Internet Football Ground Guide - Fans Ground Reviews, Spotland, Rochdale

Spotland - Rochdale
Saturday, September 29th, 2001,
V Mansfield Town, Division Three 3pm
By Lee Roberts

I'd read so many good things about Rochdale's Spotland ground, from the excellent pies to the warm, friendly atmosphere pervading around the place. I remember it coming out on top of 'Total Football' magazine's best grounds list one year, so it was with a great deal on anticipation that I dropped my wife off for work and headed north.

Duncan had phoned my the night before and asked me to collect him en route, as he wished to return to Spotland to have a look at the recent developments, it being a few years since his only visit there. Some of the weather I encountered on the drive was appalling, reducing me to under 20 mph on the M6 at one time, but we fought our way through the storms and the usual traffic problems to arrive in the small town of Rochdale just after 1 o'clock. We found a pub that Duncan remembered from his previous visit with relative ease, but from there we spent the next 15 minutes or so trying to find the ground. A couple of detours later - including spotting some floodlights but discovering they belonged to the local rugby union club - we parked-up at that first pub and enjoyed a decent drink and a pub lunch, noticing that a small band of visiting Stags fans were made welcome inside. We left to continue our search for the stadium, only to find that it was just further up the road we had originally turned around in about an hour beforehand!

At the ground the friendly club official at the main gate was co-operative enough to aid us in securing a parking slot right up alongside the back of the Main Stand, having paid the staff at the supporters club bar. The car was only a few metres from the exits to our seats in the stand, and this was convenience at it's best. It was also a secure location at which to leave the car - again, top marks. There was enough time to enjoy another swift drink in both a modern bar underneath the new WMG Stand and the supporters club bar. Both were again very convenient, free of charge and welcomed visitors without any apparent hassle.

As we took our seats in the Main Stand, Duncan was immediately amazed at how much the place had changed - and all for the better. Gone were the muddy slopes that masqueraded as terracing, and the poor facilities. In their place were four bright, modern and attractive sides of a ground that is as neat as it is compact. Three sides of the stadium - the Main, Willbutts Lane (opposite) and WMG (to the left) stands are all seated, and each looked as if it had been built within the last 3 years. Similar in size and with identically coloured seats, the only blight is the presence of some pillars both in the Main and WMG stands. To our left was a small end of covered terracing for home supporters, but even that looked to be in a reasonable condition. Overall, Spotland is very pleasing to the eye and they may be a small club who have achieved very little success, but that has not prevented them from establishing an attractive set-up that is amongst the best in the division.

The match itself was a lively affair, with quality football served up from both teams. However, it was Rochdale who come out worthy winners by three goals to one, and they were all good goals. The game also gave me an opportunity to watch the admirable Tony Ford MBE, who flew up and down the pitch with the pace and energy of someone half his age. He really is a credit to himself and the game. In the rare moments when the match action subsided, both Duncan and I passed the time looking towards the rolling Lancashire hills in the near distance - a backdrop to a league stadium of rare beauty. Just to add to the experience, the half-time pies were classics, every bit as good as in those reports I had read.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Spotland and it will surely rate in my top 10 of favourite grounds when I complete the 92. That view was also shared by Duncan who was also suitably impressed. Spotland is one those places where I could return to time after time, especially if the football remains as good as was served up on this visit. I have to say that I can't think of one aspect on which to criticise Rochdale FC and their Spotland home."