This rumour from a few months ago about Ben & Jim signing our players.

Yes I know he did, but when did he sign him before that. We're talking about re-signing players after a mediocre spell originally. I've no problem taking a bit of a gamble with players - you never know it might pay off & you'll never know unless you give it a try. But to re-sign someone who hasn't done a job for you, then that's a different story altogether ...

 

Both he and O'Brien turned down fresh terms on reduced money, then couldn't get fixed up, and both ended up taking less money than we'd offered at their respective new clubs. In fact, the week that Bobby Hassell went on trial at Bradford, he bumped into Dawson who had just been there himself looking for a deal, but City didn't have the wages he wanted. Fast forward a few weeks and he signs for Dale on much less than we offered him, then after his match-fixing charge is dropped, he thanks Rochdale for being the only club to show faith in him. Same Dawson who in the immediate aftermath of our relegation on Teeside, drove back to Rochdale to celebrate Dale's promotion.

Reight bloke.

 

So exactly what we thought looking from the stands is the case. I always get suspicious of people accusing players of not giving one, but when you hear that they actually didn't from people who see them every day in training, it's infuriating. What kind of person have you got to be to earn several thousands of pounds a week and think you have a divine right to it and don't need to work?

Sounds like we recruited more than a few bad eggs in the 'boys' club' era of Hillcroft.