Chairman Chris Dunphy has issued the following statement on behalf of the Board of Directors:
Everyone at Rochdale Football Club is greatly saddened by this devastating news.
Joe is part of Team Rochdale and friend to all of us, and our thoughts are with him and his family.
We will support Joe through this difficult time and will be with him every step of the way.
He has the full support of everyone at the club and we will do everything we can to help him beat this horrible disease for a second time.
We know he’s a fighter and I’ve no doubt he’ll fight this with the same bravery and courage as he did the last time.
We wish him a full and speedy recovery.
Calvin Andrew, on behalf of the players, added:
It has come as shock to us all. We’re a good team unit and Joe is a big part of that. We all care about each other so when something like this happens, it’s devastating.
We’re 100-percent behind Joe and we will support him during this difficult time. We’ll be a support system for him and his family, and we’ll help him get through this.
He’s been here before and we’ll help him get through it again.