Football Season Guide

After famously escaping the drop of the last day of the 2017/18 season, the Dale were hoping to do better in the next campaign and stay clear of danger. It was a hope that did not materialize, as they badly struggled for large spells, with the board eventually opting to part ways with long-serving manager Keith Hill. It was a decision that worked, as caretaker Brian Barry-Murphy managed to guide them to safety and was eventually given the job on a permanent basis. While doing well to keep Dale in the division, Barry-Murphy now faces a completely different task. He will now not have the "new manager bounce" to work in his favour and will have to find a way to aid the battle for survival of a side that has one of the smallest budgets in the division and always needs to punch above its weight. Numerous players have left during the summer. Most of those have played bit-part roles, but Ethan Hamilton and Ethan Ebanks-Landell were rather important members of their starting lineup. Only three signings have been made, all on loan. Rekeil Pyke re-joins on loan from Huddersfield, while Rhys Norrington-Davies and Robert Sanchez have no previous League One experience. All in all, their squad certainly looks weaker than last season and Barry-Murphy has a big task ahead of him in his first-ever season as a manager.