“The existence of Rochdale AFC is at stake” were the harsh words of the club’s chairman, Simon Gauge. As with most things in life, it’s about money. The Greater Manchester club needs a £2 million investment in the coming weeks or face the prospect of liquidation.
In the shadow of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3 billion purchase of just over a quarter of Manchester United, the need for comparative pocket money at Rochdale is a matter of life and death. The town, 14 miles north of Manchester, is struggling for positive PR and losing its only professional sports club would be a significant blow.
With a week to digest the news, 1,836 people attended Tuesday’s 3-0 National League win over Wealdstone in the cold and rain at Spotland. Thoughts briefly turned to issues on the ground and normality was restored in an atmosphere of anxiety. Mascot Desmond the Dragon made laps before the game, a patient young fan took a selfie with players running for warm-up, and friends met in the stands every other week to chat and discuss whether a lineup change would make a difference. We’re talking drizzling rain and plummeting temperatures.
“We were there [Football] We’ve been in the league for 102 years and now we’re out and in really bad shape; the situation is bleak,” says John Leach, a supporter for 61 years. “I first came with my father and grandfather, who at that time were functional mutes of the northern type, who had little to say until they came to football. I have fond memories of bonding with my father and grandfather over the years. We often went to away games. “I have all of that and if the club goes it will be another memory erased from my life.”
Northwest football has suffered more than most in recent years. Bury and Macclesfield went bankrupt and each reformed further down the pyramid. That’s one of the reasons why Gauge and his supporters have taken up the challenge of keeping Rochdale afloat in a fan ownership model in 2021.
They had to prevent a hostile takeover, spending a lot of time and energy. Board members are wondering whether it’s all worth it for them personally, because the background situation is getting worse with the impact of Covid and relegations. The cloth has been cut accordingly, but outside money is the only way to keep Dale afloat.
“It’s not a financial investment, it’s an emotional investment,” Gauge says. “In an ideal world, everyone, including me, would want to stay in the fan ownership model. The financial reality is that you don’t have anyone to fund the club when you need a cash infusion, so it doesn’t work. What people are angry about is the realization that you can’t make a fan-driven model work. “Everyone has the same motivation, wanting the club to survive.”
In the last 15 months, intense efforts have been made to attract the necessary investment. Finding interest was not a problem, but managers were unconvinced by certain offers and identified obstacles to investment in the way the club was set up. They hope to win support for changes that will see 90 per cent of the shares sold in a single £2 million transaction at an extraordinary general meeting next Thursday.
Running out of money before March salaries are due is a real fear. Rochdale is in 11th place, 6 points above the relegation zone. There could be a 10 point deduction if the club is placed into administration, and if they can survive the risk of relegation to regional football could be further increased.
The sale of academy graduates helped keep the club afloat for several years. Despite the size of the club, Rochdale have an enviable track record of regularly selling to Premier League and Championship clubs higher up the pyramid. There was hope that youngster George Nevett would be sold in January, but talks have stalled amid interest from Crystal Palace and Southampton as clubs tighten their belts. This is an indication of how little things can tip the balance.
Rochdale is an attractive investment for those with funds; They own the land and have manageable levels of debt. The majority of interest is coming from America, thanks in part to the increased visibility in the English football pyramid following Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s takeovers at Wrexham. The same cannot be expected in Spotland.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham spoke to the club and offered help finding investment and revealed the value of getting involved in Rochdale. Burnham understands the importance of football clubs to a community and knows the loss of Rochdale would be a devastating blow to the town. The club runs a food bank, offers walking football and has taken initiatives to enable refugees and asylum seekers in the town to play football.
Rochdale is black and blue but there is more competition at the club. They may be down, but they are not out.