to recourse is limited. We spent significant funds on the renovation in the summer, yet despite this, as the rain seems to get ever more plentiful in Rochdale, the drainage on the pitch seems to get worse. The game against Boston United, scheduled for last Saturday, was postponed due to significant waterlogging after just 6ml of overnight rain.
We need to try and find solutions in order to fulfil our fixtures. The forecast is dry between Christmas and New Year, hopefully allowing the pitch to dry – something it just hasn’t done this past week – and we will then be able to take action to try to ensure the New Year’s Day fixture can go ahead, as well as our FA Trophy tie the following Saturday. We are then planning to Dryject the pitch on the 6th January, which will hopefully assist in removing water away from the surface.
As I stated at the start, Christmas is a time of reflection on where we have been and where we are going, and I truly believe there are grounds for much optimism about the future for all Dale fans.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff for their continued hard work, Jimmy McNulty, the backroom staff and the team for their dedication and passion as we try to bring success back on the field. Finally, but most importantly, thank you to all of our loyal supporters for your passion for the club and the part you are playing in building a successful future.
May I wish you all a fabulous Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
Simon