May I begin by wishing all Rochdale supporters, wherever you may be in the World, a very Happy Christmas and I hope that you - and your families - all enjoy the festivities.
Not only is 2019 nearing a close, but so too is the current decade and, what a decade it has been for our Club.
It has, without doubt, been the most successful decade in the Club’s history. There have been two promotions, a number of incredible cup runs, and we are currently in our sixth consecutive season in the third tier of English football.
The Board and I at Rochdale Football Club are fully committed to delivering that same type of continued success over the coming years.
We also recognise that, whilst we have sustained our League One status for a record number of consecutive seasons, there have been some tough times in recent campaigns.
League One has always been a tough division to compete in, none more so than in the last couple of years, as we have seen by back-to-back relegation battles.
However, as a Chairman and Board Of Directors, we believe strongly in Brian Barry-Murphy, his staff, players, and the style of football that we are playing.
The form and team spirit that the Squad showed under Brian towards the end of last season was incredible and allowed him to steer us away from the relegation zone.
There have also been some incredible highs this season. Taking Manchester United to penalties away from home in the Carabao Cup, reaching the third round of the Emirates FA Cup for the fifth time in seven seasons, along with some of the football we have played along the way, have all been unforgettable.
We are fully behind Brian as the right manager to take this Club forward.
Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank you - our great fans - for your continued support of Rochdale Football Club. Your support is unwavering and is both fully recognised and hugely appreciated by everyone at the Club.
We have already seen an incredible uptake in tickets purchased for our Emirates FA Cup third round tie against Newcastle United. We are very hopeful that we will have a fully sold out Crown Oil Arena on Saturday 4th January for what will be a very proud occasion for all of us.
Again, have a very Happy Christmas and I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year to come. We very much look forward to seeing many of you on Boxing Day for our game against Fleetwood Town.
Up The Dale!
Andrew