Name: Rochdale
Manager: Keith Hill
Ground + Capacity: Spotland – 10,249
Sat Nav Post Code: OL11 5DR
Nearest Train Station: Rochdale
Odds: 20/1
Last Meeting: Rochdale 0-1 Millwall – 13/02/16
Club Website: www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/
LAST season saw the first meeting between Millwall and Rochdale in half a century.
The Den clash on September 26th was the first game between the two since 1965 – and it produced the Lions’ first home league win of a stuttering season, too.
In a day of rare occasions, Jimmy Abdou opened the scoring after just four minutes.
Ex-Lion Peter Vincenti threatened to spoil the party with an equaliser in the 43rd minute, but Shaun Williams’ classy strike nosed the home side back in front of the stroke of half-time.
Steve Morison made sure of the three points for Millwall on the hour mark.
Lee Gregory’s tap-in was enough to secure victory for Neil Harris’ outfit in the return match at Spotland in mid-February.
The Lions and the Lancashire side had only met eight times in their history before 2015-16. Next season will see the third and fourth meetings between the two within two years.
Keith Hill steered Rochdale to an impressive tenth-placed finish last time out and at 20/1, the bookies feel ‘Dale could have an outside chance of a play-off place.
The last fortnight has seen the club lose Lewis Alessandra and the experienced Grant Holt to Hartlepool United and Hibernian respectively.
However, in return, Hill has moved to bring in Niall Canavan from Scunthorpe United, whilst defender Harrison McGahey has signed a new two-year deal with the club.