Emergency loan goalkeeper Andy Lonergan has told www.rochdaleafc.co.uk that he’s pleased to have been drafted in to help the team while Josh Lillis recovers from injury.
The Boro stopper was called upon last week to following an injury to Lillis, and the experienced 35-year-old put pen to paper on a week’s long loan on Thursday.
Speaking on Saturday after Dale’s League One fixture against Coventry City, he commented: “The first few days have been good and really enjoyable, although the result today is disappointing.
“Middlesbrough asked me on Tuesday night if I wanted to come to Rochdale and I said yes.
“I didn’t know much about the what had gone on, but I came in on Thursday and trained and I’ve enjoyed it so far. There’s a good set of lads here and good staff, and I’m pleased that they wanted me to come here.”
Lonergan’s appearances at Middlesbrough have been limited to just four this season – two in the Carabao Cup and two in the Checkatrade Trophy, with the last coming back in November, so he was pleased to be involved for Dale at the weekend.
“I’ve been stuck on about 400 games now for a long time. I wanted to stay as high as I could for as long as possible but I’ve not been playing.
“I was buzzing driving in today, so I had a bit of nervous excitement and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what we wanted.”
And Lonergan admits that fellow goalkeeper Brad Wade, a first-year pro, has made him feel old.
“I’ve never met a ‘keeper that I don’t get on with. The goalkeeper union that they talk about is real. Brad is good lad and he’s made me feel really old because he played in the same team as my cousin who I still see as being about five or six, although he’s obviously 18 now, so he has made me feel pretty old!”