Throw Back Thursday!
In the first of a new series for the official website, Mark Wilbraham, Editor of the club’s official matchday programme, ‘The Voice of Spotland’, takes a look back at Dale events on this date down the years...
CLASSIC MATCH
Saturday 25th August 1990
Barclays League Division Four
ROCHDALE 4, ALDERSHOT 0
This game nearly didn’t happen, as Aldershot spent the entire summer on the verge of closure due to financial worries.
That it did happen was down to a 19-year-old businessman called Spencer Trethewy. He invested some of his wealth into the club so they could start the season and made promises of further riches to come in the future. Sadly, it never happened and in March 1992, Aldershot folded and resigned from the Football League. It took them 16 years to return.
Dale were happy this game did take place, particularly as it gave their fans another Spotland Spectacular!
An Andy Milner hat-trick had seen Terry Dolan’s team thrash Hereford 5-2 on the final day of the 1989/90 campaign, so to start the new season with a 4-0 win was even better. And three days later Scarborough were dispatched 4-0 in the Rumbelows Cup.
Mark Hilditch, Micky Holmes and Peter Ward (2) were on target against The Shots. Watch the goals on Dale PlayerHD.
The Rochdale team that afternoon was:
Keith Welch
Willie Burns
Jimmy Graham
Tony Brown
Steve O’Shaughnessy
Peter Ward
Andy Milner
Chris Lee
Mark Hilditch
Peter Costello (Steve Elliott)
Micky Holmes
ALSO ON THIS DAY...
1984 Keith Hicks made his Rochdale debut, as Dale were beaten 1-0 at home by his former club, Hereford.
2001 Goals from Gary Jones and Paul Connor clinched a 2-1 win at Plymouth. The Pilgrims went on to be league champions at the end of the season.
2003 Two goals from Robert Betts helped Dale to a 3-1 win at Torquay. Both sides finished with ten men – Michael Simpkins dismissed for Dale.
BORN ON THIS DAY
Three former Dale players were born on this day – Neil Colbourne, Eric Downes and Blair Sturrock.
Colbourne was a goalkeeper who played just one game for the club in April 1980.
Downes was a centre-half who made 58 appearances in the early-1950s.
Sturrock (pictured) was a striker signed by Steve Parkin for the 2005/06 season. Used mainly as a substitute, he scored six goals in 35 outings.