Ipswich Town vs Rochdale AFC Preview & Matchday Thread
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:05 pm
Ipswich Town vs Rochdale AFC
Saturday 26th September 2020 – 15:00
Portman Road
Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike
So Far So Good............
Two Games, Two Wins, Six Points, No Goals Conceded, Top Of The League, not sure it gets any better than that at this embryonic stage of the season. Town followed up their opening day victory over Wigan Athletic with another okish performance at Bristol Rovers, while it didn't quite have the fluidity of the previous weeks performance there was little doubt that by the final whistle we were comfortably on top and worthy winners.
After a somewhat flat opening Forty Five minutes Town definitely stepped it up after the break with the in form duo of Andre Dozzell & Jon Nolan calling the shots and running the game, of course the defence should also be praised for another shut out and while they will come in for far harder afternoons they did all that was asked of them with Toto Nsiala again rebuilding some more of his fragile reputation and with James Wilson alongside him the absence of Luke Woolfenden has so far not been an issue, add to this the experience of both Luke Chambers & Stephen Ward in the Full Back slots and we can feel pleased with our defensive record to date.
Another player who seems to have hit the ground running this season is Gwion Edwards, he really does flatter to deceive at times but this season he looks far more direct and is making a nuisance of himself while at the same time creating openings, I think he is playing himself into the starting Eleven for sure and in doing so he is giving Paul Lambert another selection headache. It was also very pleasing to see young Jack Lankester getting some valuable minutes under his belt and having an assist in One of the goals, so despite our lengthy injury list we are still blessed with a fairly big playing pool to choose from.
The return to form of Nsiala & Nolan certainly shows us why Paul Hurst wanted the pair of them at Ipswich, at the time of their signings they were Two of the big names in League One but for reason we could go on about all night they really haven't lived up to their reputations, that could be changing though as both look to be bang in form, especially Nolan who put in a super MOTM effort against Rovers, seeing him getting into box is what we have so badly missed in recent times and Two goals to his name already speaks volumes.
A Hat-trick There For The Taking......
it was only Wigan Athletic, It was only Bristol Rovers and no doubt it will be a case of it was only Rochdale should we come out of this weekends game victorious, I think it will take quite a while for some to be swayed into believing that last season has gone and this season is a different Animal, irrespective of results we are playing better Football in some many aspects of the game and all this with quite a few players not at Lambert's disposal.
It didn't go unnoticed that fancied Portsmouth made the trip to Spotland last week and only managed a goalless draw so the dale will need to be beaten, we can't just show up and expect to win but on what we have shown so far a win really should be within our grasp. An opening day defeat at newly promoted Swindon did little to suggest that Rochdale are destined for big things this time around and this type of home game has to result in Three points this time around, all too often last season we mucked it up when expected to win, I don't see that happening anywhere near as much in 2020/21 and I certainly don't envisage it happening Saturday so it's a Town win for me to make it Nine from Nine, don't get excited though, we still haven't played anyone yet. COYB'S.
The Opposition – Rochdale AFC
Rochdale A.F.C. was formed in 1907. After World War I the Football League was expanded and the club unsuccessfully applied to join. In 1921 Rochdale was recommended to be included in the new Third Division North, and played their first League game at home against Accrington Stanley on 27 August 1921, winning 6–3. However, this first season ended with the club at the bottom of the League, having to reapply for membership.
The club's first promotion came in 1969, earned by a team largely assembled by manager Bob Stokoe, though it was Stokoe's assistant, Len Richley who steered Rochdale to promotion after Stokoe moved to Carlisle United. In the early stages of the 1969–70 season, Rochdale topped the Third Division table, sparking hopes of a second successive promotion. The team's form significantly declined around Christmas 1969, however, and a failure to halt the team's decline led to the dismissal of Richley. He was succeeded by d*ck Conner, who stabilised the club's form and steered them to a 9th-place finish. The following three seasons saw the club finish in the lower reaches of the Third Division table, narrowly avoiding relegation each time. The board viewed merely surviving in the Third Division as unacceptable and replaced Conner with Walter Joyce for the 1973–74 season. This move failed to pay off, and Rochdale was relegated after a campaign in which they won only 2 of 46 league games.
The club finished bottom of the league in 1977–78, but was successful in their bid for re-election. Southport, which had finished one place above Rochdale, was demoted instead and replaced by Wigan Athletic. Rochdale finished bottom for a second time in 1979–80, but was again re-elected – by one vote over Altrincham. In 1989–90 the club reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time, but lost 1–0 to Crystal Palace.
Steve Parkin was appointed as manager in 1998, a period in which the success of the club improved significantly with the emergence of talented players such as Gary Jones, Clive Platt, Grant Holt and Kevin Townson.
