4 minute read
The story of two men who saved Rochdale AFC
In his latest book, Mark Hodkinson reveals the passion and dedication required to rescue a club dubbed ‘The worst team in the Football League’ from oblivion. In this exclusive interview, Trevor Hoyle asks the author (both of them Dale fans) how the book came to be written.
David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris in the dugout
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Trevor: First of all, the title, which is kind of banal and yet intriguing at the same time. How did you come to it - or it to you?
Mark: It was something I noticed years ago, that directors of football clubs always seem to wear big, bulky overcoats. I assume because directors have to dress more formal, they go for apparel that suits both the boardroom and the directors' box. I like that it clearly differentiates them, sets them out as a particular breed.
Mark Hodkinson, author of The Overcoat Men
You describe the two men at the heart of the story, David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris, as 'two unsung heroes who saved Rochdale football club from oblivion'. It’s a big claim. Does it stack up?
I think it does - although there were others who played vital supporting roles. Peter Madden built a team from almost nothing when Bob Stokoe moved on. His team played above themselves week after week, knowing the club's future depended on it. The other directors also contributed, even Andrew Hindle who has been much criticised in the town. It remains a fact that, after Fred Ratcliffe, Hindle has been the club's biggest benefactor. Kilpatrick and Morris were the catalysts of the club's 'comeback', though, and also stuck with it for many years. We were so lucky they did. We owe them such a lot.
There’s acres of research in the book reaching back decades. What were the pitfalls and obstacles in gathering material? Did some people refuse, or were reluctant, to talk to you? (No names, no pack drill!)
It took months and months to find some people but I got to everyone in the end. They were happy to talk, even when they knew it might be a tricky interview. I think the love of the club and the fact that much of this was nearly 40 years ago meant they had got over whatever historical issues they might have had with various people. There was a universal delight that Rochdale had continued and, on its own terms, prospered for so many years afterwards. I think at least half of those I interviewed thought the club would fold.
I get the sense that you relish the swirl of small-town camaraderie and rivalries, the bickering and petty jealousies - even the drinking culture of late nights behind closed doors - that forms the backdrop to this narrative.
Yes, I love it! Most football books are a bit boring but I was determined to give this the flavour and mood of a novel, without going too far or trying to pass it off as fiction.
It was a story I've wanted to tell for many years. I've always wanted to properly indulge and take a forensic approach to a subject. Those type of books are usually dedicated to bigger subjects and issues but I wanted to adopt a similar approach to a crucial period in the life of a relatively obscure football club. I did scores of interviews and spent almost a year researching and writing it. Throughout, I did often wonder what this said about me as a person, my absolute commitment to such a narrow field. In the end, though, this is ultimately what books are for - to look deeper at a subject and try to find the truth, or tell a great story at least. I took very few liabilities - there was no need with such a rich seam of characters.
You draw some interesting parallels - and stark contrasts - between the Premier league and lower league clubs like ‘little Rochdale’ as many commentators patronisingly call it. Is this account in some respects a dissection of what’s happened to the beautiful game in the UK? And what can we learn from it?
A basic, obvious thing - keep an eye on who is running your football club. If it all feels too good to be true, it probably is. At Rochdale, because we've flirted with oblivion, I think we're especially cautious. Unlike, say, Bury, Stockport County and Tranmere Rovers, we've never reached the second flight and that irked at the time but look at what has happened since. It's a badge of honour at the club that we pay our way, live within our means. It was a mantra set all those years ago by Kilpatrick and Morris and it has come to define the club.
Thanks for those insights, Mark. Speaking as a Dale fan, I think you’ve done a great job in charting the torturous path, and triumph, of Rochdale AFC. It has much greater resonance today when you look at the fate of Bolton, Bury and Oldham, and the agony their fans are going through. Personally, I feel blessed and very lucky that we had David and Graham at the helm during those crucial years. They are our true heroes.
Trevor Hoyle
Trevor Hoyle
