Away Team

SETTING THE SCENE FOR TODAY'S GAME

WELCOME TO LEAGUE 1’S ENTERTAINERS

Rochdale come into tonight’s game 18th in Sky Bet League 1, two points above the relegation zone.

February began with back-toback home defeats against Charlton (0-2) and MK Dons (1-4) before a frozen pitch cancelled their scheduled fixture at AFC Wimbledon.

A 1-0 defeat at Blackpool followed last midweek and they come into tonight’s game on the back of a goalless draw at home to Plymouth on Saturday.

Dale were the league’s entertainers in January with 35 goals in total from the seven games they were involved in.

A 4-4 draw away at Charlton sandwiched 3-3 draws against Crewe and Wigan, both at home, while they were on the wrong side of a 4-3 scoreline against Oxford, also at home.

There was also a 2-2 draw away at Gillingham and a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster but the month did end with a win, 2-1 at Bristol Rovers, Alex Newby’s brace bringing to an end Dale’s seven match winless run.

Three players joined Rochdale on transfer deadline day, midfielders Conor Shaughnessy and Conor Grant and striker Jack Vale.

Shaughnessy, 24, signed an 18-month deal at the Crown Oil Arena after being released by Leeds while Dale paid an undisclosed fee to Sheffield Wednesday for Grant, 19.

Vale, also 19, joined on loan from Blackburn Rovers.

BRIAN BARRY-MURPHY

As a player, Brian Barry-Murphy has played for Cork City, Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday as well as representing the Republic of Ireland at Under 21 level. He also had loan spells at Southend United and Hartlepool United. He joined Rochdale in June 2010 and later became the club's first team coach, as well as retaining his registration as the club's senior outfield player. He was appointed Rochdale's caretaker manager in March 2019 following the departure of Keith Hill. The following month he was appointed permanent manager on an initial two-year contract.

JAY LYNCH

GAVIN BAZUNU

GOALKEEPER

Age: 19 Signed: August 2020 (on-loan from Manchester City)

JAY LYNCH

GOALKEEPER

Age: 27 Signed: August 2019 Former clubs: AFC Fylde, Salford, Accrington, Bolton,

RYAN McLAUGHLIN

DEFENDER

Age: 26 Signed: January 2019 Former clubs: Blackpool, Oldham, Aberdeen, Barnsley, Liverpool

GABRIEL OSHO

DEFENDER

Age: 22 Signed: January 2021 (on-loan from Luton) Former clubs: Yeovil, Bristol Rovers, Aldershot, Maidenhead, Reading

JAKE BEESLEY EOGHAN O'CONNELL

JIMMY McNULTY

DEFENDER

Age: 36 Signed: June 2015 Former clubs: Bury, Tranmere, Barnsley, Scunthorpe, Brighton, Stockport, Macclesfield, Wrexham

PAUL McSHANE

DEFENDER

Age: 35 Signed: October 2019 Former clubs: Reading, Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Hull, Sunderland, West Brom, Brighton, Walsall, Man Utd

EOGHAN O'CONNELL

DEFENDER

Age: 25 Signed: July 2019 Former clubs: Bury, Walsall, Cork, Oldham, Celtic

HAYDEN ROBERTS

DEFENDER

Age: 18 Signed: October 2020 (on-loan from Brighton)

STEPHEN DOOLEY

MIDFIELDER

Age: 29 Signed: July 2018 Former clubs: Coleraine, Cork, Derry

AARON MORLEY

MIDFIELDER

Age: 20 Signed: August 2016 Former clubs: None

ALEX NEWBY

MIDFIELDER

Age: 25 Signed: August 2020 Former clubs: Chorley, Barrow

JIMMY KEOHANE

MIDFIELDER

Age: 30 Signed: February 2019 Former clubs: Cork, Sligo, Woking, Exeter

HAYDON ROBERTS JIMMY McNULTY JIMMY KEOHANE

OLIVER RATHBONE

MIDFIELDER

Age: 24 Signed: July 2016 Former clubs: Man Utd

CONOR GRANT

MIDFIELDER

Age: 19 Signed: February 2021 Former clubs: Sheffield Wednesday

CONOR SHAUGHNESSY

DEFENDER

Age: 24 Signed: February 2021 Former clubs: Burton, Mansfield, Hearts, Leeds

JIMMY RYAN

MIDFIELDER

Age: 32 Signed: July 2019 Former clubs: Blackpool, Fleetwood, Chesterfield, Scunthorpe. Accrington, Shrewsbury

MATTHEW LUND

MIDFIELDER

Age: 30 Signed: January 2020 Former clubs: Scunthorpe, Bradford, Burton, Southend, Bristol Rovers, Oldham, Hereford, Stoke

STEPHEN HUMPHRYS

STRIKER

Age: 23 Signed: September 2020 Former clubs: Southend, Scunthorpe,, Shrewsbury, Fulham

JAKE BEESLEY

STRIKER

Age: 24 Signed: September 2020 Former clubs: Solihull Moors, Bradford PA, Salford, Boston, Chesterfield

MATT DONE

STRIKER

Age: 32 Signed: August 2017 Former clubs: Sheff Utd, Hibernian, Barnsley, Hereford, Wrexham

KWADWO BAAH

STRIKER

Age: 18 Signed: September 2019 Former clubs: None

JACK VALE

STRIKER

Age: 19 Signed: February 2021 (on-loan from Blackburn)