The Poolie Bunker

I want Rochdale to win because they deserve it, simple.
What I don’t want to see is another faceless M25 hobby ‘club’ with low gates getting in through the back door.
Simple as that.

Rochdale deserve to go up for finishing 2nd.
They should not have to play 2 extra matches to get promoted.
There should be 2 automatic places and if Rochdale were to lose this final, it would further strengthen the case for it!

totally agree. first time in my life i,d say up the dale.

It's an even shitter division next season.

Should be no issues really.

If we get the right manager in and motivated players!

Rochdale behind after 22 mins.

Rochdale look burnt out, need to up the anti.

2-0 now.

Totally unfair. Imagine how the fans must feel!!
Following your side over 46 league games to finish 2nd on 106 points and you do not get promoted!
It is time for 3up 3down!

Similar to York last season, they'll strengthen and go up as Champions next season I reckon.

2-1 now. It’s been a cracking second half

Dale have pulled a goal back!

Dale have been robbed by this stupid promotion system annd another set of home counties lookalikes.
I wish we hadn’t beaten them away.

2-2 Mani!!

What do I know , come on Dale.

2 seconds to go! unbelievable!!!!

Get in !!!

great stuff!!!

Bastard othe board told me it was over. ….start praying

Come on Rochdale no fancy penalties just smack it hard as you can on target, One stupid penalty could decide this.

don't believe what you read Snowy!!!

I thought there was extra time?

ooooops forgot about extra time, getting ahead of myself. I can remember when I got this excited about Pools LOL!!

Well done dale. A proper club.

Get in there.
Congrats to Rochdale. Thoroughly deserved

That last save was superb by the way. Even if he has an unfortunate name. Oliver Whatmuff.

take that you gobby arrogant southern git gerrad.

Congratulations Rochdale justice was served in the end, hope to play yous in a years time.

Good result, another big spending club out of the division, and given their and Yorks dominance the right result in the end.

Pleased for Dale, they deserved it, rather them than another London team.

Did they spend big though? Most (if not all) of their signings have been free agents or they've been loan players.

I think they've just been better run and better managed than most teams in the National league this season (us included)..

And good luck to them for that.

Manni writes his own scripts. Pleased for him - finally a chance to to get back in the Football League at the age of 31. We had him for 2 seasons and never got close to putting a play-off side together around him.

As am I. It made no sense that so many people turned on him in the second half of last season. I remember people behind me shouting “if you don’t want to be here, f*** off” which was complete nonsense. He always had a good attitude, and seemed like a top bloke in interviews. Not to mention being the most prolific striker we’ve had in god knows how long.

Even on here a few months back you had people slagging him off for going some games without scoring. Well he’s ended up with 27 goals and 7 assists in 41 games, including a goal in a play-off final to help take Rochdale to L2. We only scored 54 as a team!! Thanks Raj, thanks numbskulls who tried to chase him out the club for no reason.

Rochdale were in the top 4 or 5 for agent's fees paid this year and many reports have their wages bill at over £1.5m. The 18 year old keeper who's on loan from Man City is reported to be on about £2500 PW and Mani about £2000 pw.
They're owned by one of the richest men in the UK who's got a 5 year plan, of which this was the 2nd season, to establish the club back in the EFL as a community led entity.
Obviously money isn't everything, look at the dogs breakfast Mark Hughes made at big spending Carlisle for example.
York and Rochdale being promoted must surely help level the playing field going forward.

financially i do not think the relegated clubs will have that much of a clout apart from the money they got for failure. the taps seemed to have been turned off there. kidderminster have never seemed that big of a spender and who the hell and where is hornchurch. suppose we,ll find out in a few months.

People who slagged Manni off, Just showed their lack of football knowledge, Bless them.

Just for you Accy, https://hornchurchfc.com/matchday/a-visitors-guide/

Hornchurch is east London Mr Accy, a friend of mine lives there, so hopefully the fixture computer does me a favour & we play them away in August/September rather than the middle of January/February & I will make a weekend of it

Slightly amusing fact…

There were players called Booty, Bush and Whatmuff playing on Sunday.

Unfortunately Jimmy Fanny was out injured for Boreham Wood.

(I made the last bit up).

looking at the fixtures over the last couple of seasons you might be lucky. more chance of a saturday match down there than the one most prefer to watch more local that seem to be reserved for midweek.

I see Southend won the FA Trophy (tin pot means jackshit).
And qualified comfortably for the top 7.

Would that be OK for us next season?
Or is some fans ambition a tad higher than that!!

Top 7 and FA Cup run would be acceptable for me as baby steps progress.
UTP.

bollocks to that 7th finish. nothing short of doing the treble for me plus qualification for europe.

Winning the Durham Senior Cup gets you straight into the Europa Conference League.

I would accept that as a good season if we do the same as Southend next season. Although the obvious goal has to be a return to the EFL asap.

It seems the successful clubs bring in a new management team, using that season to get their ideas across then motor off up the table the following season.

If offered now- I'd happily settle for a playoff place and a visit to Wembley - that would be a successful season for me