Get the lowdown on our next opponents: Rochdale AFC.

The Opposition

A return to League Two is in Rochdale’s hands, with Jimmy McNulty’s side sitting pretty at the top of the National League table, maintaining a three-point gap to York City in second with seven games to play.

Dale suffered the end of more than a century in the Football League when they were condemned to relegation at the end of the 2022/23 season, and preceded a maiden campaign in the fifth tier which was overshadowed by problems off the pitch, navigating a respectable 11th place finish before they began to mount their shot at promotion under McNulty, who took charge after spending almost ten years at the Crown Oil Arena as a player.

He subsequently guided the club to a fourth place finish last term, being eliminated from the play-offs at the first hurdle at the hands of eventual finalists Southend United, but have nonetheless bounced back to their heartbreak by establishing themselves as one of the most dangerous outfits in the entire division.

The signing of Mani Dieseruvwe from Hartlepool United has proven to be nothing more than a masterstroke, with his 24 goals bettered only by Ollie Pearce, while his tally takes up 30.38% of their entire return of 79.

Indeed, goalscoring hasn’t necessarily been Rochdale’s forte this season, instead their superb defensive record has propelled them to the summit of the league and within touching distance of League Two, courtesy of the brilliant work done by captain Kyron Gordon, along with the likes of Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Callum Perry, Dan Moss, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling and Sam Beckwith, along with defensive midfielders Ryan East and Casey Pettit, who have struck up a crucial partnership in the centre of the park and have appeared more times than anyone else in the squad, whilst contributing to the best defensive record in the division with just 33 goals conceded.

As such, Rochdale have enjoyed a stellar run since the turn of the year, losing just once in total, and prior to that went 15 games unbeaten in their hunt for promotion. While a point last time out at Scunthorpe United was a slight hinderance, York’s hefty defeat at Gateshead helped to soften that blow, and Dale will be aiming to cement their position at the peak of the fifth tier to seal their rightful place in League Two.

The Manager

Jimmy McNulty

Jimmy McNulty headed into his third full season in management after being appointed at the end of the 2022/23 season, taking charge of the club where he had spent almost ten years as a player.

After spending time in the academies of both Liverpool and Everton, McNulty began his senior career at Wrexham AFC, becoming reserve team captain and making one senior appearance for the Red Dragons before departing in 2004, having spent a brief stint on loan at Bangor City in the League of Wales.

He would join another League of Wales side, Caernarfon Town the following summer, going on to make 63 appearances for the club over two seasons, scoring twice, whilst also reaching the position of captain.

This would see the defender rise into the Football League, with further spells at Macclesfield Town and Stockport County preceding a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he played a handful of times before moving on loan to Scunthorpe United. McNulty would later turn out for Barnsley, Tranmere Rovers and Bury, making the switch across Greater Manchester to Rochdale, where he would end his playing career with an eight-year stint.

McNulty made over 200 appearances for Dale, helping the club to establish themselves in League One over six seasons, before two relegations in two years saw him twice take on the role of caretaker manager following the sackings of David Stockdale and later Jim Bentley.

Although he was unable to guide the club away from the League Two drop zone, he would later be appointed as Dale’s permanent manager, and oversaw their rise into the National League play-off places last season, where they were knocked out by finalists Southend United in the eliminator round, as well as reaching the Isuzu FA Trophy Semi-Final.

He has gone on to guide Rochdale to within touching distance of a return to League Two, rising into a title race with York City heading into the final seven games of the campaign.

One to Watch

Mani Dieseruvwe

Emmanuel ‘Mani’ Dieseruvwe got off to the perfect start to life as a Rochdale player, and has been quick to continue his goalscoring exploits into his 15th club in his career.

Born in Leeds, Dierseruvwe began his career in the Sheffield Wednesday academy and spent time out on loan at Hyde United, Fleetwood Town and Chesterfield, before joining the latter permanently in 2013. The forward would spend a season at the Technique Stadium and made 25 appearances, but would be on the move again following a loan spell at Mansfield Town. A switch to Kidderminster Harriers saw him continue to play frequently, with four goals in 29 appearances prior to a brief loan stint at Boston United, which preceded a permanent move to Salford City in 2017.

He would move on loan to Chester after a year in Greater Manchester, but would soon carve out a four-year spell at the Peninsula Stadium, with Dieseruvwe opening the scoring in the 2019 National League play-off final, with Salford going on to win 3-0 against AFC Fylde and reach the EFL for the first time in the club’s history. Dieseruvwe continued this goalscoring form into the following season and wrote his name in Salford folklore with the Ammies’ first ever EFL goal, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Stevenage.

A brief loan move to Oldham Athletic would precede his permanent departure from Salford, with stints at Tranmere Rovers, Grimsby Town and FC Halifax Town following. He would fine great success with the latter two, scoring twice in the Mariners’ victorious play-off campaign in 2022, before joining Halifax the following season.

His single season with the Shaymen saw him score 13 goals and win the FA Trophy, before joining Hartlepool United in May 2023, and the 29-year old would end the season with a career-best 25 goals in all competitions.

Dieseruvwe remained in-form last season as well, notching a further 16 goals, before joining Rochdale in the summer, where he scored two goals on his competitive debut in just three minutes, firing the Dale to a 2-0 win over Boreham Wood on opening day. He has since gone on to 24 goals, bettered only by York City’s Ollie Pearce.

Recent Form

Scunthorpe United 2-2 Rochdale

Rochdale 3-2 Tamworth

Southend United 3-2 Rochdale

Eastleigh 1-3 Rochdale

Rochdale 1-0 Boston United

Rochdale 3-2 Brackley Town

Last Time Out

Dale were pegged back late on at Scunthorpe United on Wednesday evening, being held to a 2-2 draw.

Goals from Luke Hannant and Aidan Barlow either side of the break put Dale two ahead, but the hosts scored on the hour and with three minutes remaining to see the lead at the top of the table extended by just one further point.

The hosts took the lead on the half-hour mark when a ball forward to Mani Dieseruvwe was flicked on into the path of the on-running Hannant, who fired a superb left-footed effort low into the near corner from the edge of the area, and Six minutes after the break, the lead was extended. A poor clearance from Scunthorpe goalkeeper Louis Jones fell to Devante Rodney on the halfway line, who looped the ball back over the defence towards Jones. Under pressure from Barlow, he headed the ball into the midriff of the Dale man, who then had the simple task of carrying the ball forward and slotting into the empty net.

However, the hosts pulled one back on the hour mark, when a mix-up between Callum Perry and Winterbottom allowed Roberts to steal in and fire home into an empty net from the edge of the area.

Winterbottom could then do nothing to prevent Alfie Beestin from slamming home a low effort from a corner with three minutes remaining to equalise, and while Dale had the ball in the back of the net one more time through Henderson in the 90th minute, there was an offside flag in the build-up to deny him.