Away Days.......Rochdale

After a long summer sabbatical, and in conjunction with the with the start of the latest football season, it is time to relaunch the Away Days thread. It also coincides with the first voyage of the season, although the twenty or so miles myself and Dr Shotgun travelled over the Pennines hardly does the word service. It was our first experience of the world renowned Johnstones Paint Trophy, which is contested amongst the bottom two divisions, on a north/south divide, for the right to play on the hallowed turf at Wemberley. But our hopeful journey to the massive 90,000 capacity began at what could only be described as the polar opposite, Spotland, home of Rochdale A.F.C. It is a nice little ground, well served by a social club at one end, and a proper old school pub nearer the away end. And it is just as well they have somewhere to drown their sorrows, as the poor buggers have been rooted in the bottom division of the English professional leagues since 1974, a mind boggling 36 years. And us Bantams think we have had it hard.


Statistics

• Capacity-10,249
  
• Concessions- The best reason for visiting. Proper pies, and proper pints, served at decent prices (pies £2, pint of lager £3). They even have a contra flow system to make getting served a quick and painless chore. The knob heads running the stands at Valley Parade would be well advised to visit and take notes. Where is Jamon when you need him??
  
• Built-1920
  
• Did You Know?- Ummmmmmmmmmm...It's in Rochadale?
  
• Visited By- Euro Bri, Dr Shotgun and El Grande Queso
  
• Rating- Coliseum. I was going to go higher. It is in a residential area, so there are plenty of boozers. The grub in the stadium is great. The fans give it there all (although there is not a great deal of them) and both times I have been, it has been a pretty good craic. But it is just lacking a certain something. Maybe it's because both times I have driven over for the game, which always takes the edge off proceedings. You get a much better feeling for the place if you spend some time around the district that it is in. This fact could result in an upgraded rating at a later date.