Rochdale Football Club News

• Nickname:Dale
• Founded:1907
• Manager:John Coleman

• Ground:Spotland
• Capacity:10,208

Hill to turn to youngsters

05 Aug 2009 - 12:24:05

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Rochdale manager Keith Hill will use youngsters to ensure he has enough players for the opening fixture of the season against Port Vale.

Chris Brown, Callum Byrne and Josh Brizzell, who are second-year youth team players, are on standby to travel to Vale Park as the Dale squad is so thin.

With Rory McArdle and Ciaran Toner still missing, the manager is having to utilise every possible avenue to fill the 16 places available.

Speaking to the Rochdale Observer, a despondent Hill said: "We had 13 fit outfield players at Southport and three scholars on the bench.

"The squad is nowhere near big enough, but that's what we've got to go with at Port Vale. We've got good players here, there's no doubt about that.

"But when players such as Rory McArdle get injured, we do need to be able to replace them.

"Rory could be missing for the first 12 matches of the season and that dozen games could go a long way to shaping your entire campaign."