Season 2, Division 2!
1st Half
I LOVE the start of a new season! Checking out which players have increased their value, new players coming through the ranks, negotiating new contracts etc. At Rochdale we’ve had no retirements, but also no reserves have come through, so it’s a quick blast through renewing contracts and listing fringe players. Danny Carter is up to £250,000 and a couple of others, Howard and Craddock are at £100,000, so things are looking promising.
Looking around the leagues to see what’s new, Telford United are the new boys in the 3rd Division taking the place of Plymouth, and looking at rookies that have come through, there’s a couple of interesting regen names that pop up! I also like trying to find the good regens to keep an eye on for future reference. One of which – Kenny Betts AC, at Watford – is very tempting straight off as I unloaded most of the existing attackers from the squad already.
Rather than play the regular opposition, I’m mixing it up playing loads of random teams in the preseason friendlies, going for the most interesting or different names. Karl Connolly AC, mid season signing last season and our eventual top scorer, gets injured in the first friendly and is out for 8 weeks! We’ve got enough cover, just, with Carter and Hancox both MA RC, but I want a bit more cover so take a chance on the new regen Betts, not currently in the Watford squad, as backup striker.
The season kicks off and we take a while to get going, drawing most of our opening matches, dominating them but not able to convert the multiple chances we create. The improvement comes after being a goal down away against Blackpool and throwing on Betts, who scores as we comeback to get the win, and then continues to bang them in in Connolly’s absence! We get through the first weeks undefeated beating Bournemouth over 2 legs in the League Cup to get high flying Newcastle United in the second round, last season runners up in the league and cup.
It also mean Rochdale get their first International! Paul Williams, DMA L, has been a constant over performer last season and the start of this, usually always a rating or two higher than anyone else (except Carter) and get’s called up to the N. Ireland squad!
We go to St. James Park still unbeaten in the league and swapping top spot back and forth with Middlesboro. After nicking an early lead, a late Andy Cole penalty equals things up and we go back to Sandy Lane for the second leg with a chance. Against the odds we take a 1, then a 2 goal lead, but get pegged back and it’s 2-1 at half time. We hold out until the 80th minute when Lee Clarke scores, but dramatically snatch an 88th minute winner thanks to Captain Carter! The cup run goes on!
Just before the halfway point in the season we continue in the League Cup beating fellow Division 2 team Luton 1-0, then dominating Division 1 Notts County to set up a Quarter Final against the mighty Leeds Utd, as well as brushing aside 3rd Division Scunthorpe in the FA Cup 1st round.
We then cement our place at the top of the league with a string of good results and plenty of goals as Betts continues to find the net in his debut season and beating ‘Boro in a 1st half goalfest, before suffering a shock 1st defeat of the season away to Hull! The slump doesn’t last long as we bounce straight back, thrashing Rotherham 6-0 with Betts bagging his first Hat-Trick.
We reach the halfway point with another goalfest against Cambridge, Carter and Betts leading the way in the top scoreres list as Connolly comes back from injury to join in the goals with Howard getting his fair share from midfield too.
Despite losing to us in the League Cup, Newcastle are leading the Premier League hoping to not be runners up again, with Cantona leading the hunt for the Golden Boot, whilst the bottom of the table is so tight anyone could be in trouble! Meanwhile Telford are storming through the 3rd Division having been top for most of it so far and Forest lead the way in the race to return to the Premier League.
Top of the League, a League Cup Quarter-final against Leeds to come, and still in the FA Cup, with our players making great progress – Carter now worth half a million, Howard 200,000 and Betts proving to be the surprise signing of the decade! – the second half of the season promises to be a good one!
I4NI 
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