Parkin left to take over at Barnsley in November 2001 with Rochdale second in the Third Division. This gained him little popularity with the fans, especially when he took Gary Jones with him. John Hollins was appointed as his successor and the club finished the season in 5th place, entering the promotion play-offs where they lost to Rushden & Diamonds in the semi-final.
The club reached the fifth round of the FA Cup again the following season, but lost 3–1 at Wolves. Hollins was replaced by Paul Simpson in 2002, and Alan Buckley, appointed and sacked as manager in 2003. Parkin then returned to the club as manager, until being sacked in December 2006.
Parkin's replacement, Keith Hill, who was initially appointed as caretaker manager, became arguably the club's most successful manager to date. Hill and his assistant manager David Flitcroft led Rochdale to a 5th-place finish in 2007–08, securing a play-off place. After beating Darlington 5–4 on penalties in the semi-final, Rochdale reached Wembley for the first time in their history. Despite taking the lead in the match, they lost the final 3–2 to Stockport County.
In the 2008–09 season, Rochdale reached the League Two play-offs for the second consecutive season, finishing 6th in the table on 70 points. Season 2009–10 ended a 41-year wait for promotion with a win over Northampton Town as Rochdale secured the third automatic promotion spot. Rochdale continued their progression under Keith Hill, now with the club for 3 years, with a secured spot in League One in 2010–11. In 2010–11 Rochdale finished 9th in league one with 68 points, equalling their highest league finish since 1969–70.
On 1 June 2011 manager Keith Hill joined Championship club Barnsley. Former Manchester City apprentice and youth coach Steve Eyre was confirmed as Hill's replacement on 12 June 2011. Eyre's spell at Spotland did not last long, as he was sacked after 27 competitive games in charge, the team having recorded just 4 league wins in this time. Eyre's last game was a 0–0 draw against Yeovil, in which Yeovil's keeper Rene Gilmartin played the second half with a dislocated finger. Director of youth Chris Beech was then appointed as caretaker manager. Under Beech's first game in charge, the team drew 1–1 with Preston North End with an equaliser from Daniel Bogdanović who scored on his debut. Beech's 5 games in charge ended with a 5–1 defeat by Stevenage and a 3–0 defeat to bottom of league Wycombe Wanderers.
On 24 January 2012, Accrington Stanley's John Coleman was confirmed manager as the successor to Steve Eyre and left his club where he had been for more than a decade. John Coleman's first match in charge was a 3–0 win at home over Bury in the local derby. However, on 21 April, Rochdale lost 2–1 to Chesterfield resulting in relegation from League One after two years in the league. John Coleman's and Jimmy Bell's contracts were terminated by Rochdale on 21 January 2013 following a poor run in form. In January 2013, Keith Hill, previously in charge of Rochdale from 2007 to 2011, was appointed as the new manager.
Rochdale were promoted to League One on 26 April 2014, after beating Cheltenham Town 2–0. Playing at the club's highest level the 2014–15 season was the club's most successful yet. Apart from a couple of games, they remained in the top half of the league all season, eventually finishing in 8th place, their highest league placing. Notable results were a 2–1 win away to Bradford City and home wins against Preston North End and Chesterfield. The club reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, and despite being eliminated by Premier League opposition, remained in contention for promotion to the Championship.
Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League's bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League, with some even derisively calling it "the Rochdale Division". The club has the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921–22 (76th) and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950–51 (79th). Additionally, the club holds the distinction of having played the most seasons in the English Football League without either reaching the top two tiers (91 seasons as of 2018-19) or being relegated to the National League.
Last season Rochdale finished in 18th place on the League table.
The Manager – Brian Barry-Murphy
Form Guide
Ipswich Last Two Matches – currently in 1st place with 6 points
13 Sep Ipswich Town 2 - 0 Wigan Athletic
19 Sep Bristol Rovers 0 - 2 Ipswich Town
Rochdale Last Two Matches – currently in 21st place with 1 point
12 Sep Swindon Town 3 - 1 Rochdale
20 Sep Rochdale 0 - 0 Portsmouth
Marko’s Caption Competition -THE DON CUP
Hi Guys,
Very little interest happening in the Don Cup and to be honest, it’s understandable with what’s happening in this country at the moment. Having a laugh may be way down on people’s agenda at this moment in time.
Discussed the issue with the other mods and I’ve decided that if there isn’t a significant increase in interest in the competition, it’ll be cancelled for this 2020/21 season. Then hopefully pick it up again when normality resumes. I just don’t want to etch that cup when only four or five people are competing. I’m sure that’s fairly understandable.
Anyway, have a go this week if the desire comes up yer humph.
ROCHDALE CAPTION PICTURE
Match Referee – John Busby
IPSWICH TOWN 2 ROCHDALE AFC 0